FFToolbox - Cardinals RB Andre Ellington undergoes MRI on foot plus 11 more

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Cardinals RB Andre Ellington undergoes MRI on foot
Packers RB Eddie Lacy suffers concussion
Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch rushes for more than 100 yards, 2 TDs in win
Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr likely out Week 1
Week 1: NFL Pick 'Em
QB Tom Brady misses practice, Patriots being cautious
49ers WR Michael Crabtree says he will play Sunday
Panthers QB Cam Newton suggests he might not play Sunday
Bills RB C.J. Spiller will return kickoffs
Week 1: Super Sleepers of the Week
Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch will 'let it rip' in season opener
Week 1: Snaps & Targets

Cardinals RB Andre Ellington undergoes MRI on foot

Posted: 05 Sep 2014 07:19 AM PDT

Ellington underwent an MRI on his left foot Thursday. The second-year running back was reportedly quot;dealing with some discomfort" in the foot during this week's preparation for Monday's opener against the Chargers, and aggravated the foot on Thursday. The Cardinals' official injury report will be released on Saturday. Cardinals RB Jonathan Dwyer will likely get the start if Ellington is unable to play. FANTASY ANALYSIS: A lot of fantasy analysts cautioned against Ellington's injury risk this offseason, and this is why. Although he avoided major injury his rookie season, Ellington is a fragile player. He has a very slight build for a running back, and also struggled with ankle and toe injuries during his college career. This development should be very concerning for Ellington's owners, especially the fact that the Cardinals' training staff felt an MRI was necessary. We should know more about Ellington's situation this weekend. If he can't go, Dwyer is a significant downgrade, and owners should be looking elsewhere for a replacement option.

Packers RB Eddie Lacy suffers concussion

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 10:44 PM PDT

In the 4th quarter of Thursday Night's season opener, RB Eddie Lacy went toe-to-toe with Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor and appeared to win the battle. But after only one more play, he headed to the locker room. Multiple sources have now confirmed Lacy suffered a concussion and his timetable for return is uncertain. Before the collision, he rushed 12 times for 34 yards and shared duties with fellow RB James Starks. FANTASY ANALYSIS: The concussion is something of concern but it didn't seem to be major and he walked off the field by himself. More concerning was the amount of snaps he split with Starks, notably being out while Starks played in the 2-minute drill the Packers found themselves in right before halftime. The positive to take away here is that he has 10 days to recover instead of the regular seven, and will also face off against the Jets in Week 2. If Lacy can't go, expect Starks to carry the workload with DuJuan Harris in the mix.

Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch rushes for more than 100 yards, 2 TDs in win

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 10:15 PM PDT

Seattle Seahawks offensive domination of the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football began with RB Marshawn Lynch and ended with Lynch. He ran tough, fast and smart. Lynch carried the ball 20 times, rushing for 110 yards and two TDs. He remains a key piece of the offense and looked in midseason form. FANTASY ANALYSIS: If you drafted Lynch as your RB1, he certainly looks like he'll live up to those expectations. The Packers defense didn't look great at all, but Lynch was clearly dominant in the running game, regularly breaking tackles while running tough up the middle. He is a must-start in all formats and has another juicy matchup against the San Diego Chargers in Week 2.

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr likely out Week 1

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 05:18 PM PDT

New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. hasn't practiced this week while struggling with a hamstring injury. Earlier this week, head coach Tom Coughlin said Beckham may be a few weeks away from practicing, and the lack of practice time goes to confirm that Beckham will likely miss Week 1. FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's a situation to monitor and we'll continue to have updates, but it's not a good sign that the rookie will be missing time due to injury without even playing an NFL snap yet. The biggest beneficiary will be WR Rueben Randle who would've competed with Beckham for targets. Jerrel Jernigan is also in the mix now but expectations should be tempered for all three wide receivers as the Giants offensive unit struggled mightily in preseason.

Week 1: NFL Pick 'Em

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 05:11 PM PDT

A former No. 1 high-stakes Fantasy Football player in the world has winners for every game this week.

QB Tom Brady misses practice, Patriots being cautious

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 04:54 PM PDT

New England Patriots QB Tom Brady sat out practice on Thursday, but details were not immediately available as to the cause. Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe has more information and is reporting that Brady has a minor calf injury, quot; Patriots are being cautious with him and his calf issue and it's not a serious situation." FANTASY ANALYSIS: It seems to be a minor injury and he'll be ready for Week 1. Brady is a must-start t with his matchup against the Dolphins, and will have a full arsenal of offensive weapons available to him even with TE Rob Gronkowski playing limited snaps.

49ers WR Michael Crabtree says he will play Sunday

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 02:13 PM PDT

49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree says he's quot;good to go and looking forward to homecoming in Dallas" according to Mercury News' Cam Inman via Twitter. Crabtree sat out Wednesday's practice with a calf injury but returned to the practice field Thursday. Crabtree previously missed time in training camp due to a hamstring injury and the majority of the 2013 season following an Achilles' tendon tear. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Crabtree owners can stop holding their breath now. The calf issue appears to be no more than a minor concern for the injury-prone WR. Assuming he's 100 percent, Crabtree will be the top receiving option for the 49ers this Sunday in Dallas. That looks like a juicy matchup given that the Cowboys ranked 30th in the NFL against the pass last year. Keep an eye on Crabtree's status to make sure he's in the lineup ahead of Sunday's game, but it looks like all systems are go. He's a decent WR2 going into Week 1.

Panthers QB Cam Newton suggests he might not play Sunday

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 01:04 PM PDT

After being held out of throwing drills in Thursday's practice, Newton told the AP's Steve Reed he quot;[doesn't] want to put [the Panthers] in jeopardy" if he's not ready to play this weekend. Newton sat out Wednesday's practice after experiencing soreness due to a fractured rib. He worked out in handoff drills Thursday wearing a flak jacket. Both Newton and Panthers head coach Ron Rivera previously suggested the fourth-year QB would be ready for the team's season opener in Tampa Bay. FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's hard to tell whether this is gamesmanship or a serious expression of doubt on Newton's part. It's standard procedure for NFL teams to insert as much doubt as possible into their injury reports in an attempt to gain an edge on their opponents. But the fact that Newton did not throw during the media-accessible portion of practice is somewhat concerning. He'll likely be listed is questionable on the team's injury report, but the odds still favor Newton playing Sunday. If he can't go, look for backup QB Derek Anderson to make the start. Fantasy owners should make sure they have a viable No. 2 option in place behind Newton, just in case.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller will return kickoffs

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 12:45 PM PDT

C.J. Spiller will be the Bills' leading kickoff returner this season, according to head coach Doug Marrone. quot;As much as we can get our playmakers out there, whether it be punt returns or kickoff returns, we have to make sure we explore that," Marrone said. The coach added that he does not believe kickoff returners are inherently more injury-prone. Spiller averaged 28 yards per kickoff return during his college years at Clemson. He returned one kick this preseason against Pittsburgh for 42 yards. FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's hard to see Spiller owners getting excited about this development, except those playing in leagues that give points for return yardage. Despite Marrone's comments to the contrary, returning kicks is a dangerous job. The Bills say they want to give Spiller 20 touches per game, but it's hard not to question the manner in which they plan to do it. Spiller's ranked as FFToolbox's 14th RB this week and is a solid start as an RB2.

Week 1: Super Sleepers of the Week

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 12:45 PM PDT

The best deep Fantasy sleepers to consider starting if you want to take a chance and enjoy the risk. Profiled players include Shonn Greene, James White, Andrew Hawkins, Mohamed Sanu, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch will 'let it rip' in season opener

Posted: 04 Sep 2014 11:22 AM PDT

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Marshawn Lynch will quot;let it rip" in tonight's season opener against the Packers. Since ending his holdout early in training camp, Lynch "hasn't missed a snap or practice, hasn't missed anything," Carroll added. Lynch, who is coming off a 1,200-yard, 12-touchdown season, will face a Packers defense that ranked 25th in rushing defense last year and will be without DT B.J. Raji for the entire season. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Despite some concerns earlier this preseason about his contract, Lynch appears ready to play and in line for a big game. Lynch should see the vast majority of the carries and will be occasionally spelled by Robert Turbin. Christine Michael will not play due to a hamstring injury. Lynch is a solid RB1 this week and should be started in all leagues.