Pick him up, now!
Incredibly, a man who caught 98 passes for 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns last season is still available in 18 percent of CBSSports.com's Fantasy leagues. Like a five- step pace and draw showdown, you better be quick on the trigger and get Saints WR Marques Colston off the waiver wire now.
It might be a decent idea to get Jeremy Shockey -- available in 44 percent of leagues -- along with him.
Colston had just three catches for 26 yards this season before having surgery on his left thumb. Shockey played the first three weeks and amassed 16 catches for 151 yards before sports hernia surgery sidelined him. Week 6 against Oakland marks the first realistic shot at one, if not both, players returning for the Saints.
Both players returned to the practice field on Wednesday on a limited basis, and while Shockey couldn't return on Thursday, reports the Times-Picayune, Colston was able to give it a go for a second consecutive day.
"We saw Marques practice today, so in his case, again, I was encouraged," coach Sean Payton said. "With Jeremy, I've just got to see where he's at tomorrow and see how the second day after his first day of practice yesterday, see how he feels. But with Marques, again, he was out there, we were able to see him move around and function, and he did pretty well."
Colston's cast is off his hand and he just needs to continue getting comfortable with the speed of the game, Payton said.
Shockey couldn't practice on Thursday and his status is definitely up in the air. He may be close to returning, but Week 6 may not be the week it happens. "I really don't have one," Shockey said of his return date. "God willing, I wish I could play last week. I hope I can play this week."
The Raiders are not very good against the pass so both players would be viable Fantasy options at their respective positions, if available. With that in mind, we give Shockey only a 35 percent chance at making back for Oakland.
Colston, however, gets a 50 percent chance at playing and might be worth having ready to go when the final decision comes in at game time. Both players are definitely worth picking up now. If they can't play in Week 6 against Oakland, then Week 7 will probably see them active again.
Tight Ends
Kellen Winslow, Cleveland: It's never a good sign when somebody needs two overnight stays in the hospital, especially when they have a fast-approaching football game coming up Monday night.Winslow's availability for Monday's meeting with the Giants is in question after an undiscloesd illness kept him hospitalized on Thursday and Friday nights.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel did not provide specifics because of patient privacy laws but did have this to say about the injury: “He's a competitive player," Crennel said. "We all know he has had some injuries that he has had to deal with and he's played through them, and at times we've had to manage him so that he can play through them. We know that he'll be out there (Monday) if at all possible. If it's possible that he can be there, he'll be there."
Fantasy Take: Crennel gave Winslow a 50 percent chance of being healthy enough to play Monday night and that is how you should approach starting him this week. The Giants are one of the best defenses against the pass, so if you have another option with a good matchup, just use them. Otherwise, make sure you have a replacement ready and continue to treat Winslow like a No. 1 TE who is a game-time decision.
Wide Receivers
Roddy White, Atlanta: One week after his best game of the season, an eight catch, 132-yard, one-touchdown performance in a win in Green Bay, Falcons receiver Roddy White may not play in Week 6 against Chicago.White slammed into safety Lawyer Milloy in practice and suffered a head injury that pulled him from practicing early on Wednesday and has kept him out since. He's listed as questionable on the injury report, meaning there is about a 50-50 chance he'll play, but has said that he should be fine for Sunday.
Fantasy Take: This is a pretty cut and dry injury. It's his head. He's physically able to play, but he's just got to get the cobwebs right up there. That's why we give him a slightly better chance of playing than sitting against the Bears. Think 60 percent. The Bears don't defend the pass particularly well and that makes White a solid option for Atlanta in Week 6 if healthy. Just make sure to have a backup ready to go in his place.
Brandon Lloyd, Chicago: Lloyd has a knee injury and hasn't been able to practice at all this week. He didn't play in last Sunday's beating of Detroit and that doesn't bode well for a return in Week 6 against Atlanta.
Lloyd is listed as doubtful on the injury report, lessening his chances of playing in Week 6.
Fantasy Take: It doesn't sound good for Lloyd in Week 6. Unfortunately for his owners, the Falcons aren't very good against the pass and Lloyd would have been a decent start. We give him about a 20 percent chance of playing, however, so we suggest you find another option.
Eddie Royal, Denver: While the Broncos may be without Royal in Week 6 against Jacksonville, Darrell Jackson is probable to see his first action of the season in that game.
Royal injured his left ankle last week against the Buccaneers and has been limited in practice for most of the week, reports the Denver Post.
While that officially makes Royal questionable for Sunday's game, coach Mike Shanahan indicated on Wednesday that he thought Royal would be probable for the contest vs. the Jaguars.
Fantasy Take: Royal is worth starting in all Fantasy leagues if healthy against one of the lesser pass defenses in the NFL. That said, we give him a 75 percent chance of starting the game, so be careful. We suggest picking up Jackson, who is available in 96 percent of leagues, as he'll slide into the starting role opposite Brandon Marshall if Royal can't play.
Calvin Johnson, Detroit: The Lions entire passing game could be in trouble in Week 6 against the Vikings. Quarterback Jon Kitna and both starting receivers, Johnson and Roy Williams, are on the injury report.
But while Kitna's injury appears serious enough to keep him out of the game and give Dan Orlovsky his first NFL start, MLive.com is reporting that Johnson's injury isn't very serious and he should be fine to play in the game.
Fantasy Take: Apparently, Johnson just banged his knee in practice on Thursday and was placed on the injury report without really being seriously injured. We expect him to play and give him an 88 percent chance at starting. You should definitely have him starting for you in Fantasy against a team that is not very good against the pass. But if Orlovsky starts, there is no telling how much rhythm the two will have together so you might not be maximum output.
Bernard Berrian, Minnesota: Berrian was hurt last Thursday and still managed his best week of the season on Monday night in Week 5 against the Saints. Berrian caught six passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in that game.
Berrian did not practice on Thursday, but reports are saying that was just a precautionary measure to rest his chronically sore toe and bad knee.
Fantasy Take: Berrian expects to play in Week 6 against Detroit and so do we. We give him an 87 percent chance of starting against the Lions and that makes him a solid start in Fantasy. The Lions are one of the worst defenses in the NFL and Berrian should be able to have another big week if healthy.
Laveranues Coles, New York Jets: Coles is listed on the injury report as questionable for Week 6 against the Bengals with a thigh injury.
Coles, however, is coming off a bye week after registering his best game of the season in Week 4 against Arizona where he caught eight passes for 105 yards and three touchdowns. He's been on the injury report every single week this season for basically the same ailments.
Fantasy Take: Coles may continue to be banged up, but that also means he's probably going to continue to start and be productive for Brett Favre and the Jets. We give him a 90 percent chance of starting and against the Bengals is considered a must-start option in Fantasy.
Chris Chambers, San Diego: Chambers only has 11 catches on the entire season in five weeks of action but remains an elite Fantasy option. The five touchdowns he's scored really helps.
Unfortunately for his Fantasy owners, Chambers is suffering from an ankle injury and hasn't been able to practice all week, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.
“Hopefully, I can make gradual improvement," Chambers said. "If I have a chance, I definitely want to be out there with my teammates. But I don't think it's worth rushing it in October to get back on the field if I'm not all the way healthy."
Fantasy Take: It sounds like Chambers would rather be safe than sorry and that could be exactly what the Chargers are thinking as well. That's why Chambers is looking like a candidate to keep reserved with just about a 25 percent chance of playing against the Patriots in Week 6.
Deion Branch, Seattle: Aren't you glad you picked up Deion Branch off the waiver wire last week? Branch was finally able to see his first action in Week 5 against the Giants as he caught three passes for 31 yards.
Hope you enjoyed him while he lasted, because Branch is again hurt after leaving the game last week with a heel injury. He has been limited in practice this week and is probably not going to start in Week 6's game against the Packers regardless of his health, reports the Seattle Times.
Fantasy Take: Branch gets a 50 percent chance of playing and a 25 percent chance of starting the game against Green Bay. He's probably not worth using in Fantasy, regardless of he's able to go. He could become a more central focus of the offense later in the year, but as of now, he's not healthy enough to start in Week 6.
Running Backs
Laurence Maroney, New England: The Patriots are always vague with their injuries and their starting running back is no exception to that rule. With just 93 rushing yards in three of the four games New England has played this season, Maroney has been a Fantasy risk all year.That won't change as the Patriots go to San Diego in Week 6 as Maroney was limited in practice on Friday and is questionable for the game. We just wish Maroney would offer a little more insight into what is bothering him and exactly how bad the injury is.
“Hey, I have my issues," Maroney said Friday before New England finished up its final practice. “There are reasons. I'd rather not speak about them, but there are reasons."
Fantasy Take: Playing a guessing game with reporters, Maroney said he wouldn't disclose his injury even if they guessed correctly. We give him a 50 percent chance of starting against the Chargers, but he's not at 100 percent and it has shown all season. He's not worth starting in anything but the deepest of Fantasy leagues right now and coupled with the injury, that means you should find another option in Week 6.
Darren McFadden, Oakland: More important to Fantasy owners than his game status for Week 6 in New Orleans is the role McFadden will have in the Raiders' offense.
Listed as questionable for Sunday's game after being limited in practice on Friday, Raiders coach Tom Cable told the San Francisco Chronicle that he expects McFadden to play despite a sore toe. Cable also said that McFadden would play behind Justin Fargas -- who is completely healthy for the game -- in the same type of game plan used in the season's first two weeks.
Fantasy Take: We give McFadden a 75 percent chance of playing and the Saints are not great against the rush. If McFadden is used like the first two weeks, it makes him a solid flex option in Fantasy. Remember, he racked up 173 total yards in Kansas City Week 2.
Quarterbacks
Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle: The Seahawks spent most of the early part of the season in dire need of a healthy wide receiver for Hasselbeck to throw to. Now that the receivers are starting to take shape, they are in dire need of a healthy signal caller.Both Hasselbeck and backup Seneca Wallace are injured and that leaves Charlie Frye as Mike Holmgren's only completely healthy quarterback for Week 6 against the Packers.
Hasselbeck could not practice at all this entire week with a sore right knee and did not receive clearance to play against Green Bay. "Matt, I'm not sure. It will be a game-day decision there," Holmgren said. "The thing just has not responded. He can't do much with his leg. It's not ligaments, it's not anything like that. It's just sore. He doesn't have the green light to play. He could get it, but I have got to feel like he's not too vulnerable out there."
Fantasy Take: Holmgren did give Hasselbeck a slight chance he could be able to play on Sunday, but his hyperextended knee has not shown progress and it would be farfetched that it heals enough to warrant starting him by game time. We give Hasselbeck a 30 percent chance of starting and suggest finding an alternative not named Frye for Week 6.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay: Fantasy owners needed to make a last-minute decision last week when they found out Rodgers would, indeed, be healthy against Atlanta. They won't need to be so rushed for Week 6.
Rodgers, despite not making a single throw in practice this week with a sprained right shoulder, is reportedly the starter on Sunday at Seattle. Coach Mike McCarthy said the team chose to rest Rodgers from throwing in practice to keep him rested.
"Dr. (Pat) McKenzie in his evaluation this morning felt it was best for Aaron not to throw today. That's why his practice reps were limited," McCarthy said. "He'll be ready to go Sunday."
Fantasy Take: Listed as probable on the injury report, Rodgers gets a 90 percent chance of starting and is worth taking the minimal risk. Cleared to play just hours before last week's game, Rodgers threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks are not among the NFL's elite in passing defense and Rodgers is considered a No. 1 Fantasy option in Week 6.
Jon Kitna, Detroit: Kitna, coming off an injury to his back in Week 5 against Chicago, is listed as doubtful for Week 6 at Minnesota and isn't talking about his injury.
"I can't comment," Kitna told the Detroit Free Press Friday. "Sorry guys. Try to be honest with you."
Lions coach Rod Marinelli was able to confirm that Kitna saw a back specialist on Friday morning but gave no indication of who would start on Sunday. The Lions will wait until game day to make their decision.
Fantasy Take: Listed as doubtful without practicing this week, it doesn't sound too good for Kitna's 36-game starting streak with the Lions. In fact, if backup Dan Orlovsky, slated to start if Kitna cannot, performs admirably, we might never see Kitna return to the helm of the Lions. Whatever the case, Kitna -- who we'll give a 15 percent chance of being healthy enough to play -- is not worth starting in Fantasy in Week 6 against the Vikings regardless of health. Let's just hope he wasn't your No. 1 option.
Do you have a Fantasy Football question? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com and we'll get to as many as we can. Be sure to put Attn: Injuries in the subject field. Include your full name, hometown and state.
