Julius Thomas left early last week in the Denver Broncos' shocking loss to St. Louis after suffering an ankle injury following a reception and did not return to action. Although initial X-rays and an MRI were negative for significant bone or ligament damage, Thomas has been limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest with Miami. The amount of swelling and pain Thomas experiences during warmups and the extent to which the range of motion of the ankle joint is limited will determine whether or not he'll suit up, which may leave fantasy owners in the air until the afternoon regarding his status. In his absence, backup Jacob Tamme would likely see significant time at TE against Miami.
Larry Fitzgerald, Julius Thomas top NFL injury report for Week 12
In his weekly column, SB Nation medical expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi gives insight into the most notable injuries in the fantasy landscape and how they might affect your roster decisions for Week 12.
Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald hasn't missed a regular-season game since 2007, but he hasn't practiced since suffering an MCL sprain on his left knee during last week's win over Detroit. He is listed as questionable for Sunday's showdown with Seattle. The medial collateral ligament is a structure located on the inside of the knee that helps hold the thigh and shin bones together and stabilize the knee joint. Injuries to the MCL most commonly occur when the knee is directly hit on its outer side and bent inward. An MCL sprain describes tearing to the fibers of the ligament. The severity of and prognosis for recovery from an ligament sprain is often a source of confusion, primarily over what exactly the different "grades" of sprains actually mean.
The Cardinals have classified the injury as a Grade 2 sprain, which would make it unlikely Fitzgerald will have recovered sufficiently to play, let alone the next several weeks. If it is a less severe sprain, there is a chance he could suit up against the Seahawks. Even if he does, Fitzgerald's effectiveness is likely to be limited.
Giovani Bernard has not suited up since the Bengals' thrilling Week 8 win over Baltimore, during which he suffered a hip injury. He appears on track to start Sunday against Houston. Bernard has practiced fully all week without any of the lingering pain or discomfort that has been plaguing him since the injury. The bigger question for fantasy owners, however, is how much time he will cede to Jeremy Hill, who has emerged as a starter in Bernard's absence the past several weeks.
Arian Foster missed last week's contest with Cleveland due to a groin injury suffered in Week 9. He is listed as questionable and is expected to miss this week's contest against Cincinnati. Groin strains are notoriously slow to heal and easy to aggravate if an athlete returns to action before completely healed.
Reggie Bush sat out last week's loss to Arizona with an ankle injury that has plagued him over the course of the past month, and he is not expected to play this week's game at New England. Without Bush, Joique Bell and Theo Riddick would split carries in the backfield.
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