Week 4: Game Time Decisions
With six teams on bye weeks, fantasy owners will be praying that a few injured studs are able to answer the bell for the Sunday kickoffs. A few players who were sidelined in Week 3 appear likely to return to the lineup this week. Vernon Davis suffered an ankle injury in Week 2, but the team is optimistic that he will play against Philadelphia in a game that has one of the highest over-unders of the week (50 points). Roddy White missed the Falcons' Thursday night win over Tampa Bay but has had 10 days to heal his balky hamstring and announced himself ready to go against Minnesota. DeAngelo Williams returned to practice this week and should see 20 touches as the last man standing in Carolina's backfield for a difficult matchup versus Baltimore.
A few other players dealing with bumps and bruises could find themselves in street clothes Sunday. Be sure to check the game day inactive reports to determine whether these players warrant lineup consideration.
QB Jake Locker, ---
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(Wrist): The eighth overall pick of the 2011 draft has missed 14 games due to injury in the past two seasons. Locker is in a contract year and has crashed and burned since a strong Week 1 performance, tossing just one touchdown and four interceptions. Locker completed a limited Friday practice and is listed as questionable, but a few Titans reporters have suggested that he's closer to doubtful for the Titans' Week 4 matchup against the Colts. Charlie Whitehurst appears likely to start and remains off fantasy radars despite the favorable matchup versus a defense allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Whitehurst has made just four starts in his nine-year career. He has completed a paltry 54 percent of his passes with five turnovers and 13 sacks in those contests. Fire up the Indianapolis defense this week.
RB Jamaal Charles, ---
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(Ankle): Charles was originally diagnosed with a high ankle sprain that was expected to keep him sidelined for at least a month but after consecutive limited practices on Thursday and Friday, the Chiefs consider him a game-time decision that is trending in the right direction for Monday's meeting with New England. Head coach Andy Reid said earlier this week that he expects Charles to play. Knile Davis got the Week 3 start against Miami and produced RB1 numbers, finishing with 32 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown. If Charles plays, it is not known if he will see fewer carries.
RB Arian Foster, ---
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(Hamstring): The oft-injured Foster is shaping up to be another headache for fantasy owners. A hamstring injury kept him out of action last week and although he went through limited practice every possible day this week, he is considered a game-time decision. He is a risky play even if he's active as he could see a reduced workload against Buffalo. Rookie Alfred Blue had 13 carries for 78 yards in Week 3 and could be in line to start again this week versus a Bills defense allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Buffalo also hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown. If Foster is ruled out, Blue is worth considering as a low-end flex play with limited PPR appeal since he caught just one pass in his previous start.
WR Eric Decker, ---
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(Hamstring): Decker played just 12 snaps during Monday's loss to Chicago and was able to practice on Friday only. He has battled a hamstring injury since August and aggravated it in Week 2 and Week 3, forcing him to leave each game early. However, head coach Rex Ryan said he is confident that Decker will play against a Detroit defense allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. Jeremy Kerley leads the Jets with 24 targets and is worth adding as an insurance policy if he's sitting on waivers.
WR Calvin Johnson, ---
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(Ankle): Megatron didn't practice until going through a limited session Friday and is listed as a game-time decision for a 1 p.m. Eastern kickoff against the Jets' struggling pass defense, which has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game, including five touchdowns, to wide receivers. If Johnson is unable to go, expect an uptick in targets for Golden Tate, and rookie tight end Eric Ebron could gain some fantasy relevance.
