Week 12 Injury Wrap: Arian Foster unlikely again

As usual, the running backs are the prominent story on this week's NFL injury report. Get your copays ready and let's take our lap.

-- Arian Foster (groin) missed the Thursday and Friday practices and seems unlikely to play against the Bengals. Alfred Blue, it's your party.

-- Jonas Gray isn't hurt in New England, but there's an issue here. He overslept Friday (pesky cell phones) and was sent home from practice when he arrived. Will the Patriots bench him for a series, or a quarter, or more than that? Or will the team overlook the mistake and play its emerging back, fresh off a monster game at Indianapolis? They're not saying. Good luck trying to interpret the whims of Bill Belichick.

To make the situation as complicated as possible, the Pats are up against the Lions, the best run-stopping team in the league.

-- Reggie Bush (ankle) is listed as questionable, and Jason LaCanfora is reporting that Bush is unlikely to play against New England. More work for Joique Bell and Theo Riddick, in theory.

-- Gio Bernard (hip) is ready to play for Cincinnati again, but it will likely be in a complementary role behind Jeremy Hill.

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-- Lamar Miller (knee/shoulder) is listed as questionable and had two limited practices at the end of the week. It sounds like he'll play at Denver, but the late start adds some risk to the equation.

-- Matt Asiata (concussion) won't play and Ben Tate might not be ready in Minnesota, so Jerick McKinnon figures to get plenty of work against the Packers.

-- Fred Jackson (groin) has been practicing and figures to be on the field Monday against the Jets. Buffalo's snow storm has forced the game to Detroit's Ford Field, an appreciated perk for the offensive skill players.

-- Pierre Thomas (shoulder) did some work the last two days and might be able to play Monday against Baltimore. I can't imagine it will stop Mark Ingram from his usual 20-plus touches. Khiry Robinson (arm) doesn't appear ready to go.

-- The Tampa Bay backfield is a mess, as usual. Doug Martin (ankle) and Charles Sims (ankle) are both considered questionable and had limited practices this week. Maybe they'll just throw it all over the lot at Chicago, weather permitting.

Wide Receiver and Tight End 

-- Emmanuel Sanders took a vicious hit in the St. Louis loss last week, but remarkably he might be okay. He had a full practice Friday and is listed as probable. It's not as rosy for Julius Thomas (ankle), who didn't participate in organized practice all week. The Broncos call him a game-time decision. Jacob Tamme is the next man up if Thomas can't go.

-- Larry Fitzgerald (knee) missed the full practice week and is considered a game-time decision. Given that it's a late game at Seattle, might as well dial up someone else. In shallower formats, I could even see some teams dropping Fitzgerald.

[Week 12 rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Receiver | Tight End | Kicker | DST]

-- Dwayne Allen (ankle) won't play against Jacksonville, which means we happily dial up Coby Flenner. He's coming off his best game of the season (144 yards), and had a touchdown in the earlier game against the Jags.

-- I hope you gave up on Jared Cook years ago. Anyway, he's dealing with a bad back and was limited in practice the last two days.

-- Jordan Reed (hamstring) is out for Week 12, which sets up Niles Paul as a sleeper at San Francisco.

-- Charles Clay (hamstring) is unlikely to go at Denver. Perhaps that will mean more short and intermediate work for emerging rookie wideout Jarvis Landry.

-- The Vikings list Kyle Rudolph (groin) as probable. He returned last week but was on a limited snap count. Jarius Wright (hamstring) and Greg Jennigns (rib) both practiced Friday and should play, though they are listed as questionable. The way Teddy Bridgewater is playing these days, it's impossible to trust any element in Minnesota's passing game.

-- Delanie Walker (concussion) is listed as probable and should play at Philadelphia. Justin Hunter (knee) is listed as probable despite two full practices at the end of the week. The Eagles have allowed all sorts of production to mediocre quarterbacks this year, so maybe Zach Mettenberger has a shot to do something.

-- Marcedes Lewis (ankle) is back for Jacksonville, if you need a Hail Mary at tight end.

-- Jordan Cameron (concussion) won't play at Atlanta, but he did work Friday and might go in Week 13. And as you surely know by now, Josh Gordon's suspension has run out and he'll suit up against the Falcons.