Stephania Bell

  (3:02 PM)

Hello all and welcome to the chat...Hope everyone is safe and sound after Hurricane Sandy. What a storm with effects that will no doubt be felt for a long time...In the meantime, we'll try to bring you something else to think about, like the injury news to start the week...

Kyle Norton (Atlanta, GA)

What do think about Mendenhall this week? Will he play? And what about Issac Redman?

Stephania Bell

  (3:06 PM)

Hi Kyle: Probably one of the most asked about running back scenarios this week. Looks like Mendenhall could come back. He's going to begin individual work. We'll see as the week progresses. Redman also returning to practice. Dwyer will not practice today but Tomlin says he's hopeful he returns tomorrow. For each of these guys will be a question of how he responds to the work he does each day and whether or not he can increase it as the day goes on. Tomlin not committing to starter yet.

Matt (Portland, ME)

Please tell me that DeMarco Murray will play next week...

Stephania Bell

  (3:08 PM)

Matt: We obviously don't know his exact status yet. Jason Garrett calling him day-to-day and only saying he's moving around better. But that could simply mean he's walking on it better. Garrett also said he understood it's an injury they need to be patient with to avoid setbacks. Put it this way. I will be very surprised if he plays this week. I'll take it as an encouraging sign if he simply returns to limited practice.

Bill (GA)

Is Peytons thumb an issue?

Stephania Bell

  (3:09 PM)

Bill: Thankfully, it appears not to be. He said he hit more of the nail on the helmet as opposed to the main part of the thumb. He says he's fine and I expect he will be.

Cedric (Philly)

Hi Stephania, Congrats on the Giants World Series!!! Moving forward does Trent Richardson look to be a healthy safe play? Thanks!

Stephania Bell

  (3:11 PM)

Cedric: I think his performance last week went a long way to proving he's significantly improved from a week ago. The thing with rib cartilage injuries is that they are very slow to heal. Not a good blood supply and it's an area you can't really immobilize to heal it. So it becomes a matter of how well you can perform in the presence of discomfort and each passing day decreases the discomfort UNLESS you go backwards from an in-game big hit, fall, etc. Nothing about Sunday suggests Richardson went backwards. So I anticipate him being more reliable going forward. Not out of the woods, but better.

Happy Giants Fan (SF!!!)

Any updates on MJD? I have him on my bench and want to know if Jennings is worth trading for.

Stephania Bell

  (3:14 PM)

I am with you Happy Giants fan! No word on MJD other than he is out officially this week. This looked like a mmulti-week injury from the beginning so that's no surprise but how many weeks is unclear. Like Murray, it's a bit of a day-to-day assessment to see how the foot is responding to treatment, how much you can increase the work, etc. Given how recent the injury was, I'd plan on looking at at least another two to three weeks minimum

Rich (Indy)

Is there anything to the Mikel Leshore inury?

Stephania Bell

  (3:16 PM)

Rich: Not according to the Lions. They say it's nothing but we know he was out in that 4th quarter. appeared to have ankle rolled on. This may be one of those where he doesn't have a specific "injury" to report but he had enough discomfort that they wanted to hold him out. And then we'll have to see if they end up listing him on the injury report.

Marcos (San Antonio)

I know everyone's saying that he won't be back until after the bye week, but what are the chances that Garcon ever gets back to his old self after week 10?

Stephania Bell

  (3:18 PM)

Marcos: I'm not sure he will. Understanding the degree of injury to the tissue on the bottom of his foot, it may not improve without surgery. I know he wants to try to play through it but one of the side effects, besides pain, is instability. If the toe hurts and slips in the joint (which would make it hurt even more), then he cannot effectively function at WR. May be a case of where he tries to go, tests it out and then realizes it won't work. He could surprise us but the results so far haven't been great.

BASED (WI)

Whats the word on Dez Bryant is he ok to go Sunday?

Stephania Bell

  (3:19 PM)

Based: According to the Cowboys, no big deal as far as the hip. He landed on it awkwardly when he made that big catch (even though it didn't count) and got up lookign like it was bothering him. But they seem to think it's a non-issue and he should be ready to go this weekend.

Dan (Seattle-ish)

Glad you made it to the chat! I know you really need a crystal ball for most of these... but Jordy Nelson? Your percentage prediction he plays this week? THANKS!

Stephania Bell

  (3:22 PM)

Dan: Any percentage would be a massive guess since we haven't seen him do anything yet. At least if he were running I'd have something to go on. McCarthy said they will test him on Wednesday and then we'll have an idea. But last week, after he hurt it Wednesday, he was out Thurs, Fri and never really did much to test it. With Jennings out, they can't risk a really long-term injury with him. But if he responds well to whatever they put him through Weds and he can be back in practice late in the week then I like his chances.

Bob (Anderson, Ca)

Maybe next year the A's can finish and meet the Giants for a rematch. Will Jennings play again this year?

Stephania Bell

  (3:23 PM)

Bob: That would be fine with me. I think Jennings plays again. I just don't think it happens until December. Everyone has made it clear it won't be before he's 100% healthy. And the typical recovery - as in return to play - is around 4-6 weeks.

Jason (Birmingham)

What is up with Hernandez? Do we know if he reinjured the ankle? There was a story out there about the birth of his child. This guy is killing my fantasy team but I don't want to make a move until I know why he missed the London game. Thanks!

Stephania Bell

  (3:26 PM)

Jason: That story was being discussed when there was uncertainty as to why he missed the London game (expecting child vs ankle). We later learned that it was his ankle but even those close to the team did not know when they first got to London. Turns out the ankle has recovered to a point but not all the way. Was still giving him some trouble with cutting maneuvers. THe thought then was to increase treatment and give him that week plus bye. He should be in good shape by Week 10.

Jason (Canada)

Is Donald Brown back to being the starter? Any problems after the game?

Stephania Bell

  (3:27 PM)

Jason: Not sure if he is this week or not but he did well enough (it would appear) to reclaim that role. No reported problems after the game and it sounds like he should be on track.

Kyle (Minneapolis)

What do you think of Amendola's chances of being back after the bye week?

Stephania Bell

  (3:30 PM)

Kyle: I think they're a lot better than they were for last week (think he was never really close to playing at all) but he's still not a lock. Contact again following this type of injury is the biggest "risk." But if he looks good over two more weeks of increasing activity, I think there's a chance.

Coy (NC)

Hey Stephania. IS RGIII a 100%? Have to decide between him and Cam this week.

Stephania Bell

  (3:31 PM)

Coy: See no reason why not.

Austin (ATX)

What's the deal with Megatron's knee injury? Is it a factor in his disappointing production? Problem going forward?

Stephania Bell

  (3:33 PM)

Austin: I suppose it is. But so is double-triple coverage and Stafford seeming off. It's unusual for Johnson to talk much about his ailments but he did just that after the game, speaking about how the knee was bothering him. Not sure what to make of it. I plan to go back and watch his activity in that game but in the meantime, it's certainly not something I would bench him for but it's worth being aware.

Matt (Houston)

Basketball! Stephania, I drafted Kevin Love with the hopes that I'll get 3/4 of a season out of him. Given that his injury has a 6-8 week time table to return, how long before he's back to normal? Should I expect a mid-December return to dominance?

Stephania Bell

  (3:35 PM)

Matt: Right! Season starts tonight. The 6-8 week timetable includes (assuming the bones are healing well) getting mobility back, ball handling, etc. I imagine he's keeping up with conditioning but could be a little rusty on the game-playing side. Think he could be in good shape by early December.

Dave (Indy)

How much stock do you put in Beanie's recent statement that he's ready to get out on the field now? Is that reasonable given the type of injury or is this simply an over-confident athlete?

Stephania Bell

  (3:38 PM)

Dave: Not much at all. Several reasons. Turf toe is such a painful, difficult injury to recover from and while I'm sure he's been working hard in rehab, until he's running full speed and cutting/pivoting off that foot, without issue, I'm not ready to believe it. And he's not there yet. Also, he has said before that he's fine (when he isn't) and the evidence has been in how he's looked on the field. I'm sure he's frustrated by being out, probably a little chippy too with seeing who has gotten work in his absence and feeling like he could contribute, but between this and his history of foot/ankle/knee problems, I'm hardly confident.

matt (work)

do you ever answer a question? every answer is "it's not clear yet" "can't be sure" "we'll see how he does through the week" maybe you should just do your chat on sunday before the games when you know what you're talking about.

Stephania Bell

  (3:40 PM)

Every week I feel the need to answer a post like this...for the same reason over and over. First, no need to come to the chat. Second, I would be lying if I said anything is clear when it comes to medicine. Anyone who tells you otherwise, especially from a distance, is simply not telling the truth. If you prefer to have a definitive answer, even if not truthful, you've come to the wrong spot. And you'll find that on Sundays, we still can't predict what will happen exactly in a game or we'd all be in Vegas.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY)

When will we ever see Brandon Jacobs Play in a Game with the 49ers?

Stephania Bell

  (3:42 PM)

Chris: I think Jacobs essentially asked the same question of Harbaugh a couple weeks ago which led to their "conversation" about his role. Ever since he's been the team guy, basically acknowledging he's ready if called on. At least we know they think his knee is healthy enough for him to play. But I have to say, with Gore and Hunter healthy and productive there's just not a lot of room for him to play.

wally (hawaii)

Is Kenny Britt's knee likely to keep him from playing this week?

Stephania Bell

  (3:45 PM)

Wally: I want to be in Hawaii. Nothing to suggest Britt will miss time. He did say he had an MRI on his knee but then we heard that he's been getting them regularly. We also heard Britt say his knee was fine according to the docs and that he expects to play. We have to remember he's still a guy coming off ACL reconstruction on one knee and a scope on the other. Always thought he would struggle some through the first half of the season (and I was not convinced he'd stay healthy...and sure enough, he sprained an ankle). Not sure we get the Britt we've seen flashes of before until next season. Think he'll have some strong performances but hard to imagine it's consistent.

Bryan (Woodstock, GA)

Whats the word on Hakeem Nicks? He's back in the lineup, but has yet to really get going. Still feeling the effects of the leg injuries?

Stephania Bell

  (3:46 PM)

Bryan: In the sense of not being up to top level of performance? Probably. It sounds as if he's on the other side of the significant injuries but still working his way into playing shape.

Joseph (Dallas)

Anything wrong with JC? A bit worried about his 5 carries...Was offered JC for VJax, should I do the deal?

Stephania Bell

  (3:49 PM)

Joseph: It apparently wasn't due to injury although when the head coach says he doesn't know why he got 5 carries, well, then it's hard to respond. It goes to what you need. I'd pick up Charles if I could get him for VJax now. I bet after everyone pointed out how few carries he got that that will change this week.

Marcos (Miami, fl )

When will we see Mendy carrying the rock full time. Or will he be splitting it with Dywer the rest of the season?

Stephania Bell

  (3:50 PM)

Marcos: I think it's going to be a split going forward. Tomlin has hinted at it and no one has proven to be healthy enough (or perhaps worthy enough) of getting the full load.

Ryan (Miami)

Jimmy Grahams ankle hinder his ability going forward? looking to trade Darren McFadden for him but concerned about reinjury? should I be/do the deal?

Stephania Bell

  (3:52 PM)

Ryan: Still think Graham not quite at 100%. Doesn't mean he's gone backwards or that he can't continue to improve. Just saying he wasn't there this past week. And McFadden has managed to stay on the field so far this season but I'm still not over my injury worries with him. If it were me and I needed the TE (always goes back to who you have), I'd do the deal.

Al (Wausau, WI (but would rather be in Hawaiii!))

Stephania, how much time do you think Chris Cook of the Vikings will miss with his fractured wrist? Is it season-ending?

Stephania Bell

  (3:53 PM)

Al: He was placed on the IR/designated for return so he could come back but given the extent of the injury, won't likely be for 8 weeks so not until final regular season game, possible playoffs.

Calivn (ATL)

Not really fantasy related, but have you heard anything about Sean Weatherspoons ankle injury? The Falcons certainly need their best defensive player on the field against Dallas.

Stephania Bell

  (3:56 PM)

Calvin: I have not heard specifics. I know he was going for an MRI but don't believe there were any details offered in Monday's presser with coach. Which translates to we have to see what they do with him in practice this week...

Dan (The Man)

In a 2QB league is Matt Moore worth an add, or is he simply a one week fill in for Tannehill?

Stephania Bell

  (3:58 PM)

Dan: Think he's just fill-in for Tannehill but the question becomes how long will it be. Tannehill with a bone bruise and a thigh contusion. Not officially ruled out (last I checked) for Week 9 even. So I wouldn't be surprised if Matt Moore got another week but don't thu-ink it's long term.

Brandon Bolden (NE)

What is wrong with my knee? These team doctors are so secretive they wont even tell me. No longer a handcuff for Ridley this season?

Stephania Bell

  (3:59 PM)

Brandon: If you can't get the info, you know they haven't told me...mystery until you're back on the practice field.

John (Los Angeles)

Great info, as usual, thanks! I've learned something about rib cartilage injuries. For those of us who have realistic expectations, and who are capable of seeing athletes as more than just fantasy points numbers, your chats and comments are always very interesting. Thanks again!

Stephania Bell

  (4:01 PM)

And John: We'll end with your nice comment. Thanks so much. And thanks to all of the others with the great questions, insights, opinions you bring to the chat. You all actually help drive some of the content I write for the site or bring to the podcast in addition to the chat with the topics you're interested in. So thanks for coming! Hope to see you again Friday at 11 a.m. and if you've been affected by Sandy, thoughts are with you and please be safe...