FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 10/18/2009 11:11pm et

The Associated Press reports Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward caught eight passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in Week 6, while WR Santonio Holmes caught five passes for 104 yards.

The Huddle Take: The veteran Hines Ward has proven to be a solid playmaker for the Steelers offense for many years and has contributed with some nice numbers to help fantasy teams post consistent numbers. Ward is a decent No. 2 wideout that has built nice chemistry with Ben Roethisberger over the years and certainly gives the offense the go to guy at any point on the field to move the chains.

Posted: 10/1/2009 10:25am et

Mark Kaboly, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, reports Steelers WR Hines Ward believes referees are targeting him this season. Ward was called for two offensive pass interference calls Week 3, and he has been flagged three times this year. Ward said, "I think the guy was just looking for me to do something. It seems like they're watching every little thing that I do."

The Huddle Take: Ward definitely has a reputation as a physical player, but that doesn't necessarily mean officials go looking for penalties that aren't there. It may, however, mean Ward no longer gets the benefit of the doubt; if it looks like a push-off, he's likely going to draw the flag.

Posted: 9/7/2009 11:53am et

Ron Cook, of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reports Steelers WR Hines Ward's new extension during the offseason has him under contract with the team through 2013. Ward plans to fulfill it even though he will be 37 years old by the end of the '13 season. "I don't see why I can't do it. I'm still getting open against the other team's No. 1 cornerback, still getting separation. And the way coach (Mike) Tomlin protects me, not beating me up in training camp, giving me Wednesdays off during the season ... That's going to keep me healthy and keep me fresh," Ward said.

The Huddle Take: This is good news for keeper leaguers who drafted Ward but potentially bad news for Limas Sweed as he finds himself logjammed behind Ward and Santonio Holmes. Ward is right, though; his game isn't predicated on blazing speed, and so long as he can keep getting open and is willing to absorb the hits he could conceivably play until 2013.

Posted: 4/25/2009 11:06pm et

Updating a previous report, Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reports the agreement on the contract extension between the Pittsburgh Steelers and WR Hines Ward will be for either four or five years, according to Ward's agent, Eugene Parker. The deal reduces Ward's 2009 salary and includes a signing bonus that will be prorated over the life of the contract. Ward was originally scheduled to earn $5.8 million this season, and his cap figure would have been $8.55 million. Parker said that the new contract should ensure that Ward retires as a member of the Steelers. Ward has not yet signed the deal, and whether it will be four or five years hasn't yet been determined.

The Huddle Take: Ward has been the Steelers' go-to receiver for some time, though Santonio Holmes may be in the process of usurping that role. A four or five year deal would suggest that Ward will finish his NFL career in Pittsburgh.

Posted: 4/21/2009 12:36am et

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Steelers WR Hines Ward did not participate in practice Monday, April 20, because he is recovering from offseason rotator cuff surgery.

The Huddle Take: No worries about Ward at this juncture; there's little doubt he'll be back on the practice field well in advance of the Steelers' first game that counts.

Posted: 2/10/2009 11:20pm et

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reports Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward (shoulder, knee) underwent shoulder surgery, according to a source. His knee injury will heal on its own and will not need surgery. He should be fine for the start of the 2009 season.

The Huddle Take: Despite the various ailments for Ward to end the season fantasy owners should still consider him a viable No. 2 receiver for fantasy teams in the fall. Ward has been a consistent performer his entire career and continues to be a primary target for Roethlisberger and the Steeler offense.

Posted: 2/6/2009 6:55pm et

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Steelers WR Hines Ward underwent a new therapy on his knee called Autologous Conditioned Plasma to help rehab his knee in order to play in Super Bowl XLIII. The process involved taking blood out of Ward's knee, working on the blood and re-injecting it into the knee. "When you injure yourself, it promotes a cascade of events that eventually leads to healing. But, with ACP, you take some of your own blood out, centrifuge the blood into a much smaller and concentrated amount and take layers that have the platelets and reinject them into the injured area. You might take out 20 or 30 ccs, treat it, and then inject back a very nutrient-rich 3 or 4 ccs," said Dr. Neal ElAttrache, an associate and partner of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. The NFL said the procedure did not violate the league's drug policy.

The Huddle Take: Doesn't this sound a whole lot like "blood doping" that cyclists have been allegedly doing for years? If the NFL has given this procedure the official green light, you can expect similar treatments to replace the walking boot as the trendy new NFL injury treatment.

Posted: 2/3/2009 11:24pm et

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, reports Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward (knee) said he may need to undergo surgery on his sprained right knee.

The Huddle Take: Ward played a key role in Pittsburgh's Super Bowl victory over Arizona and showed the grit to play through pain like he has done so many times in the past. With Pittsburgh developing some young wideouts like Limas Sweed and the emergence of Santonio Holmes expect Ward to have a reduction in his numbers as early as 2009.

Posted: 1/30/2009 5:42pm et

NFL.com reports Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward (knee) participated in practice Friday, Jan. 30. He is listed as probable for Super Bowl XLIII.

The Huddle Take: Ward's not missing the Super Bowl. How effective he can be on a bum wheel remains to be seen, but he's had a couple weeks to rest and he's demonstrated the ability to play well despite injury before.

Posted: 1/20/2009 10:47pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward (knee) suffered a slightly sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the AFC Championship game. Ward, however, is expected to be ready for the Super Bowl, the team said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Huddle Take: Good news for the Steelers as they will need all their weapons when they face the upstart Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl. Ward has been a consistent performer for the Pittsburgh offense over the years and is clearly the go-to-guy in the passing game.