NFL Player News

Friday, November 6

• 11/06/09 - 2:01PM ETDonald Brown : Misses Friday's Practice With Shoulder Injury

  Brown (shoulder) did not participate in Friday's practice and is listed as questionable for this week's game against Houston, the team's official web site reports.

  Brown had participated in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and wasn't even listed on the injury report those days, so this is a surprise. He may have suffered a setback, but in any case check his status before kickoff.

• 11/06/09 - 12:26PM ETRoddy White : (Knee) Returns to Practice

  White (questionable, knee) returned to practice Friday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. "I anticipate (him) being ready to go on Sunday afternoon," coach Mike Smith said.

  The Falcons have an early afternoon start, providing fantasy owners with enough time to cycle in a replacement if White is listed as inactive. We don't expect that to happen, however, so you don't need to be overly concerned about leaving White in your lineup this week.

• 11/06/09 - 12:18PM ETKevin Smith : (Shoulder) Expects to Play

  Smith (questionable, shoulder) practiced again Friday, leaving coach Jim Schwartz "optimistic" that Smith will play against Seattle on Sunday, the Detroit News reports.

  The Lions have a late afternoon kickoff Sunday, so you likely won't have the luxury of making a lineup swap if Smith is a surprise inactive. However, the chances of that are slim. Smith should be ready to go, though Maurice Morris may cut into his carries a bit.

• 11/06/09 - 12:08PM ETAnquan Boldin : Practices on Friday

  Boldin (right ankle, questionable) practiced on Friday and looked good. While he will officially be a game-day decision, he is likely to play on Sunday at Chicago, the Cardinals' official site reports.

  So much for the speculation that the Cardinals would hold Boldin out of Sunday's game in an effort to get him back to full strength. We're still cautious about recommending Boldin too highly this week since he has been unable to finish Arizona's last two games due to the injury. Plus, the Bears are allowing fewer than 200 passing yards per game this season.

• 11/06/09 - 12:03PM ETCalvin Johnson : (Knee) Expects to Play

  Johnson (questionable, knee) practiced again on Friday and expects to play Sunday against Seattle, the Detroit News reports. "As long as everything keeps going the way it is the next few days, I'll be alright," Johnson said Friday.

  Coach Jim Schwartz said Friday he's "optimistic" about Johnson's chances, but Schwartz expressed similar optimism last week, only to list Johnson among the inactives on game day. Detroit's late afternoon kickoff poses a problem as far as lineup decisions are concerned, but unless you have a clear-cut better option, we'd probably gamble with Johnson this week.

• 11/06/09 - 11:51AM ETDevin Hester : (Ankle) Expected to Start

  Hester (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Arizona, but he practiced without limitations on Friday and is expected to start, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

  "I went 100 percent today," Hester said. "I'm ready to go." The Bears may pull Hester off his punt return duties Sunday, but he's expected to play a full complement of snaps on offense.

• 11/06/09 - 10:49AM ETAntonio Bryant : Game-Time Decision

  Bryant (knee, questionable) looks like a game-time decision for Sunday's game against the Packers, the St. Petersburg Times reports.

  Bryant, who did not practice Thursday or Friday, thinks that the nine-hour flight home from London (where the Bucs played in Week 7) caused the swelling in his knee that he suffered last week. Bryant feels like he has a chance to play Sunday, but probably won't know either way until he's evaluated before kickoff. Even if he can go, he'd be a risky proposition, with rookie QB Josh Freeman slated to make his first NFL start this weekend.

• 11/06/09 - 10:33AM ETBrian Westbrook : Expected to Play Despite Missing Practice

  Westbrook (concussion) did not practice Friday, the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane reports. He is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Dallas, but is expected to play.

  This seems like it was just a rest day for Westbrook, and not an indication that he suffered any type of concussion-related setback. We trust that he'll play, and he should get an adequate number of touches despite the presence of LeSean McCoy.

• 11/06/09 - 10:24AM ETDonald Driver : (Neck) Returns to Practice

  Driver (neck) returned to practice Friday after sitting out the previous two days, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports. He is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.

  Driver's absence from practice was starting to become concerning, but he appeared to be fine in Friday's workout. He's topped 50 receiving yards in every game since Week 1 and faces the woeful Buccaneers on Sunday (16 passing touchdowns allowed in seven games).

• 11/06/09 - 10:16AM ETAaron Rodgers : (Foot) Back at Practice

  Rodgers (toe, foot sprain) returned to practice Friday after sitting out the previous two days, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports. He is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.

  Rodgers has been a fantasy dream this season, averaging 284 yards and two passing touchdowns per game. Even if his mobility is a tad limited by the foot injuries on Sunday, he'll still be an elite starter in nearly all formats.

• 11/06/09 - 8:01AM ETWillie Parker : Toe Still Not 100 Percent

  Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said Parker's turf toe is still not completely healed, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

  "He probably won't be (100 percent) the rest of the year," Arians was quoted. Some tough news for Parker here. It was already noticeable he lost a step before the injury. If his ability to plant, cut and go on the field will be hindered the rest of the year, the odds that he will be a strong factor in the rushing attack, let alone get the starting job back from Rashard Mendenhall, don't look too rosy at this point.

• 11/06/09 - 7:01AM ETAnthony Gonzalez : Knee Scoped

  Gonzalez underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Thursday to clean out loose particles, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

  Evidently Gonzalez aggravated his knee injury in practice a couple of weeks ago and now it looks like he'll be out another two-to-three weeks. In the meantime, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon will continue to see an expanded role for the Colts in his absence.

• 11/06/09 - 5:28AM ETJames Hardy : Set to Return

  The Bills are expected to add Hardy (left ACL surgery) to the 53-man roster by Wednesday, The Buffalo News reports.

  That may force the Bills into a roster decision, as Hardy's return would give the Bills seven healthy wide receivers. As unfathomable as it seemed at the beginning of the season, the Bills just might release Roscoe Parrish and be done with that situation.

• 11/06/09 - 4:38AM ETSteve Slaton : Kubiak Doesn't Name Starter

  Texans head coach Gary Kubiak refuses to name a starter at running back for Sunday's game against the Colts. All week long, Kubiak has been saying that all three of his running backs -- Slaton, Ryan Moats and Chris Brown -- will see action in Indianapolis.

  However this situation plays itself out, you can expect Slaton to be on the field in some capacity. He may not be the top running back at the moment, but he's the most explosive of the three and is dangerous as a receiving threat. Without Owen Daniels (knee), we may see more of Slaton as receiver.

Thursday, November 5

• 11/05/09 - 3:24PM ETRoddy White : (Knee) Misses Another Practice

  White (knee) did not practice Thursday, the Falcons' official site reports.

  There's not much in the way of details here, but we should know more after practice Friday once the Falcons are required to release their official injury report.

• 11/05/09 - 3:09PM ETCalvin Johnson : (Knee) Practices Again Thursday

  Johnson (knee) continues to practice on a limited basis, the Lions' official site reports. "HeÂ’s making progress. HeÂ’s getting a little bit more and every day heÂ’s a little bit better," coach Jim Schwartz said Thursday. "HeÂ’s making progress. HeÂ’s still going to end up being a game-time decision on Sunday."

  The bottom line here is that while there's some optimism regarding Johnson's Week 9 status, it is unlikely to be confirmed one way or the other until shortly before Sunday's kickoff.

• 11/05/09 - 2:38PM ETDonald Brown : (Shoulder) Full Practice Participation

  Brown (shoulder) fully participated in Thursday's practice and came out of Wednesday's practice without any problems, according to the Indianapolis Football Report

  It looks like Brown may not even appear on the injury report and should return to splitting playing time with Joseph Addai.

• 11/05/09 - 1:38PM ETDonald Driver : (Neck) Misses Another Practice

  Driver (neck) missed practice again Thursday, the Packers' official site reports.

  Driver said earlier in the week his neck was simply sore, but he's been unable to practice in both workouts this week. Our guess is that he'll be fine for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay, but we'll watch this one closely. James Jones would likely step into the starting lineup if Driver can't play.

• 11/05/09 - 1:11PM ETAnquan Boldin : (Ankle) Status Still Uncertain

  Boldin (right ankle) missed practice again on Thursday, the Cardinals' official site reports.

  Boldin is reportedly heading towards a game-day decision and there is widespread speculation that he will miss this Sunday's game. Whether or not he is able to practice on Friday could provide a significant clue -- Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt typically likes to see players participate in at least some of a Friday practice in order to play on a Sunday.

• 11/05/09 - 12:53PM ETDevin Hester : (Ankle) Not at Practice

  Hester (ankle) did not practice for the second day in a row Thursday because of an ankle injury, the Chicago Daily News reports.

  Coach Lovie Smith had hoped to have Hester (who appeared to be walking gingerly Thursday) back on the practice field Thursday, so what Hester does (or doesn't do) Friday will go a long way in determining his chances of being out there Sunday against the Cardinals.

• 11/05/09 - 12:42PM ETBrian Westbrook : (Concussion) Practices Again

  Westbrook (concussion) practiced again Thursday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

  We'll revisit Westbrook's status Friday, but the signs are pointing toward him being ready for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.

• 11/05/09 - 9:34AM ETKevin Smith : Practices Thursday

  Smith (shoulder) practiced Thursday and appears likely to play Sunday against the Seahawks, according to MLive.com.

  Smith has proven to be quite durable in his short stint in the NFL, so we tend to think he'll be able to battle through the injury this weekend. Maurice Morris may see a few carries extra to lighten Smith's load, however.

• 11/05/09 - 8:36AM ETChris Chambers : May Play Right Away

  Coach Todd Haley indicated Wednesday that Chambers may play in Sunday's game against Jacksonville, the Kansas City Star reports.

  It seems unlikely that Chambers would make a significant contribution with so little time to absorb the playbook, but Bobby Wade was presented with a similar turnaround time before Week 2 and managed six catches for 72 yards in his Chiefs debut. We envision Chambers on the receiving end of a handful of throws Sunday, but not enough to make him worthy of fantasy consideration for the time being.

• 11/05/09 - 6:17AM ETAnquan Boldin : Game-Time Decision?

  Boldin (right ankle) thinks that he will be a game-day decision for Sunday's game at Chicago, the Cardinals' official site reports.

  This may officially be the case, but it's increasingly likely that Boldin will be inactive with an eye towards the future. He has been banged-up virtually all season and he has been unable to finish the Cardinals' last two games. A week off could do a lot of good in the long run.

• 11/05/09 - 6:13AM ETTim Hightower : Catching Too Many Passes?

  Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt wishes that Hightower wasn't such a large part of the Cardinals' passing game, the team's official site reports.

  Hightower leads all NFL running backs with 39 catches and he has already exceeded his 2008 regular-season total of 34 receptions. The Cardinals are having trouble getting the ball downfield to their best receivers and that is leading to a lot of dump-off passes to Hightower. Even though opponents are paying a lot of attention to the Cardinals' best receivers and even though starting quarterback Kurt Warner doesn't always have a lot of time because of a shaky offensive line, Whisenhunt wants to achieve more success in the downfield passing game. If the Cardinals are successful, then Hightower's role in the passing game will likely decrease.

Wednesday, November 4

• 11/04/09 - 2:56PM ETRoddy White : (Knee) Misses Practice

  White (knee) did not practice Wednesday, the Falcons' official site reports.

  The Falcons have a short week coming off their Monday night loss to the Saints, so it's possible that White is simply a bit sore from that contest. We haven't heard anything to suggest that this is an injury that will keep him out of any games, but we'll keep you posted.

• 11/04/09 - 2:37PM ETDonald Brown : (Shoulder) Full Practice Participation

  Brown (shoulder) fully participated in practice on Wednesday, according to the Indianapolis Football Report.

  It's surprising that he wasn't limited by the shoulder injury after missing last week's game and not practicing all last week. It looks like he should return this week as a result.

• 11/04/09 - 1:57PM ETDevin Hester : (Ankle) Misses Practice

  Hester missed practice Wednesday with what is officially being called an ankle injury, the Bears' official site reports.

  Hester doesn't seem concerned about his availability for Sunday's game against Arizona. "I'm alright," he told the Chicago Sun-Times' Brad Biggs. "I'm going to play." The situation is worth monitoring as the week progresses, but we're not overly concerned about Hester's status at this point. If Hester were forced to miss this Sunday's game, the fantasy value of Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett would get a boost.

• 11/04/09 - 1:32PM ETAnquan Boldin : (Ankle) Does Not Practice

  Boldin (right ankle) missed Wednesday's practice, the Cardinals' official site reports.

  Officially, he remains day-to-day. There is a lot of speculation that the Cardinals will hold Boldin out of Sunday's game in order to get him fully healthy for the second half of the season. If Boldin is sidelined, Steve Breaston would step into his role.

• 11/04/09 - 11:52AM ETBrian Westbrook : (Concussion) 'Good to Go'

  Westbrook (concussion) returned to practice Wednesday and says he will be back on the field for Sunday's game against Dallas, the Associated Press reports.

  This confirms coach Andy Reid's comments earlier in the day that Westbrook would return to practice. Reid said later on Wednesday that Westbrook is "good to go" and will be a full participant in practice for the rest of the week, the Eagles' official site reports. Westbrook likely won't carry a full load against the Cowboys -- LeSean McCoy and even Leonard Weaver will factor in -- but he should be safe to deploy provided he doesn't suffer any setbacks.

• 11/04/09 - 11:27AM ETDonald Driver : (Stinger) Misses Practice

  Driver (stinger) did not practice Wednesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

  Driver suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the loss to Minnesota, but it's not expected to keep him out of Sunday's matchup with Tampa Bay. He should return to practice either Thursday or Friday.

• 11/04/09 - 11:23AM ETAaron Rodgers : (Foot) Held Out of Practice

  Rodgers (toe, foot sprain) was at practice Wednesday but did not participate, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

  The Packers expect Rodgers to start Sunday against Tampa Bay, but they will exercise plenty of caution with his multiple foot injuries in practice. Matt Flynn took all of the practice reps Wednesday and will prepare in case Rodgers can't play, but don't fret over Rodgers' status just yet.

• 11/04/09 - 9:25AM ETKevin Smith : (Shoulder) Misses Practice

  Smith (shoulder) did not practice on Wednesday, Mlive.com reports.

  He left last week's game with a shoulder injury and the injury was said to be minor, so this is a surprise. Still, we'll need to see if he practices the next two days before getting too worried.

• 11/04/09 - 9:23AM ETCalvin Johnson : Practicing With First Team

  Johnson (knee) practiced Wednesday and also took reps with the first-team offense, Mlive.com reports.

  He didn't practice with the first-team offense last week, so this is a good sign he'll play this week after missing last week's game.

• 11/04/09 - 5:49AM ETAnquan Boldin : Iffy This Week

  The Cardinals should hold Boldin (right ankle) out of Sunday's game, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports.

  This is a speculative report, although it makes a lot of sense and Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt admitted on Monday that inactivating Boldin with an eye towards the future is a legitimate idea. Boldin suffered the initial injury in Week 6, he was limited in Week 7 and he aggravated the injury in a disappointing Week 8 performance. We agree with Somers that the Cardinals should give Boldin a week off with the goal of getting him healthy for Week 10 and beyond. Whether they will do that, though, remains to be seen. Boldin wants to play through the injury even if he's not 100 percent.