Saints preparing for Smith and Grant suspensions

Jul 31, 2009

The Saints will head into the 2009 season preparing to play the first four games without defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant.

The two players tested positive for a banned substance last season and have gone through a lengthy appeal process. All of the appeals, though, were denied and both Smith and Grant are set to begin four-game suspensions when the season opens on Sept. 13 against Detroit in the Superdome.

But there's still some confusion, as Minnesota's Kevin and Pat Williams - who also tested positive for the same substance - continue to fight to have the suspensions blocked in Minnesota courts.

As of right now, the Saints are moving forward on the issue until they're told differently. Which means, they're basically preparing to start the season without Grant or Smith in the lineup.

Fantasy Impact:

yesterday

Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson officially Out for Week 12

Adam Schefter

yesterday · 4:12 PM EST

Cowboys list TE Jake Ferguson as out for Sunday’s game vs. Washington due to his concussion.

Related Players: Luke Schoonmaker

Fantasy Impact:

This puts Schoonmaker more or less in TE streaming consideration, but there are far better options this week, which puts him low on the totem pole.

Eagles WR DeVonta Smith officially Out for Week 12

Mike Garafolo

yesterday · 4:04 PM EST

Eagles ruled out WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) for Sunday against the Rams.

Related Players: A.J. Brown, Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson, Dallas Goedert

Fantasy Impact:

It's a bit of a crapshoot as to who the "WR2" on the offense will be, but now that he's ruled out, Brown and Goedert should get a nice boost to their bottom line. That would lock Goedert into a no-doubt TE1 role in Week 12.