ATLANTA FALCONS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
K Jason Elam (left hamstring) has been limited part of the week, but is probable for Sunday’s game. If he’s your kicker, you might want to pick someone else up. RB Ovie Mughelli (hamstring) is probable. Everyone else of significance is ready to play on this big matchup.
For the second straight week RB Frank Gore (foot, ankle) will not play. His replacement, RB Glen Coffee ran for 74 yards on 24 carries last week in a 35-0 win against the Rams and added four catches for 32 yards, but did not get in the end zone. Shaun Hill threw two TDs in the air to Vernon Davis and Josh Morgan. The 49ers scored three TDs on defense.
CINCINNATI BENGALS at BALTIMORE RAVENS
T Andre Smith (foot) will not play for the Bengals and without him RB Cedric Benson ran for 74 yards on 18 carries last week against the Browns porous D. RB Cedric Benson (hip) has been limited and is questionable after sitting in practice this week. Second on the team in rushing yards is RB Bernard Scott with 4.7 yards per carry, and could be a good waiver pickup in the near future, but not against the Ravens number one rushing defense (59.5 ypg).
I’d go with Chad Ochocinco or maybe even WR Andre Caldwell, and don’t forget about Laveranues Coles, as the Ravens pass D is ranked 23rd in the league.
The Bengals are banged-up on the defensive end, which makes the Ravens fifth-ranked rushing offense (146.5 per game) the jackpot, just make the right selection. RB Willis McGahee is tied for the league lead with five TDs, he has 201 yards on 37 (5.4 a carry), RB Ray Rice gets the carries 49 for 295 yards but only has a TD that could change. If they can find any carries LeRon McClain can factor in here.
With S Kyries Hebert (hip), DT Tank Johnson (foot), S Chinedum Ndukwe (hamstring), all questionable the 14th ranked rushing D (103.0 ypg) may be suspect.
LB Rey Maualuga (knee) is probable, he went from not practicing on Weds to full participation on Fri, same as DT Domata Peko (chest). S Roy Williams (forearm) is probable after participating all week.
WR Derrick Mason (neck) was limited and is questionable after not playing last week.
CLEVELAND BROWNS at BUFFALO BILLS
The Browns are a pretty banged up team.
RB Jamal Lewis who did not play last week (hamstring) should be limited. In his absence James Harrison rushed 29 times for 121 yards. Joshua Cribbs had one rush for 15 yards.
LB David Bowens (knee), DE Kenyon Coleman (groin), CB Coye Francies (calf), CB Gerard Lawson (groin), DT Shaun Rogers (foot), LB Kamerion Wimbley (shoulder), CB Eric Wright (hand), P Dave Zastudil (right knee) are all probable. S Mike Adams (groin), G Rex Hadnot (knee), and G Floyd Womack (ankle) are all questionable.
You may want to pick up another kicker if K Phil Dawson (right calf) is your starter.
Derek Anderson a big game? The Bills D plays stout early, but is susceptible to the big run with LB Paul Posluszny (forearm), S Bryan Scott (ankle), and S Donte Whitner (thumb) all out. Making it a trio on the secondary, CB Ellis Lankster (back) is questionable. S Jairus Byrd (hip) and CB Terrence McGee (knee) add to the DB injury list but they are expected to be on the field.
DALLAS COWBOYS at KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
RB Felix Jones (knee), WR Roy Williams (ribs) are both doubtful. So play Marion Barber and Patrick Crayton right? RB Marion Barber (thigh) is probable so Tashard Choice will get most of the carries. And two linemen have been limited – C Andre Gurode (knee) is questionable, T Flozell Adams (shoulder) is probable.
The Chiefs have two DEs so they probably won’t have much of a pass rush. Tony Romo might have a big day in KC as the Chiefs are 28th vs. the pass allowing 250.5 a game.
‘Boys are banged up a little in the secondary. S Michael Hamlin (wrist), LB Curtis Johnson (hamstring), S Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) are all out. WR Dwayne Bowe (10 for 107, 2 TD) or Mark Bradley (10 for 120, TD) might catch a few passes from Matt Cassel.
HOUSTON TEXANS at ARIZONA CARDINALS
Third receiver Andre Davis (calf) is questionable for the Texans. WR Jacoby Jones anybody? CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (finger) is questionable for the Cardinals.
Starting DT Darnell Dockett (ankle) is also questionable for the Cardinals which may open up the middle for Texans RBs Steve Slaton or Chirs Brown.
WR Steve Breaston (knee) is questionable. Jerheme Urban could be a nice pickup.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS at TENNESSEE TITANS
WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee) is out so Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne will catch the majority of the balls. Pierre Garcon is hot again until Gonzalez gets back off injury, he caught 3 catches for 74 yards last week. Austin Collie? He caught 6 passes for 65 yards last week plus a TD.
CB Kelvin Hayden (hamstring) is out for the Colts so Titans WRs Justin Gage or Kenny Britt are good pickups.
S Vincent Fuller (forearm) is out for the Titans. They are banged up on D and this could get ugly for the 0-4 Titans as LB Colin Allred (shoulder), CB Cortland Finnegan (hamstring), CB Nicholas Harper (ribs), DT Jason Jones (shoulder), LB Stanford Keglar (hamstring) all are questionable.
Any Colts player seems to be a good play in this one.
LB Keith Bulluck (knee), WR Nate Washington (concussion) are both probable.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
S Sean Considine (groin), DT Greg Peterson (knee), LB Adam Seward (groin), CB Scott Starks (hip) are all out for the Jags.
Matt Hasselback comes back for the Hawks and will be looking to exploit the D. But the Hawks have three linemen out, T Walter Jones (knee), T Sean Locklear (ankle), G Rob Sims (ankle).
The Hawks ability to protect Hasselback will determine Hasselback's effectiveness getting the ball to his receivers.
LB LeRoy Hill (groin) is out on D and DE Patrick Kerney (groin) is questionable for Seattle so Maurice Jones-Drew (63 for 296, 5 TDs) should have some holes to run through.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS at ST. LOUIS RAMS
WR Darius Reynaud (not injury related) is out. T Phil Loadholt (ankle) is questionable and QB Brett Favre (foot, knee, ankle) is probable, but he should have a big day in St. Louis who are 19th against the pass - 224.5 a game.
S James Butler (knee) is out for the Rams and S Anthony Smith (achilles) is doubtful so the secondary is not at full-strength.
WR Donnie Avery (hamstring), QB Marc Bulger (right shoulder), WR Keenan Burton (hamstring), T Jason Smith (knee) are all questionable on offense, but do you really want to play anyone on the Rams 27th ranked O?
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at DENVER BRONCOS
RB Fred Taylor (ankle) is out and could be missing out the Pats lineup for a while. Laurence Maroney (27 for 78) and Kevin Faulk (16 for 62), or even Sammy Morris (13 for 41, TD) should help carry the Pats running game. But Denver is fifth against the run, allowing only 77.3 a game. Wes Welker is questionable but will probably play, he caught six passes for 48 yards in his return last week, and the Broncos may be missing S Brian Dawkins (knee, shoulder).
LB Jerod Mayo (knee), S James Sanders (shoulder), CB Shawn Springs, DT Vince Wilfork (ankle) are all questionable on D. The Broncos will look to get a big day out of WR Brandon Marshall (16 for 219, 2 TDs) and Brandon Stokley (6 for 157, TD) and RBs Knowshon Moreno (60 for 249, TD) and Lamont Jordan (17 for 50) will get the carries as RB Correll Buckhalter (ankle) is out on O.
OAKLAND RAIDERS at NEW YORK GIANTS
The Raiders are banged up on the offensive end as G Robert Gallery (fibula), T Cornell Green (calf), RB Darren McFadden (knee), WR Nick Miller (shin), RB Oren O'Neal (ankle), WR Chaz Schilens (foot) are all out, and TE Zach Miller (concussion) is questionable. RB Michael Bush (30 for 120, TD) is the Raiders backup.
The Giants play a pretty stout D (ranked #1 overall) so Raiders backups may not produce all that much.
But the Giants D is missing some guys as LB Michael Boley (knee), DT Chris Canty (calf), LB Bryan Kehl (finger), CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) are all out.
On the Giants O TE Kevin Boss (ankle) is doubtful and QB Eli Manning (foot), RB Danny Ware (elbow) are both questionable. Boss's backup is TE Travis Beckum (3 for 23).
Expect Manning to play but his backup David Carr may go in at some point to take care of Oakland. RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle, foot), WR Domenik Hixon (knee) are both probable.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS at DETROIT LIONS
Did anyone say Rashard Mendenhall (36 for 210, TD)? Play him again as RB Willie Parker (toe) is out and the Lions D will be missing DT Sammie Lee Hill (ankle), DE Dewayne White (hamstring) who are out. The Lions D is 20th against the run allowing 121.3 a game.
DE Cliff Avril (hamstring) is questionable too for Detroit and S Kalvin Pearson (quadricep), S Ko Simpson (hamstring) are questionable in the secondary.
QB Matthew Stafford (knee) is questionable and Daunte Culpepper is expected to get the start for the Lions. The Steelers secondary is still expected to be missing S Troy Polamalu (knee) who is doubtful.
RB Kevin Smith (shoulder) is probable, he ran 19 times for 30 yards and two TDs last week. WR Calvin Johnson (thigh), TE Brandon Pettigrew (hamstring) are also questionable. WR Bryant Johnson (11 for 145, TD) is the best option for Lions WRs.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
WR Antonio Bryant (knee), RB Earnest Graham (hamstring) are questionable. WR Michael Clayton (ribs) and RB Derrick Ward (knee) are both probable. Play RB Carnell Williams (38 for 191, TD) if you dare against the Eagles' third ranked defense overall.
WR Kevin Curtis (knee) is questionable with the return of QB Donovan McNabb (rib) who’s probable. WR DeSean Jackson (12 for 259, 2 TDs) and Jason Avant (10 for 111, TD), as well as TE Brent Celek (22 for 245, 2 TDs) should continue to produce.
RB Brian Westbrook (ankle) is also probable. RB LeSean McCoy has played well so far this season with 34 carries for 148 yards and a TD.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS at CAROLINA PANTHERS
The Skins are pretty healthy, the only concern is that they could be weak at stopping the run. DT Anthony Montgomery (knee) is doubtful and DT Cornelius Griffin (elbow) is questionable for the 22nd ranked run D allowing 128.0 yards.
The Panthers may be missing RB Jonathan Stewart (achilles) who is questionable, RB Mike Goodson (concussion) is out so expect DeAngelo Williams (41 for 180, 2 TDs) to try and carry the load.
NEW YORK JETS at MIAMI DOLPHINS on Monday night
CB Donald Strickland (ankle) will probably be out and will be limited at most.
WR Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) may miss the game making new WR Braylon Edwards a big pickup, along with WR Brad Smith and even David Clowney as the Jets look to exploit Miami’s pass D.
S Kerry Rhodes (knee) should play and CB Lito Sheppard (quadricep) should return after sitting out last week. Jets have one of the best secondary’s in the league, so you might want to stay away from Miami’s Ted Ginn Jr.
The Dolphins have the number one run O but the Jets play stout against the run so this will be a good matchup and test for both teams. Ronnie Brown should carry the Fins O.
Whew, that’s your entire injury report for Week Five.
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