FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 12/15/2008 5:16pm et

New England Patriots WR Wes Welker caught six passes in the team's Week 15 game, giving him 102 receptions this season. He is the first Patriots receiver in franchise history and eighth in NFL history to record back-to-back seasons of at least 100 receptions.

The Huddle Take: Welker's been a beast in PPR leagues, but somewhat a disappointment in other formats. But he did break his TD drought against the Raiders and is a good candidate to do so again this week at home against an Arizona pass D that surrendered four TDs to the immortal Tarvaris Jackson.

Posted: 12/3/2008 10:46pm et

New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (concussion) was not listed on the team's injury report Wednesday, Dec. 3, and it appears he participated fully in practice.

The Huddle Take: What a disappointment the Patriots were in Week 13 against Pittsburgh, however with Welker likely back on the field, look for New England to return to form and blast the Seahawks in Week 14. Welker is a solid No. 2 receiver as long as he doesn't suffer a setback this week in practice.

Posted: 12/2/2008 9:06pm et

The Boston Herald reports New England Patriots OG Logan Mankins said he believes WR Wes Welker (concussion) will be able to play in Week 14. 'He's a little firecracker. He's a tough little guy. He took a big hit. I think he's all right. Hopefully he's all right. You never want to see anything bad happen to anyone, but I think he's a tough guy. He'll get through it,' Mankins said.

The Huddle Take: It would appear, based on the minimal amount of things coming out of the Patriots arena, that Welker will play this week, though it would be wise to have a short notice backup plan should the news be verified at the last minute. The Pats are notorious about not letting out much information in advance, so if you have another solid option, you might want to err on the caution. Otherwise, plan to start him at the moment.

Posted: 12/1/2008 6:49pm et

Updating a previous report, New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (concussion) appears to have suffered a concussion as a result of a hit he received in Week 13 based on the severity of the hit and his reaction. The team has yet to announce what the injury is or the extent.

The Huddle Take: The Patriots are notoriously tight-lipped concerning injuries, but it was apparent to anyone watching that game that Welker suffered some sort of significant head trauma. Considering the viciousness of the hit, it would be a major surprise if Welker plays this week in Seattle. But he's tough as it comes, so it wouldn't be a major shock, either, if he's on the field. For now, though, it would probably be wise to make roster plans based on the assumption Welker won't be on the field.

Posted: 11/30/2008 8:53pm et

ESPN.com reports New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (undisclosed) suffered an undisclosed injury during the team's Week 13 game. Welker was hit by Pittsburgh Steelers FB Ryan Clark after a pass intended for him was tipped. Clark was penalized for hitting a defenseless receiver.

The Huddle Take: The status of Welker will be updated as information becomes available, however if this injury causes Welker to miss any time on the field it could make things even tougher for a team on the playoff bubble. Backup WR Sam Aiken could be the next in line for Welker's spot in the New England offense if the news is bad on Welker this week.

Posted: 11/9/2008 11:36pm et

The Boston Globe reports New England Patriots WR Wes Welker caught at least six passes for the ninth straight game in the Week 10, which set an NFL record. Welker has caught at least six passes in 13 straight games dating back to last season.

The Huddle Take: Welker continues to shine despite the fact that New England is without quarterback Tom Brady this season. Matt Cassel continues to settle in and should make for a decent low-end No. 1 quarterback for fantasy teams during the second half of the season. Welker is a spark plug for the Patriots passing game and could surpass Randy Moss with the number of catches by the end of the year.

Posted: 8/23/2008 9:19pm et

The Boston Globe reports New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (rib) suffered a rib injury Friday, Aug. 22, after being belted on a punt return. He crawled on all fours before leaving the game under his own power. He was not able to return to action. The extent of the injury is not currently known.

The Huddle Take: Welker would be an irreplaceable piece of the Patriots offense if he was to miss any length of time due to the injury. He is a great possession receiver and complements Randy Moss in the high octane New England passing game. Look for the Patriots to utilize the 6'1" 215 pound Chad Jackson to replace Welker in the event he misses some time when the season starts. We will continue to update his status as we get more information.

Posted: 7/29/2008 3:03pm et

The Boston Herald reports New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (undisclosed) remained on the team's PUP Monday, July 28.

The Huddle Take: As of now, at least, this isn't that big of a deal. Lots of players are on the PUP list during training camp, and are subject to being activated at any time. Don't alter your draft plans for Welker yet.

Posted: 7/24/2008 4:31pm et

The Associated Press, reports the New England Patriots placed WR Wes Welker (undisclosed) on the physically unable to perform list Thursday, July 24.

The Huddle Take: This sounds like shocking news, but it's really no big deal. For now, at least. Welker and several other Patriots are on the "active/PUP" list, which, for those who aren't familiar PUP definitions, means they can return to practice at any time during camp as long as they're medically cleared. The "reserve/PUP" list is the serious one. If a player is on that, they have to miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season. If you hear that Welker's on that, then you can be worried. For now, don't change your draft plans where he's concerned.