Fantasy Football Thursday Morning Injury Report (Nov. 5): Westbrook and More

Fantasy Football Week Nine is just days away and with teams returning to practice there is plenty of injury news regarding some of the biggest names in the game.  Let’s take a look at the fallout from Wednesday’s practices:

Brian Westbrook practiced in full.

There was some skepticism due to the concussion that kept him from playing in Week 8, but his presence on the practice field on Wednesday is a great sign.  According to philadelphiaeagles.com (click here  for the article), he “will be a full participant in practice for the rest of the week, said head coach Andy Reid”.  That obviously leads us to believe that he is going to play this weekend in Dallas, making him a must use option in all formats.  LeSean McCoy, who rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown against the Giants this past week, is now better served to be on your bench.  He’s rushed for more than 46 yards in a game just twice over his first seven games.

Steve Breaston was limited in practice with a knee injury; Anquan Boldin did not practice with an ankle injury.
This is par for the course at this point, but things have taken a different sort of turn for Week 9. According to azcardinals.com (click here  for the post), coach Ken Whisenhunt said, “We’ll do what it is the best interest of the team.”  It’s been made clear that rest is what is required for him to recover from the injury, so we can read between the lines.  There’s no reason to expect Breaston not to be on the field on Sunday and he certainly would benefit from Boldin’s absence. If things play out this way, Breaston, who was a must play to begin with (we had him ranked at #24 in our Top 40 WR rankings, which you can view by clicking here ), looks that much better.

Aaron Rodgers did not practice due to a foot injury.
In an article posted on ESPN earlier in the week (click here  to view), “Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers could miss time in practice this week but is expected to play Sunday at Tampa Bay without losing mobility.”  Obviously, he’s a must play in all formats and you should not be concerned with the news.

Devin Hester did not practice due to an ankle injury.
While he was said to be limping yesterday, he was quoted by Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune (click here  for the article) as saying, “I’ll be ready.”  It’s really too early to make a call, but word is that he continued playing this past Sunday after sustaining the injury.  At this point, I would plan on being able to use him, but have a usable reserve to throw in there at the last minute just in case.

Calvin Johnson was limited in practice due to a knee injury.
This is the first step back for Johnson, who has had just one catch for two yards since Week 4.  Things are pointing to his return to the field in Week 9 against the Seahawks, as he “took reps with the No. 1 offense — something he didn’t do last week when he practiced. Johnson took part in all the individual drills and was running smoothly” according to Tom Kowalski of mlive.com (click here  for the article).  He obviously would be a must use option.

Kevin Smith did not practice due to a shoulder injury.
In the same article referenced regarding C. Johnson, Kowalski states that Smith’s status for Sunday is unknown after leaving the game against the Rams with the injury.  Make sure you have a replacement in place just in case we don’t get positive news as the week progresses.

Anthony Gonzalez did not practice due to a knee injury.
For all those who have been stashing him on the bench, waiting for the day to finally come that he returns to the line-up, the news isn’t good.  It was mentioned in the Indianapolis Star (click here  for the article) that “The coach mentioned Gonzo getting another opinion, which is not a good sign. So, for now, don’t expect to see Gonzo any time soon.”  If you’ve been holding onto him for this long, I wouldn’t just write him off based on this bit of news, but things are certainly moving in that direction.  Hopefully we get a little bit more on this in the coming days.

Roddy White did not practice due to a knee injury.
It’s tough to read much into this yet, as the team did not actually hold practice, having played on Monday night.  While the team said he wouldn’t have been on the practice field, things certainly would be more telling over the next few days.  Still, it’s hard to imagine him not playing against the Redskins this week.

Sammy Morris (knee) and Fred Taylor (ankle) did not practice.
Neither player is expected back this week, so Laurence Maroney and BenJarvus Green-Ellis should once again see carries on Sunday.  Unfortunately, neither is recommendable, considering that they will be sharing carries and the Patriots are such a pass heavy offense.

Donald Driver did not practice due to a neck injury.
There’s no real reason for concern at this point, as he sustained a stinger on Sunday and was likely just held out as they erred on the side of caution.  He has been great all season long, with 55 yards or more in every game since Week 1, including four weeks of at least 84 yards.  Unless something new comes out in the next few days, he’s a must use option in all formats.

Jonathan Stewart did not practice due to an Achilles injury.
This is his routine, so owners should be accustomed to it by now.  He’ll be on the field on Sunday.  He was ranked #35 on our initial Top 35 Running Back rankings for Week 9 (click here  to view), so he should just be considered as a FLEX option and nothing more.

Mario Manningham (shoulder) and Kevin Boss (ankle) were limited in practice.
In regards to Manningham, if he plays or if he doesn’t, his value in the Giants option has been diminished as of late.  Hakeem Nicks is quickly gaining traction in the offense, so you may want to shy away from Manningham.  Boss, meanwhile, has proven to be one of the toughest tight ends in the league.  He takes a licking and keeps on ticking, though he needs to produce significantly more to be considered a usable option.  He didn’t earn a spot on our Top 15 Tight Ends for the upcoming week (click here  to view), so if you are looking for a one-week fill-in, I’d look elsewhere.

What are your thoughts on the injury news?  Which do you find most troubling?  Who are you not concerned about?

Need help in trying to decide who to start this week, check out our weekly rankings by clicking here .

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