San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith (elbow) missed practice on Thursday and is in real danger of missing Sunday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Smith played four snaps in the second half against the New England Patriots on Sunday before leaving and not returning due to an elbow injury.
Justin Smith injury could add fantasy value to Seahawks starters
In the event that the 49ers are without a main cog of their front seven, Seattle could get an advantage. We break down the fantasy implications.
Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE
After containing the Patriots to three points, New England scored four touchdowns in the second half with Smith out. He has not missed a game or start since his rookie season in 2001.
Fantasy Take: The 49ers, in many cases, are the best defense in the NFL and Smith is a major part of that puzzle. It seems very unlikely that he will be able to start and that is a major boost to the Seattle offense of Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and Sidney Rice.
A solid player during his years in Cincinnati, Smith has excelled under Jim Harbaugh and his move from the end to the interior of the defensive line, racking up 10.5 sacks since the start of 2011. If the Seahawks are without Richard Sherman and the 49ers are without Smith, this might actually be a higher-scoring game than we could have ever imagined.
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