Week 11's Injury Questions
The case of Sidney Rice is a good reminder that the NFL is a business.
After an eye-opening breakout year in 2009, Rice came down with a hip ailment. But since he was heading into a contract year, he put off surgery. Big mistake. It turned out that Rice could not play (or play at a level that would get him the big cash) without the surgery, and he had it just two weeks before the season started.
That brings us to now, where Rice is hesitant to get on the field despite being medically cleared. Do we really blame him? If he aggravates his surgically-repaired hip, or plays poorly, it will cost him millions of dollars. But coach Brad Childress put Rice to the test, saying Friday that if he does not play this week, he is going on injured reserve.
So Rice, apparently ready to put something on tape despite soreness, is tentatively expected to play this week. He'll play about half the snaps at most, making him a very risky fantasy start. We do not know how effective he can be right now even if he was playing a full complement of snaps.
Don't take risks with your squad in Week 11. Check out the Rotoworld News Page all morning for the latest information on all the game-time decisions. Also, be sure to use the rankings from Gregg Rosenthal/Chris Wesseling in combination with Evan Silva's matchup column and you'll be good to go.
I've got you covered with the latest injury news right here.
<BIG>1 P.M. GAMES</BIG>
RAVENS at PANTHERS
* Todd Heap (chest) is banged up but ready to go as usual.
* With Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore both out, the Panthers are starting newly signed Brian St. Pierre over Tony Pike. It means that no Panthers should be in starting fantasy lineups.
* Mike Goodson is starting again with DeAngelo Williams (foot), Jonathan Stewart (concussion) and Tyrell Sutton (out).
TEXANS at JETS
* Matt Schaub (knee) will start, but is a weak play in this brutal matchup.
* Owen Daniels (hamstring) is out, leaving Joel Dreesen as a low-end TE2.
* Jerricho Cotchery (groin) is out, upgrading Santonio Holmes.
www.therx.ws
BILLS at BENGALS
* C.J. Spiller (hamstring) will not play. Fred Jackson will be a workhorse again.
* Cedric Benson (foot) practiced fully but was slapped with a questionable tag. He may be at less than 100 percent.
* Chad Ochocinco (shoulder) is a full go.
RAIDERS at STEELERS
* Zach Miller (foot) is listed as questionable, but he is fine. The bye week allowed him to recover.
* Darrius Heyward-Bey (hamstring) is looking like a true game-time decision, but Jacoby Ford is expected to play ahead of him regardless.
* Hines Ward will play one week after suffering a concussion.
* Louis Murphy (lung) is a full go, but has not had a good game since Week 3.
BROWNS at JAGUARS
* Mike Sims-Walker (ankle) is almost certainly out. Tiquan Underwood will start, with Mike Thomas and Marcedes Lewis picking up extra targets.
* Colt McCoy is starting once again. He has earned it.
* Josh Cribbs (toes) is a true game-time decision. If he can't go, Clifton Smith will handle returns.
LIONS at COWBOYS
* Kevin Smith (thumb) is out several weeks. Maurice Morris will serve as Jahvid Best's backup.
* Jason Hanson (knee) is out again. Dave Rayner is the replacement.
* Tony Scheffler (shoulder) is a game-time decision. Brandon Pettigrew is a far better fantasy option anyway.
PACKERS at VIKINGS
* Sidney Rice (hip) reportedly will play. However, he is only expected to play about 50 percent of the snaps. See above for more.
* Donald Driver (quad) is a game-time decision. Even if he plays, we are expecting limited snaps. James Jones figures to see more targets as the healthier -- and more talented -- option.
* Bernard Berrian (groin) is a true game-time decision as well. He should be left on fantasy benches regardless.
* Percy Harvin (ankle) appears to be as healthy as he has been all year.
REDSKINS at TITANS
* Clinton Portis (groin) will finally make his return to the lineup. Look for him to split work with Keiland Williams, making both unappealing options. Ryan Torain (hamstring) is out again.
* Kenny Britt (hamstring) is not expected back until Week 15 at the earliest.
* Kerry Collins (calf) is doubtful. Vince Young is locked in.
CARDINALS at CHIEFS
* Beanie Wells (knee) is fully expected to play, but fantasy owners should take a wait-and-see approach. He needs a game under his belt to build the coaching staff's trust.
* Tony Moeaki (concussion) is out, which may lead to a few more targets for surging Dwayne Bowe.
* Dexter McCluster (ankle) is a game-time decision. Jamaal Charles will be more involved in the passing game if he sits.
<BIG>4 P.M. GAMES</BIG>
FALCONS at RAMS
* Danario Alexander (knee) is not expected back until Week 12.
BUCS at 49ERS
* Mike Williams is fully expected to start and get a full complement of snaps despite his Friday morning DUI.
* Joe Nedney (knee) is out. Shane Andrus is the replacement.
COLTS at PATRIOTS
* Joseph Addai (neck) and Mike Hart (ankle) are both out. The wildly unimpressive Donald Brown gets another start, with Javarris James coming in for goal-line work.
* At the time this column was published, Austin Collie's (concussion) status was still unknown. We should have word on if he traveled by late Saturday. Check the Rotoworld News Page. If he can't go, Blair White (shoulder) is ready to step in as the No. 3 receiver.
* Reggie Wayne (knee) is fine despite a questionable tag.
SEAHAWKS at SAINTS
* Matt Hasselbeck (wrist) is a full go in this brutal matchup.
* Golden Tate (ankle) is out, leaving Deon Butler as the No. 2 receiver. We would not chase last week's fluky stats from Butler, however.
* Jeremy Shockey (rib) is out. David Thomas and Jimmy Graham will share tight end duties.
* Pierre Thomas (ankle) is believed to be targeting Week 13 for his return. Meanwhile, Reggie Bush is a game-time decision. If he plays, downgrade Lance Moore. If he does not play, consider Bush a low-end PPR play. Either way, the three-headed disaster of Chris Ivory, Ladell Betts and Julius Jones should be avoided.
<BIG>SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL</BIG>
GIANTS at EAGLES
* Steve Smith (pectoral) is out again. Mario Manningham is the No. 2 receiver, but figures to see a ton of red-hot corner Asante Samuel. Special teamer Duke Calhoun is the No. 3 receiver with Ramses Barden (foot) done.
* Kevin Boss (back) will play, but may be needed as a blocker thanks to multiple injuries along the Giants' offensive line.
* LeSean McCoy (shoulder) is a full go.
<BIG>MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL</BIG>
BRONCOS at CHARGERS
* Antonio Gates (foot) surprisingly is looking very doubtful. Randy McMichael is a low-end TE1.
* Ryan Mathews (ankle) is not expected to play either. Mike Tolbert is a fine replacement in both real life and fantasy.
* Malcom Floyd (hamstring) was limited by hamstring soreness Friday. He makes for a risky play, especially with him facing Champ Bailey.
* Nate Kaeding (groin) is expected back, but we would wait a week before using him in fantasy. An in-game setback is always possible.
* Eddie Royal (hamstring) will play.
SURVIVOR PICK OF THE WEEK
If you're still in Survivor, I am impressed. At this point, a lot of your picks are going to depend on what teams you have left. It's also reasonable to map out who you will be taking for the rest of the season. You don't have to stick to that obviously, but it will allow you to see when teams have good matchups.
If you haven't used the Saints yet, it is time. They only have two home games left after this week, and the Seahawks really do not match up well here. The Saints are also off a bye.
The Ravens are another strong option. I almost never recommend road teams in Survivor, but I'll make an exception for the Panthers. Their starting quarterback is practice-squad caliber at best and their offensive line can't protect him anyway.
MY TOUGHEST DECISION OF THE WEEK
In a 12-team league with two flex positions, my final roster spot came down to Lance Moore and Louis Murphy. I am not high on either, but thankfully have Vincent Jackson ready to plug in there starting in Week 12.
As for this week, ideally I would like to wait and see if Reggie Bush is active before making a decision. With Bush out, Moore has been a premier red-zone target for Drew Brees. He runs a lot of the short bubble screens and angle routes near the goal line that Bush runs. But since Murphy plays at 1 p.m. and the Saints play late, I will not know for sure.
The problem with playing Murphy is that he has been out for so long and the matchup is really, really poor. Without a big play, it's hard to see him catching enough passes to be effective. So I am going with Moore.
The case of Sidney Rice is a good reminder that the NFL is a business.
After an eye-opening breakout year in 2009, Rice came down with a hip ailment. But since he was heading into a contract year, he put off surgery. Big mistake. It turned out that Rice could not play (or play at a level that would get him the big cash) without the surgery, and he had it just two weeks before the season started.
That brings us to now, where Rice is hesitant to get on the field despite being medically cleared. Do we really blame him? If he aggravates his surgically-repaired hip, or plays poorly, it will cost him millions of dollars. But coach Brad Childress put Rice to the test, saying Friday that if he does not play this week, he is going on injured reserve.
So Rice, apparently ready to put something on tape despite soreness, is tentatively expected to play this week. He'll play about half the snaps at most, making him a very risky fantasy start. We do not know how effective he can be right now even if he was playing a full complement of snaps.
Don't take risks with your squad in Week 11. Check out the Rotoworld News Page all morning for the latest information on all the game-time decisions. Also, be sure to use the rankings from Gregg Rosenthal/Chris Wesseling in combination with Evan Silva's matchup column and you'll be good to go.
I've got you covered with the latest injury news right here.
<BIG>1 P.M. GAMES</BIG>
RAVENS at PANTHERS
* Todd Heap (chest) is banged up but ready to go as usual.
* With Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore both out, the Panthers are starting newly signed Brian St. Pierre over Tony Pike. It means that no Panthers should be in starting fantasy lineups.
* Mike Goodson is starting again with DeAngelo Williams (foot), Jonathan Stewart (concussion) and Tyrell Sutton (out).
TEXANS at JETS
* Matt Schaub (knee) will start, but is a weak play in this brutal matchup.
* Owen Daniels (hamstring) is out, leaving Joel Dreesen as a low-end TE2.
* Jerricho Cotchery (groin) is out, upgrading Santonio Holmes.
www.therx.ws
BILLS at BENGALS
* C.J. Spiller (hamstring) will not play. Fred Jackson will be a workhorse again.
* Cedric Benson (foot) practiced fully but was slapped with a questionable tag. He may be at less than 100 percent.
* Chad Ochocinco (shoulder) is a full go.
RAIDERS at STEELERS
* Zach Miller (foot) is listed as questionable, but he is fine. The bye week allowed him to recover.
* Darrius Heyward-Bey (hamstring) is looking like a true game-time decision, but Jacoby Ford is expected to play ahead of him regardless.
* Hines Ward will play one week after suffering a concussion.
* Louis Murphy (lung) is a full go, but has not had a good game since Week 3.
BROWNS at JAGUARS
* Mike Sims-Walker (ankle) is almost certainly out. Tiquan Underwood will start, with Mike Thomas and Marcedes Lewis picking up extra targets.
* Colt McCoy is starting once again. He has earned it.
* Josh Cribbs (toes) is a true game-time decision. If he can't go, Clifton Smith will handle returns.
LIONS at COWBOYS
* Kevin Smith (thumb) is out several weeks. Maurice Morris will serve as Jahvid Best's backup.
* Jason Hanson (knee) is out again. Dave Rayner is the replacement.
* Tony Scheffler (shoulder) is a game-time decision. Brandon Pettigrew is a far better fantasy option anyway.
PACKERS at VIKINGS
* Sidney Rice (hip) reportedly will play. However, he is only expected to play about 50 percent of the snaps. See above for more.
* Donald Driver (quad) is a game-time decision. Even if he plays, we are expecting limited snaps. James Jones figures to see more targets as the healthier -- and more talented -- option.
* Bernard Berrian (groin) is a true game-time decision as well. He should be left on fantasy benches regardless.
* Percy Harvin (ankle) appears to be as healthy as he has been all year.
REDSKINS at TITANS
* Clinton Portis (groin) will finally make his return to the lineup. Look for him to split work with Keiland Williams, making both unappealing options. Ryan Torain (hamstring) is out again.
* Kenny Britt (hamstring) is not expected back until Week 15 at the earliest.
* Kerry Collins (calf) is doubtful. Vince Young is locked in.
CARDINALS at CHIEFS
* Beanie Wells (knee) is fully expected to play, but fantasy owners should take a wait-and-see approach. He needs a game under his belt to build the coaching staff's trust.
* Tony Moeaki (concussion) is out, which may lead to a few more targets for surging Dwayne Bowe.
* Dexter McCluster (ankle) is a game-time decision. Jamaal Charles will be more involved in the passing game if he sits.
<BIG>4 P.M. GAMES</BIG>
FALCONS at RAMS
* Danario Alexander (knee) is not expected back until Week 12.
BUCS at 49ERS
* Mike Williams is fully expected to start and get a full complement of snaps despite his Friday morning DUI.
* Joe Nedney (knee) is out. Shane Andrus is the replacement.
COLTS at PATRIOTS
* Joseph Addai (neck) and Mike Hart (ankle) are both out. The wildly unimpressive Donald Brown gets another start, with Javarris James coming in for goal-line work.
* At the time this column was published, Austin Collie's (concussion) status was still unknown. We should have word on if he traveled by late Saturday. Check the Rotoworld News Page. If he can't go, Blair White (shoulder) is ready to step in as the No. 3 receiver.
* Reggie Wayne (knee) is fine despite a questionable tag.
SEAHAWKS at SAINTS
* Matt Hasselbeck (wrist) is a full go in this brutal matchup.
* Golden Tate (ankle) is out, leaving Deon Butler as the No. 2 receiver. We would not chase last week's fluky stats from Butler, however.
* Jeremy Shockey (rib) is out. David Thomas and Jimmy Graham will share tight end duties.
* Pierre Thomas (ankle) is believed to be targeting Week 13 for his return. Meanwhile, Reggie Bush is a game-time decision. If he plays, downgrade Lance Moore. If he does not play, consider Bush a low-end PPR play. Either way, the three-headed disaster of Chris Ivory, Ladell Betts and Julius Jones should be avoided.
<BIG>SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL</BIG>
GIANTS at EAGLES
* Steve Smith (pectoral) is out again. Mario Manningham is the No. 2 receiver, but figures to see a ton of red-hot corner Asante Samuel. Special teamer Duke Calhoun is the No. 3 receiver with Ramses Barden (foot) done.
* Kevin Boss (back) will play, but may be needed as a blocker thanks to multiple injuries along the Giants' offensive line.
* LeSean McCoy (shoulder) is a full go.
<BIG>MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL</BIG>
BRONCOS at CHARGERS
* Antonio Gates (foot) surprisingly is looking very doubtful. Randy McMichael is a low-end TE1.
* Ryan Mathews (ankle) is not expected to play either. Mike Tolbert is a fine replacement in both real life and fantasy.
* Malcom Floyd (hamstring) was limited by hamstring soreness Friday. He makes for a risky play, especially with him facing Champ Bailey.
* Nate Kaeding (groin) is expected back, but we would wait a week before using him in fantasy. An in-game setback is always possible.
* Eddie Royal (hamstring) will play.
SURVIVOR PICK OF THE WEEK
If you're still in Survivor, I am impressed. At this point, a lot of your picks are going to depend on what teams you have left. It's also reasonable to map out who you will be taking for the rest of the season. You don't have to stick to that obviously, but it will allow you to see when teams have good matchups.
If you haven't used the Saints yet, it is time. They only have two home games left after this week, and the Seahawks really do not match up well here. The Saints are also off a bye.
The Ravens are another strong option. I almost never recommend road teams in Survivor, but I'll make an exception for the Panthers. Their starting quarterback is practice-squad caliber at best and their offensive line can't protect him anyway.
MY TOUGHEST DECISION OF THE WEEK
In a 12-team league with two flex positions, my final roster spot came down to Lance Moore and Louis Murphy. I am not high on either, but thankfully have Vincent Jackson ready to plug in there starting in Week 12.
As for this week, ideally I would like to wait and see if Reggie Bush is active before making a decision. With Bush out, Moore has been a premier red-zone target for Drew Brees. He runs a lot of the short bubble screens and angle routes near the goal line that Bush runs. But since Murphy plays at 1 p.m. and the Saints play late, I will not know for sure.
The problem with playing Murphy is that he has been out for so long and the matchup is really, really poor. Without a big play, it's hard to see him catching enough passes to be effective. So I am going with Moore.