New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham will play on Sunday versus the Buffalo Bills despite a foot injury.
Jimmy Graham has partially torn plantar fascia, but will play for Saints, fantasy owners on Sunday
The Saints’ star tight end is dealing with a painful foot condition. We break down the fantasy implications.
Stacy Revere
The injury kept Jimmy Graham out of practice this week and limited his participation on Friday. While the Saints' No. 1 tight end was a game-time decision for Week 8, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported Sunday morning that Graham has a partially torn plantar fascia, an ailment that makes it tough to run and cut on. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport initially called Graham a "long shot" to play against the Bills.
Fantasy impact: Graham’s status came down to a matter of pain tolerance, which he will apparently play through. Despite that, there is a likelihood that the stud tight end could be placed on a snap count, and if it’s a game that gets out of hand early, expect him to be relegated to the sidelines. In the meantime, it would not be surprising to see him only in red-zone situations and used sparingly elsewhere.
Graham is a lock for TE1 status barring health concerns, but they cannot be overlooked this week. Start Graham in desperate situations only, and expect a boom-or-bust performance with the scales leaning more toward “bust.” Ben Watson will get snaps at tight end in Graham’s place, and a boost can be anticipated in the production of Darren Sproles and Marques Colston.
• Week 8 fantasy football rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
• Week 8 fantasy football waiver wire: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
