Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson says that a return after the team's bye week is a "reasonable target," according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. Burleson was asked specifically about the Week 10 matchup against the Chicago Bears after said bye week.
Nate Burleson could be targeting Week 10 return, worth retaining for future fantasy value
Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson could be targeting a Week 10 return from injury. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Though he was hesitant to provide much information for fear of angering his head coach, he did note that the extra week due to the bye would help considerably. Burleson did have some good news for reporters, though, saying that he was lifting weights on Wednesday and that he is getting fitted for the brace that he would wear on game days.
Burleson sustained a broken arm in a singe-vehicle car crash, and the Lions have struggled without him. For one game, they missed both Burleson and starter Calvin Johnson, and it was disastrous. He still is No. 3 on the team with 19 receptions for 239 yards. When he went down with the injury, Burleson actually had more production than Johnson.
Fantasy Impact: Burleson had developed into a really solid WR3 or WR2 option before sustaining his injury. Nobody has really stepped up in his place catching passes from Matthew Stafford, however. This means that fantasy owners who are sticking with Burleson should get some production out of him, but it now seems likely that a Week 10 return is the absolute earliest for the veteran receiver.
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