By David Kaye, Fantasy Football Insiders
AFC Injury Report
New York Jets wide receiver Laveranues Coles (ankle) is not expected to play in Thursday's Thanksgiving showdown against the 9-1 Cowboys.
Buffalo Bills standout running back Marshawn Lynch (ankle) sat out Sunday's blowout loss to the undefeated Patriots and is listed as questionable for next week's game at Jacksonville. According to head coach Dick Jauron, Lynch has a ''substantial sprain and injury'' and it does not look likely that he'll be able to suit up for Sunday's game.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh (back) is probable for Sunday's game against Tennessee.
Pittsburgh Steelers electric wide receiver Santonio Holmes (sprained ankle) sustained the injury during Sunday's disparaging road loss to the woeful Jets and is questionable for Sunday night's game against the winless Dolphins.
Indianapolis Colts star wideout Marvin Harrison (knee) has not played in the past five games and it's highly unlikely that he'll participate in Thursday's game at Atlanta. Harrison has been an extreme disappoint this season, accumulating one touchdown and 247 yards receiving in five games.
Fellow wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez (hand) is probable for Thursday's game with the Falcons. Gonzalez has not played since a week nine loss to the Patriots.
Houston Texans tight end Owen Daniels (broken nose) is probable for Sunday's game against the upstart Browns.
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Mike Peterson (broken hand) will be out indefinitely and possibly the remainder of the season after sustaining this devastating injury in Sunday's victory over the Chargers. As the team's leader in tackles and a true force in the locker room, Peterson's loss will be a substantial blow to the Jags playoff aspirations.
Oakland Raiders rookie running back Michael Bush (knee) is expected to be activated from the physically unable to perform list later this week.
NFC Injury Report
New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs (hamstring) left Sunday's win over the Lions in the third quarter with a pulled hamstring and is questionable for next week's game against the Vikings.
Another Giant, linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka (fractured fibula) will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his broken left leg Monday.
Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro quarterback Donovan McNabb (sprained right ankle) underwent an MRI Monday that revealed partial swelling and his status for Sunday's game against the unstoppable Patriots is still uncertain.
Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant (ankle sprain) is listed as day-to-day.
Minnesota Vikings star rookie running back Adrian Peterson (ankle) has not been ruled out for Sunday's matchup with the Giants, but it currently appears highly unlikely that the speedster will be able to suit up.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Ones To Watch
By Ralph Mancini, Draft Bible Senior Writer
TROY SMITH (BAL-QB)- At 4-6, the Ravens might only be a loss or two away from giving some extra playing time to their younger, untested players. One of these is rookie quarterback Troy Smith. Built more like a halfback at 6’ 0” 225 pounds, Smith is an ultra-athletic passer that will probably make more plays with his legs than his arms in the early going. The 2006 Heisman trophy winner has natural leadership qualities and remarkable toughness.
KYLE ECKEL (NE-RB)- Eckel had a season-high 10 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown in New England’s 56-10 shellacking of the Buffalo Bills. The former Naval Academy standout is a hard, straight-ahead plowhorse, who may see added time as the Patriots will probably continue to hand him the pigskin while running out the clock in their blowout losses. The 245-pound Eckel is a powerful short-yardage runner.
SINORICE MOSS (NYG-WR)- Moss finally gave fans a glimpse of what he can do when healthy (four receptions for 46 yards) by serving as Eli Manning’s safety valve on underneath routes and gaining yardage after the catch. The one-time Miami Hurricane should be called upon more frequently in the coming weeks due to Plaxico Burress’s ankle injury and Amani Toomer’s lack of big-play ability.
DEVARD DARLING (BAL-WR)- In Baltimore’s overtime loss to Cleveland, Darling had a career day by serving as Kyle Boller’s deep threat to the tune of 107 yards and a touchdown on only four receptions. The 6’ 1” 215-pound wide out may continue getting more snaps if Demetrius Williams’s high ankle sprain keeps him out for an extended period of time. Darling is much better at going long than he is at running short routes.
KEVIN BOSS (NYG-TE)- The 6’ 6” 252-pound rookie has shown flashes of outstanding athleticism and running ability despite only having two catches for 33 yards so far this season. The former basketball player at the University of Western Oregon might soon see a few more balls thrown his way on a Giants offense that’s been losing some steam in recent weeks.
TROY SMITH (BAL-QB)- At 4-6, the Ravens might only be a loss or two away from giving some extra playing time to their younger, untested players. One of these is rookie quarterback Troy Smith. Built more like a halfback at 6’ 0” 225 pounds, Smith is an ultra-athletic passer that will probably make more plays with his legs than his arms in the early going. The 2006 Heisman trophy winner has natural leadership qualities and remarkable toughness.
KYLE ECKEL (NE-RB)- Eckel had a season-high 10 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown in New England’s 56-10 shellacking of the Buffalo Bills. The former Naval Academy standout is a hard, straight-ahead plowhorse, who may see added time as the Patriots will probably continue to hand him the pigskin while running out the clock in their blowout losses. The 245-pound Eckel is a powerful short-yardage runner.
SINORICE MOSS (NYG-WR)- Moss finally gave fans a glimpse of what he can do when healthy (four receptions for 46 yards) by serving as Eli Manning’s safety valve on underneath routes and gaining yardage after the catch. The one-time Miami Hurricane should be called upon more frequently in the coming weeks due to Plaxico Burress’s ankle injury and Amani Toomer’s lack of big-play ability.
DEVARD DARLING (BAL-WR)- In Baltimore’s overtime loss to Cleveland, Darling had a career day by serving as Kyle Boller’s deep threat to the tune of 107 yards and a touchdown on only four receptions. The 6’ 1” 215-pound wide out may continue getting more snaps if Demetrius Williams’s high ankle sprain keeps him out for an extended period of time. Darling is much better at going long than he is at running short routes.
KEVIN BOSS (NYG-TE)- The 6’ 6” 252-pound rookie has shown flashes of outstanding athleticism and running ability despite only having two catches for 33 yards so far this season. The former basketball player at the University of Western Oregon might soon see a few more balls thrown his way on a Giants offense that’s been losing some steam in recent weeks.
Searching the Scrap Heap
By Ralph Mancini, Draft Bible Senior Writer
BRODIE CROYLE (KC-QB)- Despite failing to the light up the stat sheet (19 completions, 169 yards and a touchdown), the Chiefs’ newly-installed starter did enough to earn the confidence of his coaching staff by masterfully spreading the ball to his supporting cast and out producing his counterpart Peyton Manning. The strong-armed Croyle displayed nice touch on his 19-yard scoring toss to Dwayne Bowe. The strong-armed 24-year-old faces off versus a fading Oakland Raider team next week that has lost six straight contests.
RON DAYNE (HOU-RB)- Yes, he’s fat and painfully slow, but with Ahman Green possibly out for the remainder of the season, the much-maligned Ron Dayne is the man the Houston Texans are hitching their wagon to. The 1999 Heisman Trophy winner convincingly cemented himself as the team’s lead runner by gaining 89 yards on 21 carries along with three receptions for 26 yards versus the Saints. Dayne seems very comfortable running behind coach Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking offensive line.
DREW CARTER (CAR-WR)- Since scoring two touchdowns in week one, Carter’s performances have been rather non-descript until this week’s explosion against the Green Bay Packers, which saw the 6’ 3” wide out record five catches for 132 yards and one touchdown. While it’s fair to point out that Carter’s production may at least partly be due to the absence of Steve Smith, it’s also worth mentioning that the former Ohio State standout does possess excellent deep speed which could pose problems for defenders with the cannon-armed Vinny Testaverde behind center.
TED GINN JR. (MIA-WR)- Previously highlighted in Ones to Watch, rookie Ted Ginn Jr. is beginning to show why the Dolphins thought so highly of him when selecting the speedster with their ninth overall selection in last April’s draft. In addition to scoring Miami’s lone touchdown versus the Eagles on an 87-yard punt return, Ginn also had four catches for 52 yards. With Chris Chambers out of the picture, there’s no reason why this rookie can’t become the focal point of the Dolphin passing game. Look for coach Cam Cameron to continue devising ways to utilize Ginn’s game-breaking abilities.
MARCUS POLLARD (SEA-TE)- After missing two games due to injury, Pollard has slowly been rounding into form. In Seattle’s latest win over Chicago, the 35-year-old gained 33 yards on two receptions. Pollard may be useful in Mike Holmgren’s wide-open offense where quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has attempted forty or more passes in four of his last five games.
ARIZONA DEFENSE – Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast did a phenomenal job of tutoring his players on how to properly defend the variety of square-ins and dig routes typically run by Cincinnati’s receivers. The Cardinals defensive unit gave Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer fits and forced him into throwing a career-high four interceptions---three of which were registered by defensive back Antrel Rolle. Imagine the possibilities when the Trent Dilfer-led 49ers come to visit in week 12
BRODIE CROYLE (KC-QB)- Despite failing to the light up the stat sheet (19 completions, 169 yards and a touchdown), the Chiefs’ newly-installed starter did enough to earn the confidence of his coaching staff by masterfully spreading the ball to his supporting cast and out producing his counterpart Peyton Manning. The strong-armed Croyle displayed nice touch on his 19-yard scoring toss to Dwayne Bowe. The strong-armed 24-year-old faces off versus a fading Oakland Raider team next week that has lost six straight contests.
RON DAYNE (HOU-RB)- Yes, he’s fat and painfully slow, but with Ahman Green possibly out for the remainder of the season, the much-maligned Ron Dayne is the man the Houston Texans are hitching their wagon to. The 1999 Heisman Trophy winner convincingly cemented himself as the team’s lead runner by gaining 89 yards on 21 carries along with three receptions for 26 yards versus the Saints. Dayne seems very comfortable running behind coach Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking offensive line.
DREW CARTER (CAR-WR)- Since scoring two touchdowns in week one, Carter’s performances have been rather non-descript until this week’s explosion against the Green Bay Packers, which saw the 6’ 3” wide out record five catches for 132 yards and one touchdown. While it’s fair to point out that Carter’s production may at least partly be due to the absence of Steve Smith, it’s also worth mentioning that the former Ohio State standout does possess excellent deep speed which could pose problems for defenders with the cannon-armed Vinny Testaverde behind center.
TED GINN JR. (MIA-WR)- Previously highlighted in Ones to Watch, rookie Ted Ginn Jr. is beginning to show why the Dolphins thought so highly of him when selecting the speedster with their ninth overall selection in last April’s draft. In addition to scoring Miami’s lone touchdown versus the Eagles on an 87-yard punt return, Ginn also had four catches for 52 yards. With Chris Chambers out of the picture, there’s no reason why this rookie can’t become the focal point of the Dolphin passing game. Look for coach Cam Cameron to continue devising ways to utilize Ginn’s game-breaking abilities.
MARCUS POLLARD (SEA-TE)- After missing two games due to injury, Pollard has slowly been rounding into form. In Seattle’s latest win over Chicago, the 35-year-old gained 33 yards on two receptions. Pollard may be useful in Mike Holmgren’s wide-open offense where quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has attempted forty or more passes in four of his last five games.
ARIZONA DEFENSE – Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast did a phenomenal job of tutoring his players on how to properly defend the variety of square-ins and dig routes typically run by Cincinnati’s receivers. The Cardinals defensive unit gave Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer fits and forced him into throwing a career-high four interceptions---three of which were registered by defensive back Antrel Rolle. Imagine the possibilities when the Trent Dilfer-led 49ers come to visit in week 12
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)