This Given Sunday is examining the biggest injury questions before each week of the NFL season. Here are the top-five health-related storylines entering Week 10.
Percy Harvin
It wasn't looking good for Harvin early in the week after he suffered an ankle injury in Seattle, but he appears to be progressing weekly and was aiming to practice by the end of the week. Harvin is irreplaceable, especially if you're in a points-per-reception league, so if he suits up he has to be in your fantasy lineup. The guy's tougher than you might think — he's only missed three games in four years — so have a backup plan and monitor his status closely as the Vikings get set to host Detroit in an early Sunday kickoff.
Darren McFadden
The oft-injured back suffered an ankle sprain in Tampa and is being held out of practice. With backup Mike Goodson also out with an ankle injury, McFadden owners could be in trouble if the inconsistent McFadden can't go in Week 10 against a Ravens defense that has become very vulnerable against the run of late. The good news is you'll know McFadden's and Goodson's statuses well before an early kickoff Sunday.
Marshawn Lynch
Lynch has been held out of early-week practices all year, but he joins this list this week because there's a new injury bothering him. This time, he sat out Wednesday's practice due to a wrist injury. In fact, the injury report also indicated that his back is still causing problems, so the league's second-leading rusher is in rough shape headed into a matchup with the rested Jets. Lynch is still a must-start in fantasy leagues if he's in the lineup, but keep a close eye on his status as the weekend approaches.
Hakeem Nicks
Nicks hasn't been himself all year due to ankle and knee injuries, and now he's missing practice time for the Giants because his knee is swelling up on him again. This looks as though it'll linger all year, and there's a chance Tom Coughlin opts to sit him out of Sunday's game in Cincinnati in order to give him nearly three straight weeks' worth of rest through the Week 11 bye. It's a 50-50 thing right now, but if you have a decent alternative in Week 10, use it.
Stevie Johnson
The Bills wide receiver was limited in Week 9 due to a thigh injury, preventing him from much of anything in a loss to Houston. And now he's back out of practice to start Week 10. Buffalo plays New England at 1:00 p.m. ET, so you'll know if you have him with time to spare, but Johnson's a risky start regardless considering he'll be less than 100 percent and hasn't been consistent through the year.
