New England Patriots running back Shane Vereen will be active for the team's Monday Night Football showdown with the Carolina Panthers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Patriots plan to "ease him in" following his injury, according to the report.
Fantasy football sit/start: Patriots RB Shane Vereen to play Monday
Shane Vereen is expected to be active and playing for the Patriots on Monday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Vereen was placed on injured reserve with the designation to return after sustaining a broken wrist in New England's season opener against the Buffalo Bills. Vereen was off to a hot start to his season, with 14 carries for 101 yards and seven receptions for 58 yards in that game, but hasn't played since.
It’s disappointing, given that Vereen struggled through his first two seasons in the league, but was expected to take on a large role with the Patriots this year He returned to practice on October, however, and seems ready to contribute. It makes sense that his touches would be limited, however.
Fantasy Impact: It’s Monday, so if you made the decision to go with Vereen then good on you for guessing correctly. However, he’s not a smart option in fantasy until he shows he’s healthy and the Patriots show they are confident that he is healthy, as well. If you’re debating on Vereen or another eligible running back in this game, that back is almost certainly a better option until we see otherwise. Then again, it was a wrist injury, and not something more debilitating for backs, such as an ankle or ACL injury.
