New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham has been dealing with a hamstring injury, but he claims he’ll return to practice on Saturday and will be ready to play against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
"We're gonna be all right," Beckham said, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
I love Beckham’s matchup against the Cowboys. Even if he isn’t quite 100 percent healthy, he is a WR1 in Week 7 as long as he suits up. It sounds like there’s no chance he’ll miss the game.
Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett returned to practice for the Ravens on Thursday. He has a tough matchup in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals, but he can still be considered a low-end RB1 in all fantasy football formats.
Forsett has 457 rushing yards and one touchdown on 104 carries thus far this season. He has also added 23 receptions for 129 yards. Considering the Ravens vs. Cardinals game is on Monday Night Football, Forsett will have a little extra motivation to look good in-front of a huge television audience.
Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant was seen at practice on Thursday. He wasn’t going through normal drills, but he was doing some work on the side. However, nobody actually expects him to suit up on Sunday against the Giants. The earliest he’ll be able to play will be in Week 8, but even that seems doubtful.
Bryant’s foot injury has a high risk for re-injury. That should mean that the Cowboys will be extremely cautious not to rush Bryant back into action until he is 100 percent read. And let’s face it, with Matt Cassel throwing him the football, how much would Bryant be able to help?
Personally, I would be shocked if Bryant returns to the football field before Week 10.
As for Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota, he was absent from a portion of practice on Thursday. He is trying to recover from an MCL injury. The team officially listed him as a “limited” practice participant but it seems highly unlikely that he’ll play in Week 7.
If Mariota is out, Zach Mettenberger is expected to get the start. Mettenberger has some skills, but he isn’t worth picking up and starting just for one or two weeks. Mariota is at no risk of losing his job. As soon as Mariota is healthy, Mettenberger will find himself back on the bench regardless of how good he plays.