Tim Hightower/Roy Helu Fantasy News 2012/2013

HacheMan · Jun 25, 2012

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Tim Hightower - RB - Redskins </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">ProFootballWeekly.com "hears" the Redskins may favor Tim Hightower as their lead back, and could limit Roy Helu to 10-15 touches per week because of concerns about his durability.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">It's no secret both the Redskins coaching staff and Washington media love Hightower, but we'd still put our money on Helu getting more touches and making a bigger fantasy impact. Hightower (ACL surgery) has yet to be cleared for team drills. He'll have to be 100 percent to begin camp atop the depth chart.
Jun. 25 - 4:50 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: ProFootballWeekly.com</td></tr></tbody></table>

HacheMan · Jun 28, 2012

<table width="100%" align="center"><tbody><tr vAlign="top"><td class="subHead" vAlign="top" colSpan="3">Hightower will start for Redskins if healthy </td></tr><tr vAlign="top"><td class="vaLabel" colSpan="3">Tim Hightower - RB - WAS - Jun. 28 - 10:19 a.m. ET </td></tr><tr><td vAlign="top" colSpan="3">According to ESPN.com's Dan Graziano, Tim Hightower (ACL surgery) is the Redskins' starting running back if he's healthy.
Graziano had the inside scoop on the Shanahan's affinity for Hightower early last August, so it's no surprise that he's connected again this year. Graziano does concede, however, that Roy Helu and Evan Royster will get early-season opportunities while Hightower rounds into form. A pre-injury Hightower was already losing reps to a more explosive Helu before tearing his ACL in Week 7 last season. We fully expect Helu to lead this backfield in fantasy points regardless of the Week 1 "starter."
Source: ESPN.com
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HacheMan · Jul 18, 2012

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Tim Hightower - RB - Redskins </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Tim Hightower (ACL surgery) said he is "anticipating going" when training camp opens next week.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Hightower is roughly nine months removed from his ACL tear. He participated in individual drills during the early-June minicamp and now says he's going to do "everything" until they tell him not to. Coach Mike Shanahan has reportedly said that a healthy Hightower is his starter. The training staff and Shanahan will have to make that determination as camp moves along.
Jul. 18 - 12:31 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Chris Russell on Twitter</td></tr></tbody></table>

HacheMan · Jul 22, 2012

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Tim Hightower - RB - Redskins </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">According to the Washington Times, Tim Hightower (ACL surgery) is "positioned to be the starter" in the Redskins' backfield this season.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Beat reporter Rich Campbell writes that Hightower will "lead the Redskins' running back committee" if his left knee proves fully fit in camp. Per Campbell, Roy Helu makes more sense in the "third-down/change-of-pace role" after "wearing down physically" late last year. Campbell also hints that Evan Royster would get the nod as the early-down ball carrier if Hightower had a setback.
Jul. 20 - 3:40 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Washington Times</td></tr></tbody></table>

HacheMan · Jul 24, 2012

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Tim Hightower - RB - Redskins </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">The Washington Post believes that, "if healthy," Tim Hightower (ACL surgery) will be the Redskins' starting running back.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">"Starting running back" and "touch leader" are two very different things, but the Post is nevertheless on the same page with the Washington Times in forecasting Hightower as a starter. For reasons both related to Hightower's health and effectiveness, we're still not buying it. Hightower is Rotoworld's No. 50 running back — 32 spots behind Roy Helu.
Jul. 24 - 1:01 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Washington Post</td></tr></tbody></table>

HacheMan · Jul 25, 2012

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Roy Helu - RB - Redskins </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">The Redskins coaches reportedly "still have some questions" about Roy Helu.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">The 'Skins made this clear when they re-signed a rehabbing Tim Hightower (torn ACL) in March. Although Helu showed extremely well in the passing game last season and made a bunch of highlight-reel plays, the team apparently has questions about his ability to consistently churn out yards and his durability. Still, we expect Helu's superior talent to eventually win out in this backfield.
Jul. 25 - 9:51 a.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Washington Post</td></tr></tbody></table>

HacheMan · Jul 30, 2012

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Tim Hightower - RB - Redskins </td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Tim Hightower (ACL surgery) is "confident" he'll be ready for Week 1.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">"I’m just getting better each day," Hightower said Monday. "I just went out there the first couple days to see how my body felt, and I just keep getting better. I’m still on track. I’ll be out there Game 1." Hightower has been running with a "slight hitch," and coach Mike Shanahan even admitted his teacher's pet is "not close to 100 percent." If Hightower manages to suit up for Week 1, it will likely be as a pass-protector extraordinaire.
Jul. 30 - 2:33 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: Washington Post</td></tr></tbody></table>

HacheMan · Aug 20, 2012

<table width="100%" align="center"><tbody><tr vAlign="top"><td class="subHead" vAlign="top" colSpan="3">Helu has soreness in both Achilles' tendons </td></tr><tr vAlign="top"><td class="vaLabel" colSpan="3">Roy Helu - RB - WAS - Aug. 20 - 1:46 p.m. ET </td></tr><tr><td vAlign="top" colSpan="3">Roy Helu remains sidelined at Redskins camp with soreness in both Achilles' tendons.
It was concern enough when Helu was dealing with tendinitis in one Achilles', and now it's looking less and less likely he takes another preseason rep. The coaching staff's continued praise of Evan Royster and Alfred Morris is beginning to make a lot more sense. It's also becoming more clear Helu could have a hard time carving out a meaningful early-season role.
Source: John Keim on Twitter
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HacheMan · Aug 22, 2012

<table width="100%" align="center"><tbody><tr vAlign="top"><td class="subHead" vAlign="top" colSpan="3">Skins evasive on Hightower, Helu for Week 1 </td></tr><tr vAlign="top"><td class="vaLabel" colSpan="3">Tim Hightower - RB - WAS - Aug. 22 - 3:31 p.m. ET </td></tr><tr><td vAlign="top" colSpan="3">Redskins coach Mike Shanahan was noncommittal Wednesday when asked whether Tim Hightower (ACL surgery) and Roy Helu (Achilles' tendinitis) will be ready for Week 1 against the Saints.
"I really don't know yet," said Shanahan. Multiple media members claimed all offseason that Hightower would be the Redskins' Week 1 starter, but we continue to highly doubt that's going to happen. His knee recovery is clearly well behind schedule. The Skins are trying to get Helu rest for the tendinitis in his heels. He was in full pads for Wednesday's practice. Evan Royster remains the favorite to start in Week 1. We'd be willing to use a late-round pick on Helu and comfortably avoid Hightower in fantasy football drafts.
Source: John Keim on Twitter
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HacheMan · Aug 30, 2012

<table border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="bodyCopy">Tim Hightower had soreness in his surgically-repaired knee after making his preseason debut last week.</td></tr><tr><td>

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Hightower was held out of Wednesday's preseason finale as a result. The Redskins haven't labeled this a setback, but it's a reminder that Hightower isn't close to being back to pre-injury form entering the season. We wouldn't draft him in 12- or 14-team leagues.
Aug. 30 - 3:28 p.m. ET</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">

</td></tr><tr><td class="vaLink">Source: CSN Washington</td></tr></tbody></table>