Julio Jones Injury: Updates on Falcons Star's Week 9 Status and Fantasy Value

The Atlanta Falcons have been below average all season, but they are starting to get things back on track while their first-round draft pick Julio Jones watches on the sidelines.

Jones missed Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions with a strained left hamstring, and the hope is that the extended rest coupled with the bye week should have the receiver back in the lineup in Week 9.

Update: Sunday, Nov. 6 at 12:55 p.m. EDT - Alex Kay

Julio Jones is active and playing today according to John Clayton via Twitter.

Look for him to have a good game as he gets back on the field and in the starting lineup. He is a fine play in almost any fantasy format as well.

Update: Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 4:10 p.m. EDT -- Tim Daniels

Phil Ervin of the Forsyth County News passed along a quote from Jones about his troublesome hamstring and it sounds like things are trending in the right direction.

While Jones will probably be listed as questionable for Sunday's game, it's good to know he hasn't suffered any recent setbacks. Keep checking back as the week goes on for more information.

Update: Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 8:00 p.m. EDT —Eric Ball

Another day, another step in the right direction for Jones. He was out on the practice field on Tuesday marking the second consecutive day of participation. While he still doesn't seem to be 100-percent healthy, Jones does sound encouraged he will play on Sunday:

"

It felt good today. I was limited. We are going to play it day-by-day out there. But today, with the little reps that I had, I felt great.

"

Cliche aside, you have to love what we are hearing from Jones this early in the week. It's still too early to declare him ready to go, but all signs are pointing in that direction at this point.

Update: Monday, Oct. 31 at 3:55 p.m. EDT -- Tim Daniels

Jones took the first step to getting back in the starting lineup on Monday by returning to the practice field. The bye week came at the perfect time for the rookie wide receiver, who has had to deal with a nagging hamstring injury.

Keep checking back throughout the week for updates, but as for now it appears Jones will be ready to be put back in fantasy football lineups in Week 9.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 1:29 p.m. EDT by Donald Wood

Despite the Falcons being given the week off of practice leading into the bye week, Julio Jones has taken it upon himself to continue rehabbing so that he is ready for Week 9.

Jones took to twitter to update his fans on his recovery process:

While many fantasy football players are getting frustrated with the injury to Jones, don’t give up hope just yet. Jones is a huge part of the Falcons offense and they will feed him the ball when he is healthy.

Falcons’ defensive lineman Corey Peters told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the team’s choice to give the players the bye week off:

"Guys talk, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we win and coach just says you know what, take the week off.’  Coach Smith is not a guy to usually change the schedule, that extreme anyway. Lots of guys are rushing to change plans and flights. When he started talking [following the game], you could feel it building. It was great."

Extra rest is great news for Julio Jones and all of the ailing players the Falcons have on the roster right now. The hope is that they will all be ready to go when their Week 9 game against the NFL’s punching bag Indianapolis Colts arrives Nov. 6.

Julio Jones should be back for that beat down, so keep him on your fantasy rosters because he will be factor when he returns.

Check back for more on the NFL world as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Football Page to get your fill of the NFL.

Follow @Donald_Wood