Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin is not practicing on Thursday, according to Steve Reed of the Associated Press. Benjamin is dealing with a concussion, his second in the last 12 months (he sustained a concussion while playing for Florida State in November 2013). It's unclear where Benjamin is in regards to the league's concussion protocol, but he's missed the past two days of practice.
Kelvin Benjamin not practicing; fantasy status iffy with concussion
Kelvin Benjamin has a concussion and is not practicing on Thursday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Benjamin sustained the concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6, a game that ended in a rare 37-37 tie. The rookie first-round pick leads the Panthers in receiving yardage with 416 on 31 receptions, and he's scored four touchdowns (second behind tight end Greg Olsen). If Benjamin can't go against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7, the Panthers would need to rely heavily on Olsen and wide reciever Jerricho Cotchery.
Fantasy Impact: Cotchery has already been picked up in many fantasy leagues, but if Jason Avant is available, fantasy owners should make it a point to grab him. He's not the best option out there, but he's a decent handcuff in the event that Benjamin is unable to go. We've seen players not practice at all but still make it through the concussion protocol in time, and we've seen players take weeks to recover. It's a waiting game at this point.
