It was a rare quiet week on the injury-front and the first time in a while that a key fantasy contributor didn’t suffer a season-ending break or tear. There’s still plenty of wear and tear after 11 weeks of football so let’s take a look at who’s in and who’s out this week.
Peyton Manning (ankle): Banged up or not, Peyton Manning will definitely start against the Pats on Sunday.
Wes Welker (concussion, neck): Welker returned to practice on Thursday and, although still questionable, has a good chance to play on Sunday against his former team.
Julius Thomas (knee): Thomas was back at practice on Thursday but was reportedly “very limited”. Odds are he will play but be sure to check his status before locking him into your lineup.
Adrian Peterson (groin): AP is dealing with a sore groin but he’s expected to play on Sunday against the Packers.
Danny Amendola (groin): Amendola has been limited on a weekly basis in practice but is expected to play against the Broncos.
Rob Gronkowski (back, forearm, hamstring): The injuries keep piling up for Gronk but the tight end is expected to start against Denver.
Calvin Johnson (knee): Calvin has been dealing with a sore knee for a while but is expected to start and get the Revis Island treatment this week.
Nate Burleson (forearm): Burleson is practicing with the first team and is likely to play on Sunday against the Bucs. If he does, he’s plenty startable with Megatron facing off one-on-one with Revis all day.
Joique Bell (Achilles): Bell returned to practice on Thursday, a good sign that he will play this week.
Ben Tate (ribs, ankle, toe): Head, shoulders, knees, and toes. That’s not a song, those are just some of Ben Tate’s injuries. Tate is fully expected to start, though, and has a great-looking matchup against the Jags this week.
Michael Floyd (shoulder): Floyd is still dealing with a shoulder injury but played through it on Sunday and put up a monster game so expect him to start once again this week against the Colts.
Darren Sproles (knee, ankle): Sproles will be a gametime decision for tonight’s matchup against the Falcons. If he can’t go, Mark Ingram is a very solid start against a terrible Falcons run defense that was slaughtered by Bobby Rainey last week.
Tony Gonzalez (toe): Gonzalez has been limited but is expected to start on Thursday against the Saints.
Jay Cutler (ankle): Cutler has been ruled out for this week’s game against the Rams and it’s unclear when Cutler will be able to return.
Terrelle Pryor (knee): Whether Pryor is healthy enough or not, Matt McGloin is expected to make his second straight start on Sunday and if he does well, Pryor could be out of a job.
Darren McFadden (hamstring): Run-DMC missed yet another practice on Thursday and, at this point, is highly questionable to play on Sunday. Rashad Jennings looks like a good start.
Denarius Moore (shoulder): Moore hasn’t been cleared to practice as of Thursday and may not be able to play on Sunday. If he’s out, Rod Streater looks like a very solid start after a big game in Week 11.
Hakeem Nicks (abdominal): Nicks had to get his abdominal strain checked but is expected to play on Sunday against the Cowboys.
Cecil Shorts (groin): Shorts is dealing with a groin injury but is expected to play on Sunday.
Mike Wallace (hamstring): Wallace has a sore hammy but he’s expected to play this week.
Greg Jennings (Achilles): Jennings is back in practice after being a late scratch last week. He is expected to start against his former team on Sunday at Lambeau.
Santonio Holmes (hamstring): Holmes looked solid in his return in Week 11 and is fully expected to start on Sunday against the Ravens.
Jeremy Kerley (elbow): Kerley is practicing but wearing a red non-contact jersey and catching with one arm. He’s recovering from a dislocated elbow so it’s highly unlikely that he will face the Ravens this week.
Jordan Reed (concussion): Reed hasn’t practiced this week and will need to pass his concussion tests before being cleared for the field. He has an extra day with the Skins facing the Niners on Monday night.
