Injury Report for 11/23

By Christian Hardy



November 23rd, 2011
Quarterbacks
- Mark Brunell received first team snaps for the Jets on Tuesday in hopes of motivating Mark Sanchez to play better, just as they did around this time of last year. Rex Ryan says that he doesn't envision ever sitting Sanchez.
- Michael Vick will not practice on Wednesday. He threw some on Thursday, but did very very little.
- Jay Cutler will undergo hand surgery today.
- Kevin Kolb took 35-40 percet of the snaps in practice today. He says that he feels good, but and is optimistic for this week. He also said that it is too early in hte week to tell if he will be able to go on Sunday. Boy, do the Cowboys need him.
- The Texans placed Matt Schaub on Injured Reserve, ending his season with a Lisfranc injury. They replaced his spot on the active roster with Kellen Clemons, after working out five quarterbacks on Tuesday.
- Colt McCoy said that his shoulder has been bothering him for a couple of weeks but it is just general soreness. He said that he will be OK, according to Nate Ulrich on Twitter.
- Head coach Mike Munchak on Matt Hasselbeck, via Jim Wyatt on Twitter: "He has some soreness, but looks better. Will be ready on Sunday."
- Kyle Orton was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs, according to ESPN. Since the Bears missed out on the Orton sweepstakes, they signed Josh McCown to a one-year deal. UPDATE: The Chiefs still expect Tyler Palko to start one more game, this weekend, against the Steelers.


Running Backs
- James Starks was limited in practice with foot and knee injuries. He is listed as questionable and is expected to be a game-time decision.
- Adrian Peterson will be in a boot until Thursday. If he is not able to practice by Friday then he will be inactive on Sunday.
- Darren McFadden watched practice according to head coach Hue Jackson, per Paul Gutierez on Twitter.
- Joseph Addai returned to practice and said that he is "ready to play".
- After Fred Jackson was ruled out for week 12 earlier Wednesday, head coach Chan Gailey said that he doesn't know if Fred Jackson will return this season. Some experts and myself speculate that, rather than a calf strain, he may of torn the muscle in his calf. For a guy that is already 30 years old, it just got a lot worse. In the mean time, CJ Spiller will take over lead-back duties and is most definitely worth a pick up. UPDATE: Fred Jackson was placed on Injured Reserve with a broken fibula.
- Montario Hardesty will start on Sunday if he is active.
- Felix Jones is questionable for tomorrow against the Dolphins.
- Former Cowboys and Redskins running back Tashard Choice was claimed on waivers by the Buffalo Bills. I'd expect him, after this week, to slip in and share carries with CJ Spiller until Fred Jackson returns.
- Montario Hardesty was limited in practice this week and he said that he will play as long as there are no setbacks in practice.
- Willis McGahee was a full participant in practice. 


Wide Receivers
- Jeremy Maclin (shoulder) was a limited participant at  practice, while Desean Jackson plans to sit out with a foot sprain. Maclin said the shoulder is still painful and the hamstring is not yet one hundred percent. Both Maclin and Jackson said "we'll see" in regards to their status on Sunday.
- AJ Green said that he will practice on Wednesday. He is on track to start on Sunday, according to Rotoworld.
- Denarius Moore was seen in a protective boot on Wednesday.
- Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss, who has missed the last four games with a hand injury, practiced today and said his hand is "ready".
- Jacoby Ford could be out of a walking boot before tomorrow. If Heyward-Bey (neck), Denarius Moore (ankle) and Ford were not able to go, then their three receiver sets would feature TJ Houshmandzadeh, Louis Murphy, and Chaz Schilens.
- David Nelson and Naaman Roosevelt did not practice today with undisclosed injuries that are thought to be health issues. It is nothing serious, and both expect to play.
- Julio Jones is expected to practice tomorrow. He did not practice today.
- Steelers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders practiced fully today and is expected to play this week.
- Malcom Floyd did not practice.

Tight Ends
- Vikings tight ends Visanthe Shiancoe (hamstring) and Kyle Rudolph (quad) both missed practice on Wednesday.


Defense/Others
- Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins has been ruled out for tomorrow. This will be his fourth consecutive game on the sideline.
- Eagles CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie missed practice on Wednesday and is on track to miss his second straight game with his high ankle sprain against the Patriots on Sunday.

Week 11 Pickups

By: Gabriel Harber

The past three weeks have shown exactly why having a good backup plan is imperative, both in the NFL and on our fantasy teams.  Let’s say for example you were sitting pretty at 6-2 just a few weeks ago.  You had Jay Cutler, Jeremy Maclin, Julio Jones, and Ahmad Bradshaw all producing at high levels and with the combined power of your other studs you felt confident in your chances of making a championship run.

Flash forward to the aftermath.  You’re spiraling downwards quickly, about to be 6-5 and clinging to the final playoff berth with a matchup against the league’s best team looming next week.  At this point it doesn’t matter how well you play the wire, you’ve lost a significant chunk of production and you’re left wondering what you could have done differently.

Don’t be that guy.

Even though our favorite game is heavily influenced by factors outside our control, we needn’t be helpless.  There are a few simple steps you can take to give your team the highest chance of succeeding through adversity.  Place extra emphasis an acquiring high value handcuffs.  Research and find out which guys have shown promise in practice, training camps, and pre-season games and target them as throw-ins in your trades.  Scour the waiver wire for high upside players that only need a depth chart breakthrough to be great.  Stop holding onto that WR5 because you “just know” he’s due and fill your bench with speculative home runs.

Or you can just call Brett Favre, I heard he’s available.

Blank Stare

(Do not, under any circumstances, text him.)

Pick Ups

Jacoby Ford:  With the Darrius Heyward-Bey banged up (thoughts and prayers go to him) and a hopeful return date of next weekend for Ford, the window to pick up Ford uncontested is likely closing.  Carson Palmer looks for him when he’s on the field which should be more than enough for you to trust him too.

Kevin Smith:  Obvious add is obvious. 201 totals yards, three touchdowns. That is all.

Matt Moore:  Head coach Tony Sparano spoke about an emotion and fire that Moore was exhibiting during Sunday’s victory.  Now I’m no expert (at anything) and I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but there is something going on with the Miami Dolphins the past month that defies conventional wisdom.  Moore is playing at another level, managing games and daggering when necessary.  He had a career day yesterday with Brandon Marshall being a non-factor.  That’s impressive and an indicator of a player who isn’t forcing mistakes.  If you find yourself in quarterback damage control mode Moore is the guy for you.

Vince Young:  Michael Vick is banged up, and has a history of being banged up.  Young has been nothing but a winner his entire career (except that time when he was benched, and stopped producing) and as long as Vick stays hobbled I expect to him to make the most of every opportunity thrown his way.  If you’re in a keeper league this is a no brainer addition, as Young will likely be a starter somewhere next season.

CJ Spiller:  Fred Jackson has a calf bruise and that means that as unimpressive as Spiller has been, he’s still worth a pick up.  The Bills have been lining him up in the slot at times, adding a little icing on the cake for PPR’ers.

Riley Cooper:  Vince Young trusts Cooper, as is evidenced by the twelve targets tossed his way and the fact that Young looked to him with the game on the line.  DeSean Jackson is still in the doghouse and Maclin may not be cleared to play for a few more weeks.  If you need a fill in, Cooper versus New England looks as tasty as the Thanksgiving leftovers you’ll be eating as you watch.

Jared Cook:  This one’s tricky, as his value hinges almost completely on Mike Munchak’s decision at quarterback.  The Titans have a real shot at a playoff run, two games behind division leading Houston who is rolling with Matt Leinart the rest of the way.  The season concludes with a showdown at Houston that could potentially decide the division.  If the Titans stick with Hasselbeck then Cook loses much of his appeal, but should they choose to move forward with the future then Cook gains safety valve value for the talented young gunslinger.  Keep a close eye on the news coming out of Tennessee.

Nate Burleson:  The Lions (specifically Matthew Stafford) are throwing the ball as proficiently as they have been all year, and Burleson has been heavily involved the last two contests as defenses continue to load up on Calvin Johnson.  Throw in the newly established running game and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Backflips for Barber

Marion Barber:  The news out of Chicago is devastating.  Jay Cutler will miss at least the rest of the regular season.  I expect the Bears to limit Caleb Hanie by employing a two-headed monster approach in the running game, which is what Chicago has came out and said that they want to do.  Barber has shown he’s more than capable as a goal line back, and I would expect his touches to increase to around the 12-15 mark now.

Jake Locker:  Looking impressive in his first extended action, Locker almost led the Titans out from the claws of defeat this weekend.  He showed exceptional athleticism and poise as he threw bullets to Jared Cook, Nate Washington, and Lavelle Hawkins for long gains.  As mentioned above, look for the word coming out of Titans camp for news on what to do here. However, head coach Mike Muchak did say after yesterday’s game that

Toby Gerhart:  Peterson will likely sit a game, and that means a large workload will necessarily fall into Gerhart’s lap.  He’s shown speed and power in limited touches, but hasn’t really seen much action.  This is most likely a direct result of late season fumbles that placed him in coach Leslie Frazier’s doghouse last season.

I’ll see you back here next week!  Until then, be sure to shoot me any questions you might have on Twitter.