Fantasy Football: Roster Questions and Doubts

Doubtful and questionable status reports on National Football League rosters for the games remaining this weekend further deplete the talent pool left after the bye teams are wiped of the slate. Byes are held this week by Cincinnati, Dallas, Washington, and Tampa Bay. Cleveland and Denver have already played their game this past Thursday, so that leaves 13 contests left to be played.

Marquee players in these remaining games have serious doubts associated with their roster spots for fantasy owners, so a look at their prospects for this weekend is in order.

One of the highlight games is the late NBC game Sunday night between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles. As Justin Tuck appealed the nonsensical fine he was hit with by the league offices for hitting Brooks Bollinger "with his full body weight" last weekend, one wonders if the players this week are requiring the quarterbacks to wear tutus as they take the snaps behind centers? That particular play and resulting fine define what is wrong with the league interpretations of safety rules protecting players, as Tuck even braced his fall upon Bollinger during the course of what should be defined as a textbook tackle. The $7,500 fine has since been rescinded by the league.

The remaining Giants' defense has taken the brunt of the injury hit this week as James Butler (S), Kevin Dockery (CB) and Gerris Wilkinson (LB) are the players ruled definitely out of this game. The Eagles have lost only Shawn Andrews (G), but name players Lito Sheppard (questionable), Brian Dawkins (probable), DeSean Jackson (probable), and Brian Westbrook show up on the latest injury report for the teams.

Another marquee game that demands interest is the meeting of the Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Steel City as a late game Sunday afternoon. The Colts are in the strange position of needing a win worse than the Steelers, as they trail Tennessee by a full four games in the AFC South. That translates into their having to focus on a wild card slot for the upcoming playoffs, rather than their accustomed lead in the division and resulting bye for the first round. Pittsburgh has a one game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North, but even lacking the same desperation that Indianapolis has to take into the game, the Steelers will be very hard to beat at home, but the injury report might offer insight into a different situation for the home team.

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