Assessing The NFC East's Health Issues
SI.com
Injury Report by Will Carroll
Team-by-team rundown of potential injury risks
NFC EAST
COWBOYS: Terrell Owens is always a risk, but the real problem here is Tony Romo. Trying to get a handle on his value is tough enough, but the type of game he plays is one where he'll put his body at risk with runs and hanging in the pocket a bit long. Patrick Crayton might look to be a good No. 3 WR and a nice late-round pickup, but he breaks down at precisely the wrong time to ever be much more than a waiver pickup.
GIANTS: The biggest question for the Giants is if the line will hold up enough for us to figure out if Brandon Jacobs can handle a feature load. Bigger backs don't necessarily stay healthier, but there's aren't many guys with Jacobs' size and agility. Plaxico Burress is already having back trouble, which weighs on Eli Manning. The whole offense should probably be knocked down a notch.
EAGLES: Point blank -- Donovan McNabb is ready. Sure, I'd like to see him in a brace, but if he's feeling so good that he doesn't need it, he's feeling good enough to draft just below the Manning/Brady/Kitna level. (Yeah, I said Kitna.) Brian Westbrook remains a big risk/reward play, with his chronic knee problem pretty much the same as last year. The Eagles medical staff did a masterful job last year, but who knows if they can keep it up.
REDSKINS: Clinton Portis splitting time with Ladell Betts is good for the Skins, but bad for your team. Portis is likely to hold up better with a reduced workload, but Betts figures to take the red zone carries and could be the better value of the pair. I'm worried about Chris Cooley. While he looks like a top-tier TE this season, especially with the emergence of Jason Campbell, Cooley's tendency to go over the middle combined with tough linebackers on the schedule looks like a bad combo to me.
Injury Report by Will Carroll
Team-by-team rundown of potential injury risks
NFC EAST
COWBOYS: Terrell Owens is always a risk, but the real problem here is Tony Romo. Trying to get a handle on his value is tough enough, but the type of game he plays is one where he'll put his body at risk with runs and hanging in the pocket a bit long. Patrick Crayton might look to be a good No. 3 WR and a nice late-round pickup, but he breaks down at precisely the wrong time to ever be much more than a waiver pickup.
GIANTS: The biggest question for the Giants is if the line will hold up enough for us to figure out if Brandon Jacobs can handle a feature load. Bigger backs don't necessarily stay healthier, but there's aren't many guys with Jacobs' size and agility. Plaxico Burress is already having back trouble, which weighs on Eli Manning. The whole offense should probably be knocked down a notch.
EAGLES: Point blank -- Donovan McNabb is ready. Sure, I'd like to see him in a brace, but if he's feeling so good that he doesn't need it, he's feeling good enough to draft just below the Manning/Brady/Kitna level. (Yeah, I said Kitna.) Brian Westbrook remains a big risk/reward play, with his chronic knee problem pretty much the same as last year. The Eagles medical staff did a masterful job last year, but who knows if they can keep it up.
REDSKINS: Clinton Portis splitting time with Ladell Betts is good for the Skins, but bad for your team. Portis is likely to hold up better with a reduced workload, but Betts figures to take the red zone carries and could be the better value of the pair. I'm worried about Chris Cooley. While he looks like a top-tier TE this season, especially with the emergence of Jason Campbell, Cooley's tendency to go over the middle combined with tough linebackers on the schedule looks like a bad combo to me.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:37 AM
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