Will he face the Saints this week?
Matt Ryan Still Questionable For Sunday
Despite reports that Ryan would only start if his top linemen were healthy, head coach Mike Smith has said that Ryan is progressing, and his status will have nothing to do with any players around him.
Ryan does appear to be moving around better, and the Falcons sound optimistic, so don’t write him off just yet for this week. The Falcons are facing a must-win game against a New Orleans team that is undefeated, but got destroyed by Jason Campbell last week.
Potentially getting Michael Turner back this week would boost Ryan’s value if he indeed returns.
Vince Young Hurts Knee in Practice
Young reportedly aggravated a minor knee injury he had been dealing with, and the Titans coaches pulled him out of practice, likely “shutting him down” for the week.
Kerry Collin took over with the first team reps, but all signs point to Young making his seventh straight start, while aiming for his sixth win on the season. Check his status, but if you’re using him this week, he should be good to go.
Percy Harvin Dealing With Migraines
He has missed two straight practices because of migraines, something he’s been dealing with since high school. It could end up being a problem, but Harvin does have a history of effectively dealing with them, which is encouraging for his status on Sunday.
Expect for Harvin to make the Minnesota Vikings contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s a big game, and Harvin still has today and tomorrow to rest.
Mike Sims-Walker Dealing With Calf Injury
Sims-Walker had been dealing with a minor knee injury, and is now also hampered by an injured calf.
This could mean bad news for MSW, although his match-up against the Miami Dolphins this week figures to bode well if he can suit up. He still has a solid chance to play, but be sure to check his status all the way up to game-time.
Matt Moore Starting For Carolina Again This Week
Jake Delhomme can get comfortable on the bench. By no means is Matt Moore the long-term solution, but he did do a solid job in Carolina’s 16-6 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Granted, it was the Buccaneers, but he still showed better decision-making and a livelier arm that Delhomme.
The New England Patriots (Moore’s match-up this week) haven’t been great against the pass lately, but we aren’t willing to vouch for him without a strong showing against a weak Tampa Bay defense.
Devin Hester Doubtful to Play Against Packers
Hester is still ailing from a calf injury that knocked him out of Week 13‘s action, allowing him to register just one catch for the second consecutive game.
The injury hasn’t gotten much better and Hester hasn’t practiced yet this week, so he’s not a safe bet to deploy against a tough Green Bay secondary. Top it off with the fact that Jay Cutler hasn’t played at a high level in over three weeks, and we’d stay clear of Hester, regardless.
With Hester’s absence, Johnny Knox should see his targets rise, but he, nor Earl Bennett, figure to garner anything more than low-end WR3 value.
