This Given Sunday is examining the biggest injury questions before each week of the NFL season. Here are the top-five health-related storylines entering Week 7.
Trent Richardson
Richardson has a rib injured that is limiting him in practice and could cause him to have to wear a flak jacket against the Colts. Unless he suffers a setback, the electric rookie back should suit up for Sunday's game, and you'll know beforehand anyway because the Browns play an early game. Unless he's deactivated, Richardson has to be in your fantasy lineup against an Indy defense that's giving up 5.0 yards per carry.
Ahmad Bradshaw
This is scary. The same foot problems that bothered Bradshaw last season — really keeping him from taking off — are back, and they caused the red-hot back to miss practice to start the week. This thing forced him to miss four games last year, so it could very easily cost him time again now. Consider, too, that the Giants have insurance with David Wilson and Andre Brown on the roster, and that the Redskins have a solid run defense. I'd stay away from Bradshaw if he were on my fantasy team.
Jimmy Graham
A pesky ankle sprain is giving Graham trouble, and he's still missing practice time coming out of a bye week. He might try to suck it up and play again this week, but that he only had a single four-yard catch while doing that against the Chargers in Week 5 is a concern. With this week's game in Tampa starting at 1:00 p.m. ET, you'll at least know his status in advance, but he's still a very risky fantasy play this week.
Rashard Mendenhall
The reconstructed knee's all good but now Mendenhall's got an Achilles injury that's keeping him out of practice. Considering how he looked against Tennessee last Thursday, Mendenhall's a very risky play on Sunday Night Football. Monitor his status this week, because if he's a game-time decision, you won't be able to risk it. Besides, Isaac Redman isn't exactly an ideal handcuff.
Haloti Ngata
You're going to start Arian Foster anyway, but Ngata's too crucial a player not to make this list. He's Baltimore's best player and arguably the best overall run defender in the league right now, but he's been out of practice with a knee injury suffered against the Cowboys in Week 6. With Terrell Suggs, Lardarius Webb and Ray Lewis also hurt, a less-than-100-percent Ngata would cost Baltimore big time in a big AFC matchup with Houston.
