Fantasy Football: Survivors and the Flash

Dan BentonOct 11, 2008

Fantasy football owners should remember that byes this week are held by the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kansas City Chiefs. Fantasy impacts will be felt on owners' rosters as injury (and maybe conduct?) reports filter in to NFL headquarters relative to the action in store for this coming weekend.

The first impact being felt from player injury will be to the Philadelphia Eagles' Brian Westbrook. Long known as one of the more talented runners in the NFL and a tremendous fantasy point producer when playing, Westbrook has also shown the tendency to not make it far into NFL seasons without losing playing time due to a myriad of injuries. This time, he is suffering from fractured ribs.

Anyone who has ever suffered from bruised, let alone fractured, ribs knows how difficult it can be to breathe and move with any injury to that area. Then comes the resultant danger stemming from any contact with the affected area, which could even be life-threatening, should one of the fractures progress and splinter into the lung area.

The Eagles are taking a "wait and see" tact, but I do not expect that Westbrook is going to in any way be able to be on the field as an active player Sunday.

The AFC's most potent offense, the Denver Broncos, will be missing two key spokes in their wheel as they face the Jacksonville Jaguars at home this Sunday. Both running back Selvin Young and tight end Tony Scheffler will be missing from sore groin injuries. Also, star rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal is suffering from a bruised bone on his sprained left ankle, but he is expected to be able to play by game-time. If he cannot go, then Glenn Martinez will continue to get significant touches and big play calls.

Michael Pittman will most likely get many play calls as the replacement running back for Young.

In Scheffler's place, the first signs of a kink in Denver's armor seems to be missing. They signed a fifth year tight end, but one who has been waived nine previous times in his career, five of them with the broncos. At least, they must respect Chad Mustard's persistence, so maybe this time it will work out for him with the team.