RADIO
If you were thinking about starting Buffalo Bills tight end Charles Clay this week, you may want to think again. According to ESPN’s Adam Caplan, Clay is still dealing with a sore back and is considered questionable to play this week against the Dallas Cowboys. This is the same injury that forced him to sit out of the team’s Week 15 matchup against the Washington Redskins.
Clay did participate in a limited practice section on Wednesday and the Bills are reportedly optimistic about his chances of playing, but I’m not quite as positive. Even if he does play, he should be pegged in as a low-end TE2 at best.
In the 13 games that he has played thus far this season, Clay has hauled in 51 passes for 528 yards and three touchdowns. With receiver Robert Woods out for the rest of the season, it’s possible quarterback Tyrod Taylor would look Clay’s way more frequently than before. But is that really a gamble you want to take during the fantasy football championships?
Another player whose status is up in the air this week is Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart. Stewart missed last week’s game with a foot injury and has yet to practice this week.
It does not sound like Stewart will suit up against the Atlanta Falcons and why should he? The team hasn’t lost a single game and already has its eyes set on the Super Bowl. This is a great time for the team to allow Stewart to rest and get 100 percent healthy for the playoffs.
Through 13 games this season Stewart has 989 yards on 242 carries for an average of 4.1 yards per carry. He has six touchdowns on the ground and another one in the receiving game to go along with his 16 catches for 99 yards.
Earlier in the week is sounded like Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson would definitely suit up against the New York Giants this week, but now that doesn’t seem so certain. That game will have no direct playoff implications if the Packers lose to the Cardinals and the Vikings can clinch a playoff spot if the Seahawks beat the Rams or if the Falcons lose to the Panthers.
In other words, the Vikings-Giants game could be meaningless by the time it’s played on Sunday night. And according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, head coach Mike Zimmer isn’t ruling out the possibility of resting his starters if the game does become meaningless.
Despite the risk, I would consider Peterson a RB2 this week. If you have him, you probably have to start him. But pay close attention to his status as the game gets closer.
