Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list as the team opens training camp. That's because Ward is still recovering from thumb surgery that he underwent June 1. And he still has a little ways to go. "The proper time of recovering from a thumb injury, I think I am a week or two away from that," Ward said Friday to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Ward, 35, is coming off of one of the worst seasons of his 12-year career. He caught 59 passes for 755 yards and four touchdowns last year. Ward can't practice until he is removed from the PUP list.

Fantasy Analysis:

On the surface, this shouldn't be a big deal, but it doesn't help quell the current feeling that Ward is on a steep decline in his career. Maybe 2010 was just a bad year -- he caught 95 passes for 1,167 yards in 2009 -- but his age is a major concern. Perhaps he can find a fountain of youth, but I'm probably not going to invest in Ward. I think you'll see Emmanuel Sanders take on a more demanding role in the Steelers' passing game this year as Ward becomes less and less of an asset. He is a reserve WR in fantasy leagues.