Yahoo Sports Week 7 Injury Wrap: T.Y. Hilton, Evan Engram return
Big-name talents are coming back to the Colts and Giants, but we also have to track several dinged-up players who could miss Week 7 entirely. To the clipboard:
• T.Y. Hilton (hamstring) had a strong week of practice and seems ready to return against the underrated Buffalo defense. Ryan Grant (ankle) will not play, and Jack Doyle (hip) remains week-to-week. Marlon Mack, incidentally, is off the injury report for the first time all year.
• Saturday Update: Melvin Gordon (hamstring) was added to the injury report Saturday afternoon, listed with a questionable tag. You instantly get nervous when a player joins the report late in the week. Keep in mind the Chargers have an early Sunday game, 9:30 am ET in London. Set those alarms and do an information lap before committing.
• Matt Bryant (hamstring) is out indefinitely, opening the door for lefty Giorgio Tavecchio. Monday’s home date against the Giants is a positive draw. Mohamed Sanu (hip) wasn’t able to practice Friday, but Calvin Ridley (ankle) did some work; Saturday is a key day for both. The Falcons placed Devonta Freeman (groin surgery) on injured reserve this week.
[Jaguars and Browns shuffle their backfields, make Carlos Hyde swap]
• Evan Engram (knee) is practicing well and should be back to a meaty role Monday at Atlanta. Cody Latimer (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve.
• Theo Riddick (knee) won’t play at Miami, which should lead to additional work for emerging Kerryon Johnson. LeGarrette Blount is around for the goal-line assignments.
• Marshawn Lynch (groin) is expected to miss at least a month, and it’s possible he’s done for the year. Retread Doug Martin is a possible starter when the Raiders return in Week 8, though pass-catching back Jalen Richard could easily outscore Martin.
• Chris Thompson (ribs) had a limited practice week and is a game-time decision for the home match against Dallas. Thompson had a similar runup last week and did not play. Jamison Crowder (ankle) is already ruled out, and Paul Richardson is no sure thing after having his knee re-examined Thursday.
• Quincy Enunwa (ankle) and Terrelle Pryor (groin) are out for the Jets, which pushes Jermaine Kearse into our sleeper-hunting lives. Kearse had nine catches on 10 targets last week. Robby Anderson (hamstring) missed one maintenance day of practice but seems good to go. Isaiah Crowell (foot) missed two days of work but could play against Minnesota; check back on him Sunday.
• Dalvin Cook (hamstring) remains week-to-week, and won’t play at the Jets. Latavius Murray has been a trick-or-treat replacement, but he’s coming off a 155-yard game.
• The Patriots generally are liberal with the injury report, and this week it’s Rob Gronkowski (ankle/back), Sony Michel (knee), Julian Edelman (heel), and Josh Gordon (hamstring) carrying the questionable tag. There’s no indication any of the four are in danger of sitting at Chicago, but do your game-day diligence, just in case.
• Rashard Higgins (knee) is out for Week 7, which makes Damion Ratley a possible sleeper at Tampa Bay. Ratley quietly had six catches for 82 yards against the Chargers.
• Cooper Kupp (knee) is week-to-week and definitely out for the date at San Francisco. Josh Reynolds steps into the Kupp role and could be worth a cheap flier.
• Jacksonville can’t get a break at tight end, where the first three options are all hurt. This week the scratch is James O’Shaughnessy (hip); David Grinnage steps into the starting role against Houston. Leonard Fournette (hamstring) probably won’t return until Week 10 at the earliest; with an eye on the Fournette situation, the Jags traded for Carlos Hyde on Friday.
• John Ross (groin) had a strong week of practice and seems ready to return at Kansas City. Giovani Bernard (knee) and Tyler Kroft (foot) are out; C.J. Uzomah is probably better than Kroft anyway. The Chiefs have allowed the most tight-end yardage in the league.
• Ted Ginn (knee) is out for the year, which kicks up the value of rookie Tre’Quan Smith.
• Darren Sproles (hamstring) missed the full practice week and isn’t going to play at Carolina.
• Brock Osweiler is the stand-in for Miami while Ryan Tannehill rehabs his mysterious shoulder injury. DeVante Parker (quad) could play, but given how limited his action was last week, his fantasy value is next to nothing.
• Scratch Ryan Griffin (illness) off the tight-end sleeper list; he won’t play against Jacksonville. The Texans do expect all of their primary wideouts to play, despite modest dings — DeAndre Hopkins (foot), Will Fuller (hip), and Keke Coutee (hamstring).
• Matt Breida (shoulder/ankle) came off Friday’s injury report and will play against the Rams. Pierre Garcon (knee/shoulder) is also likely to play.
• Josh Allen (elbow) is out indefinitely, setting up the Bills to use Derek Anderson. Perhaps Anderson and Kelvin Benjamin will rekindle some of their Carolina magic.
• The Bears rested Allen Robinson (groin) one day this week, but he’s expected to play against New England.
