One more week to go until the second season draft! Until then, the usual roundup of notale injuries and roster moves. It felt like it was a lighter week for injuries in the league, but there are still some significant changes afoot, especially in Amsterdam and New York.
#AMS
Well … at least no more long-term injuries hit. That’s something. But, key starters will be missing for the Lions next week: look for Cam Newton to be replaced by Matthew Stafford at QB, and both Jack Christiansen and Julius Peppers are out as well.
#LOM
The Dzidudu just continue to be racked with injuries. This week, Marcell Dareus and Jake Long join the list of walking wounded. Merlin Olsen can fill in for Dareus, but the offensive line is just a mess: in addition to Long, Roger Saffold and Kraig Urbik are also out, meaning both Cordy Glenn and Stew Barber will see significant time up front. Sammy Watkins does return, which does help.
#NYG
Disaster hit the Royal Giants midweek, as Eli Manning is now slated to miss about a month. With Y.A. Tittle also hit, the team will turn to … Blake Bortles. It could be a long month.
#RIO
The Carnival added NINE Players to their injured list. For next week, they will be without (deep breath) starting QB Len Dawson, RBs Jackie Battle and Anthony Sherman, C Alex Mack, WR’s Josh Gordon, Paul Warfield, and Dwayne Bowe, DTs Dontari Poe and Vance Walker, LBs Clay Matthews and Donnie Edwards, and DBs Joe Haden and Eric Berry. That is a huge amount of quality for a team trying to make a playoff push. Of all of it, DT may be the most troubling: backups Bob Gain and Joe Phillips are also hurt, meaning John Hughes, Devon Still, and Ahtyba Rubin may see significant time on the defensive line.
#ROM
Two starters will miss next week’s game (RB Edgerrin James and DT Geno Atkins) and a third, WR A.J. Green, will be a game-time decision. Look for James Brooks to be the feature back, with a lot of support from Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, with Arthur Jones likely to get more reps in Atkins’ absence.
#SFO
The Sea Lions are in first place, but they head into next weekend with a decimated secondary: team leader Ronnie Lott is doubtful for the game and starting safeties Jairus Byrd and Antoine Bethea are both out, with Byrd likely done for the season. Three new players are brought in: Johnnie Poe, Isa Abdul-Quddus, and Eric Wright, and it would not be surprising if all 3 saw the field, especially if Lott doesn’t recover in time.