FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 11/13/2009 6:51pm et

The Detroit Free Press reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) participated in practice Friday, Nov. 13. He is listed as probable for Week 10 and will be able to play.

The Huddle Take: At least we don't have to deal with any suspense leading up to this Sunday regarding Johnson's ability to play like we have the last couple of weeks. But if Johnson has any chance at regaining Fantasy stud status, it's got to happen soon. And this could be the week. Even though the Lions are on the road against Minnesota, the Viking pass defense is vulnerable without Antonio Winfield, who will miss the game.

Posted: 11/12/2009 11:39pm et

The Detroit Free Press, reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) practiced in full Thursday, Nov. 12. He is not 100 percent, but he is good enough to start Week 10.

The Huddle Take: Despite the fact that Johnson is not 100%, he should still be good enough to go in Week 10 and provides fantasy owners with a quality receiving option capable of nice numbers with the Lions always throwing early in games. Johnson continues to grow and mature and should be a solid No. 1 option for fantasy owners in all formats for many years to come.

Posted: 11/10/2009 10:13am et

The Detroit News, reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson said he is fine with QB Matthew Stafford. Television cameras caught a visibly frustrated Johnson coming off the field a number of times Week 9, and there was one point where Stafford and Johnson had a cold exchange on the sideline. Stafford appeared like he was trying to talk to Johnson, but Johnson seemed to ignore him. Johnson said, "There is no problem with us. People are just blowing that out of proportion."

The Huddle Take: Johnson's frustration was probably due to the fact he expected to be much more of a factor after missing basically two games, and that Stafford was woefully inaccurate on the throws he tried to make to Megatron. It's probably to be expected, though, because of the time the two missed in practice. Johnson didn't suffer any setback with his knee in Week 9, apparently, so he and Stafford should get a full week of work in preparation for this week's game against the Vikings. Minnesota can be thrown upon, and Stafford did look for Johnson quite a bit against Seattle, so unless you have an irresistible WR matchup elsewhere on your roster this week, consider sticking with Johnson.

Posted: 11/7/2009 6:10pm et

The Detroit Free Press reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) practiced Friday, Nov. 6, and is expected to play in Week 9. He looked good when he was on the field Friday.

The Huddle Take: Apparently it is official, at least from the Detroit papers, Johnson looks like a lock to start and could have a nice day against the Seahawks if Stafford is back on track.

Posted: 11/6/2009 6:44pm et

Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) was limited in practice Friday, Nov. 6, and is questionable for Week 9.

The Huddle Take: It's still up in the air whether or not Johnson is going to be able to play Sunday against the Seahawks. Check with The Huddle on Sunday morning so that you're not taken by surprise should Megatron be declared inactive.

Posted: 11/5/2009 11:29pm et

Updating previous reports, the Detroit News reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) worked with the first-team offense during practice Thursday, Nov. 5, and looks ready to play in Week 9.

The Huddle Take: Johnson continues to look good in practice so far this week and seems to be settling back into his role in the Lions offense. Johnson is a solid No. 1 receiver and should be considered for fantasy lineups in Week 9 regardless of the scoring format.

Posted: 11/5/2009 3:03pm et

The Detroit Free Press reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) participated in practice Thursday, Nov. 5. Head coach Jim Schwartz said Johnson probably will be a game-time decision for Week 9.

The Huddle Take: If Johnson practices Friday, he'll probably be good to go Sunday against the Seahawks. But even if he does, don't assume anything. Make sure you check TheHuddle.com Sunday before the kickoff of the early games to be certain of Johnson's Week 9 status.

Posted: 11/4/2009 11:23pm et

MLive.com, reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) participated in practice Wednesday, Nov. 4, and took all the reps with the first-team offense.

The Huddle Take: This is a good sign for the Lions and fantasy owners as Johnson looks like he will be ready to go against the Seahawks in Week 9. He is a solid No. 1 receiving option for fantasy teams due to the fact that Detroit usually falls behind early and has to throw more often to catch up.

Posted: 11/2/2009 6:46pm et

The Detroit Free Press reports Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said he is still unsure of the status of WR Calvin Johnson (knee) heading into Week 9.

The Huddle Take: There's an unsettling air of mystery surrounding Johnson, and Schwartz is putting off some Belichick-esque vibes when discussing - or rather not discussing - just what exactly is wrong with his stud receiver. A lot of Fantasy owners went to sleep Saturday night expecting Johnson to play, only to wake up Sunday morning to the news he had been deactivated for what promised to be a juicy matchup against the Rams. For now, all we can say is that unless you read Johnson has full participation in Friday's practice, just assume he'll be out once again. Even if he does play, he and the Lions have what should be a tough road matchup against the Seahawks.

Posted: 10/30/2009 5:26pm et

Updating a previous report, the Detroit Free Press reports Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) was limited during practice Friday, Oct. 30. He is listed as questionable for Week 8 and will be a game-time decision.

The Huddle Take: This had to be expected with all of the uncertainty surrounding Johnson this week. Make sure you check The Huddle for the latest news on Johnson Sunday morning, and be prepared to make a quick roster change. If you haven't already, it may be worth it for you to consider adding either Bryant Johnson or Dennis Northcutt to your roster, because of Megatron can't go, Johnson and Northcutt will likely get a lot of opportunities against a very bad Ram pass defense.