Week 11 active/inactive list: Foster out, but Lynch is ready to roll
Who's in and who's out for Week 11 of the NFL season? We are tracking all the key actives and inactives for this Sunday's action.
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Active
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (calf): Lynch has been dealing with a calf injury, but he won't miss Sunday morning's game in Kansas City a week after trucking the New York Giants' defense all over CenturyLink Field last Sunday. Lynch, who usually gets Wednesday practice off, didn't practice Thursday, but he did on Friday. He will likely be a major part of the gameplan against a Chiefs defense that hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown all season, but is giving up 4.7 yards per rush -- only the Giants (5.0) have given up more.
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Brandon Marshall, WR, Chicago Bears (ankle): Marshall suffered a sprained ankle in Chicago's embarrassing loss to the Packers last Sunday, but he had said all week that he would be ready to go against the Vikings, and he was listed as probable this week. Marshall was perhaps the team's only bright spot in that 55-14 shellacking, catching eight passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. Chicago's season is pretty much over already, but Marshall will at least provide an example of how to play at one's best, no matter the circumstances.
Rashad Jennings, RB, New York Giants (knee): Jennings missed five weeks with an MCL sprain, and he comes back to the field just in time to help a Giants offense that is reeling. Jennings was one of the smarter free-agent pickups this offseason, and he gained 396 yards in just five games this season with a heavy workload. Tom Coughlin may call for more of a balanced approach early on, limiting Jennings' carries as he gets back into the swing of things, but expect Jennings to start stealing carries from Andre Williams as soon as possible.
Inactive
Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans (groin): Foster, who has played excellently this season when healthy with an unstable quarterback situation and behind a shaky offensive line, will miss Sunday's game against the Browns with a groin injury that head coach Bill O'Brien has said should see Foster back in the lineup next week. Rookie Alfred Blue will see the majority of snaps in Foster's place, and with quarterback Ryan Mallet making his first NFL start, Blue may see a lot of action against a Cleveland run defense that hasn't always stood up to tough tests.
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Reggie Bush, RB, Detroit Lions (ankle): Bush's ankle will keep him out against the Cardinals, and this may alter Detroit's overall gameplan. Bush has been dealing with this injury for a while now, and head coach Jim Caldwell has said that the Lions may rest Bush in certain instances in order to get him healthy for a postseason run. Riddick caught the game-winning touchdown against Miami's stout defense, but was limited to zero yards on three carries. With Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie covering Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, the Lions will have their work cut out for them in every offensive aspect of this game.
Alterraun Verner, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (hamstring): Verner was downgraded to out late in the week despite practicing on a limited basis, which puts Crezdon Butler in as the starter opposite Johnthan Banks. The Bucs face the Redskins this week, which means that Lovie Smith will have to hope something positive pops -- Butler and Banks versus DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon looks like nightmare fuel, especially if Robert Griffin III has time in the pocket to get the ball downfield.
Anthony Fasano, TE, Kansas City Chiefs (knee): Fasano gets the primary snaps as the Chiefs' main tight end because he's such a good blocker and Kansas City's line needs the help, but Fasano will not go against Seattle's defense. This presents more opportunities for Travis Kelce, who has seen just 314 snaps this season, but has the kind of explosive play potential not seen in any other Chiefs player not named Jamaal Charles. The Seahawks, who have struggled against tight ends this season, will have a challenge here.
Giovani Bernard, RB, (hip, shoulder): The hip pointer and shoulder issues that have kept Bernard out since Oct. 26 will sideline him against the Saints, putting rookie Jeremy Hill in the driver's seat. Hill, who rushed 12 times for 55 yards against the Browns two Thursdays ago, was benched for about a quarter in that game after a key fumble, but if Andy Dalton comes out with the kind of inexcusable performance he had against Cleveland, the Bengals would certainly be wise to make the run game the most important part of their offensive attack.
