News: Houston RB Steve Slaton will start on Monday night against the Tennessee Titans, reports the Houston Chronicle. "I had an assumption that I would start, but nothing was concrete until now," Slaton said. "I'm happy about it. It's an opportunity I have to take full advantage of." That means that Ryan Moats will go back to backing Slaton up in the running game.
Analysis: Slaton will once again be the primary back in Houston but don't expect Moats to go back to being nothing as he was before. He'll likely remain in the mix for plenty of carries. Slaton is definitely worth more to Fantasy owners now but should still be considered a No. 2 Fantasy RB for the Week 11 game on Monday night. Moats is more of an injury-replacement option, at best, now.
News: A person familiar with the decision says running back Reggie Bush and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis are not traveling with the New Orleans Saints for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Both players are expected to be back at practice next week, said the person, who requested anonymity because the team's injury report had not been officially updated. Bush and Ellis have knee injuries. Bush missed practice this week with swelling in his left knee and had been listed Friday as questionable. Ellis, who sprained his right knee in Miami in Week 7, returned to practice this week on a limited basis but also was listed as questionable Friday.
Analysis: Bush rushed six times for 83 yards with a touchdown and caught two passes for 15 more and another touchdown at St. Louis in Week 10. Unfortunately, he picked one of his best weeks to get hurt. Now he's out at Tampa Bay. Keep him reserved in all Fantasy leagues for Week 10 and hope he returns healthy for Week 12 against the Patriots.
News: Eagles head coach Andy Reid lowered the boom on what Fantasy owners can expect in the way of production from Brian Westbrook over the next two weeks: Nothing. Already ruled out for Week 11 at Chicago, Reid said Friday that Westbrook will miss Week 12 and be a candidate to miss Week 13 as well. Rookie RB LeSean McCoy will start in his place. "We're backing off this week just letting him rest," Reid said of Westbrook. "This is on the doctor's orders there: back off, let him rest, that's the plan the doctor had for him. Next week he can start going to meetings and some things. We'll see how he feels as he goes. ... I think the doctors want to see how he does after two weeks. What kind of symptoms he has and then they'll just go back through and evaluate him after that, two to three weeks. We'll just see how he feels after that."
Analysis: Fantasy owners should continue to keep Westbrook benched for the foreseeable future. McCoy continues to be a priceless insurance policy for the veteran rusher, who really isn't a lock to even play again this season.
News: Houston TE James Casey (knee) went through a full week of practice and should be able to start the Monday night game against the Titans in Week 11.
Analysis: The Texans plan to get Casey more involved in the offense. "(Casey) can do some things for us offensively," coach Gary Kubiak said. "He'll become a big part of what we're doing here over the course of the next seven weeks." If you're looking for a deep sleeper at the tight end position for Week 11, you've found one. Casey is worth a look off waivers assuming you have the roster space, not to mention the need for a useful tight end.
News: Houston WR Jacoby Jones was able to practice in a limited capacity on Saturday in preparation for the Week 11 Monday night game against the Titans. Jones had not been able to practice at all earlier in the week with a calf injury.
Analysis: Jones caught four passes for 67 yards in Week 9 at Indianapolis before the bye week and has three touchdowns on the season. He should only be utilized in the deepest of Fantasy leagues, if healthy, for Week 11 against the Titans.
News: Houston LB Brian Cushing (foot) was back at full practice on Saturday and should be fine to play in the Week 11 game on Monday night against Tennessee. Cushing was limited in practice on Friday but is probable for the game.
Analysis: Cushing has earned his spot as at worst a top-end No. 2 Fantasy LB in IDP leagues. Use him freely in Week 11 as he's going to play.
News: Tennessee DL Jason Jones (shoulder) was back at practice on Saturday after missing for most of the week. He was limited in his preparation for the Monday night game at Houston in Week 11. Coach Jeff Fisher said his availability was in doubt for the game.
Analysis: Jones has missed a few games this season because of injury, but in the games he has played, he has been productive. He is doing a nice job filling in for Albert Haynesworth, who left this offseason in free agency. Still, Jones is a low-end Fantasy DL and is likely too risky to use in Week 11.
News: Coach Jeff Fisher ruled out linebacker Colin Allred for the Monday night game against the Texans because of a hamstring that kept him out of a third straight practice Saturday.
Analysis: Allred is owned in 0 percent of Fantasy leagues and should stay that way. He has no Fantasy value in IDP leagues at this time.
News: Tennessee receiver Justin Gage is out for the Titans' game against the Texans with broken bones in his lower back. Gage has not practiced since breaking the transverse process bones in his back at San Francisco on Nov. 8. Rookie Kenny Britt will make a second consecutive start at Houston on Monday night.
Analysis: Coach Jeff Fisher said Gage would not require surgery, but he's unsure how long the veteran will be sidelined. Gage has minimal value outside deeper Fantasy leagues, when healthy. Britt becomes a decent injury-replacement option for the game.
News: Atlanta RB Michael Turner (ankle) missed practice again on Friday and has been listed as doubtful for the team's Week 11 game at the Giants. It is not known how long Turner will be out for. Jason Snelling is expected to start against the Giants and Jerious Norwood (hip), who is listed as questionable for the game, might be used as a third-down back.
Analysis: It looks like Turner will miss the game at the Giants and Snelling will get the start. Snelling should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy option for Week 11 and a good replacement for Turner. Norwood, if he is active Sunday, is just a low-end replacement option off waivers. Hopefully this injury won't keep Turner out for an extended period of time because when healthy he's a No. 1 Fantasy RB.
News: A person familiar with the decision says running back Reggie Bush and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis are not traveling with the New Orleans Saints for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Both players are expected to be back at practice next week, said the person, who requested anonymity because the team's injury report had not been officially updated. Bush and Ellis have knee injuries. Bush missed practice this week with swelling in his left knee and had been listed Friday as questionable. Ellis, who sprained his right knee in Miami in Week 7, returned to practice this week on a limited basis but also was listed as questionable Friday.
Analysis: Ellis doesn't really have very much Fantasy value and needs not be on rosters in Fantasy leagues for the game at Tampa Bay.
News:Kyle Orton missed a third consecutive practice Friday because of a sprained left ankle and has only an outside chance of playing Sunday when the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers meet with first place in the AFC West on the line. Broncos backup Chris Simms again took first-team practice repetitions, as he has all week in the absence of Orton, who was injured during last week's 27-17 loss at Washington. This would be Simms' first start since 2006. Listed as questionable, Orton will be put through a workout before Sunday's game and how he performs will determine whether he plays, coach Josh McDaniels said Friday. "If Kyle is completely able to do what we're going to ask him to do in the game plan, and can do it at a level that allows us to be successful, then we could give him an opportunity to play," McDaniels said. "If he's not capable of playing at that level, or doing some of the things that we need him to be able to do, then you go with the guy who practiced."
Analysis: Our hunch is that the Broncos will keep the Chargers in the dark about who their starting quarterback will be and ultimately send Simms out to play on Sunday. Simms is good enough to run the Broncos' passing offense but doesn't have a strong arm. His play will bring down the stats of Brandon Marshall & Co., but not to the point where the Chargers can sell out to stop the run. Orton, meanwhile, was rushed back from an ankle injury last season and his numbers were terrible by comparison. Don't count on starting either Broncos quarterback in Week 11 so long as you can help it.
News: The New York Daily News reports that Giants LB Antonio Pierce has been told that he has a bulging disc in his neck and will miss the team's Week 11 game against the Falcons. Pierce had been experiencing discomfort in practice earlier in the week. “I’m shocked with what I heard from the doctors this afternoon,” Pierce said in a statement the team released. “I had no idea that what happened a few weeks ago could keep me off the field. I didn’t think it was that serious. I’m going to do everything the doctors tell me to do so I can get back out on the field as soon as possible." The Giants have said that Pierce is out indefinitely.
Analysis: Pierce, in his ninth NFL year and fifth with the Giants, has 55 tackles one sack, and one forced fumble in nine games this season. He was looking forward to trying to help New York snap its losing streak on Sunday against the Falcons (5-4). He is a decent low-end IDP option when healthy but Fantasy owners need to get him benched for Week 11 and possibly beyond. Wait to see if he is able to practice next week before making a decision on him for Fantasy Week 12. Chase Blackburn will likely start in Pierce's place Sunday.
News: The Bengals listed RB Cedric Benson as doubtful for Week 11 at Oakland after the star running back missed a week of practice. Benson said he's a game-time decision, but all signs point to him missing the game. Rookie Bernard Scott, third-down back Brian Leonard and newly signed veteran rusher Larry Johnson are all expected to share the workload in place of Benson, though Johnson told reporters Friday that he anticipates playing but "wouldn't expect to get a heavy load." Head coach Marvin Lewis didn't say much on the matter but did indicate that Scott would also return kicks, which is atypical of a running back who takes on a lot of carries. Lewis also said that he's been impressed with how quickly Johnson has adjusted with his new team. "He's done really well. I think he's been able to make the adjustments very quickly and I've been pleased," Lewis said. "The main thing is he can't be able to handicap the play caller."
Analysis: Have a backup plan in place if you own Benson since it's unlikely that he'll take on the Raiders on Sunday. One reason why Johnson might see a decent amount of touches: he's rushed for 938 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 games in his career against Oakland. We like Johnson as a No. 3/flex running back so long as Benson is out, and Scott registers a smidge higher since he knows the offense a little better and will see his fair share of work. But with them battling for touches and Leonard picking up third downs, we might not see any of them reach 10 touches in the game. Thus, keep expectations in check with all three -- assuming Benson is in street clothes. We'll have the official word on Benson Sunday afternoon around 2:30 p.m. ET here on CBSSports.com.
News: Redskins running back Clinton Portis was at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on Friday to have his concussion evaluated. Portis saw the same doctors who examined Eagles back Brian Westbrook, who has suffered two concussions in the last month. Portis was hurt two weeks ago against Atlanta, did not play last week against Denver and has been ruled out for Sunday's game at Dallas. "We're going to make sure we take care of all the details. We're for Clinton getting well," coach Jim Zorn said. "Each day Clinton's done a great job of communicating how he's felt, and that's what it's going to take. I want to be involved with those conversations, not so much to see 'how fast can we get him back,' but just to make sure the young man is improving and getting better."
Analysis: Ladell Betts will start for Portis, who hopefully he can return in Week 12 at Philadelphia, though if Betts continues to play well they'll end up splitting carries. We'll keep you posted on Portis' status in the coming days, but you can keep him benched for Week 11.
News: Minnesota DB Antoine Winfield has been listed as doubtful for the team's Week 11 game against the Seahawks due to a foot injury. Winfield was a limited participant in practice on Friday.
Analysis: Winfield initially thought he'd be back for Week 11 but it seems like it's going to be at least one more week before he is able to return. Don't plan on having him active for Week 11.
