Vikings Preparing To Go With LB Jasper Brinkley

Jun 05, 2010

Although the Minnesota brass is optimistic that middle linebacker E.J. Henderson will make a full recovery from a fractured femur, and Henderson himself believes he'll be ready to go by training camp, the Vikings are planning as though Henderson won't be available for the season opener in New Orleans. That means second-year man Jasper Brinkley has been working with the first-team defense.

"We're proceeding right now as if 'Jasp' is going to be the middle linebacker," Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. "E.J. hasn't really gone out and done any drills with us. So, you can't say that he's going to be ready when we get ready to play the Saints. If it happens, we all would be extremely happy. But right now, we're looking at Jasper being that guy."

Fantasy Impact:

Minnesota is fourth in 4for4's current defensive rankings, and will be an excellent pick regardless of if Brinkley or Henderson is in there. Brinkley is useful, but Henderson is the better overall player, and a better IDP player.

yesterday

Lions WR Jameson Williams faces concealed weapon charge

Pro Football Talk

yesterday · 8:39 PM EDT

Embattled Lions receiver Jameson Williams has another issue to deal with.

Currently serving a two-game PED suspension, Williams faces a charge for carrying a concealed weapon in a motor vehicle.

Via WXYZ.com, the Detroit Police Department is looking into why Williams wasn’t formally arrested at the time of the incident.

Fantasy Impact:

On October 8, Williams was a passenger in a car his brother was driving. The vehicle was pulled over, for speeding. Two guns were in the car; one was registered to Williams’s brother, and one was registered to Williams, the story said. The story added, Williams will be facing both prosecution by authorities and a potential suspension by the league.

Texans Beat: Expectation is WR Nico Collins (hamstring) good to go for Week 10

USA Today

yesterday · 4:48 PM EDT

According to KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, Nico Collins is trending upward entering Week 9’s matchup against the New York Jets. While he can’t be cleared off the injured reserve until Nov. 4, the expectation is he’ll be good to go when the Detroit Lions arrive in Week 10.

Fantasy Impact:

Collins was placed on the injured reserve following Week 5’s win over the Buffalo Bills after tweaking his hamstring in the first quarter. Week 9 will be his fourth game missed. The timing couldn't be better for the Texans, who have now lost Stefon Diggs for the season with a torn ACL.

Panthers have no plans to trade RB Chuba Hubbard

Pro Football Talk

yesterday · 4:44 PM EDT

Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, though, reports the Panthers have no plans to trade cornerback Jaycee Horn or running back Chuba Hubbard.

Fantasy Impact:

Hubbard has played very well at RB and has been a pretty consistent player for his fantasy owners this season. He's averaged over 17 touches per game. However, owners need to remember that Jonathon Brooks is lurking on the IR and should be back sooner than later. It only makes sense for the Panthers to give Brooks work as the season goes on. He'll likely be eased into thing at first, but it seems like it's always been expected Brooks would at the very least split work, if not take on the lead back role for the Panthers.