Most of the NFL news out of training camp that is important to fantasy players is news about injuries. This is no exception.
Eric Parker, WR, SD -- Everybody has been gushing over "sleeper" third-year WR Vincent Jackson in San Diego this summer. The news that Chargers #1 WR Eric Parker is out for ten weeks with a knee injury will only increase the hype. The problem is that Jackson now steps into the lead WR role, and that means he faces the top defender each week. Jackson was a nice sleeper as a #2 WR but I think he's one of the poorer #1 wide receivers in the NFL. The guy that benefits the most from Parker's injury is rookie Craig Davis, who now takes over as the #2 in San Diego. LaDanian Tomlinson also is likely to benefit by seeing more passes, which makes him even more valuable in PPR leagues.
Joey Porter, LB, Miami -- If you're a sports fan, you know what the phrase "...sought a second opinion from specialist Dr. James Andrews" means. It means that somebody is probably screwed. In this case, the probable screwee is linebacker Joey Porter, who may or may not require knee surgery. Porter is overrated as a fantasy IDP because he doesn't finish with enough tackles to earn a place on your fantasy team but people tend to draft him anyway. I wouldn't recommend drafting Porter even if he was healthy, but certainly not now.
Lamont Jordan, RB, Oakland -- The Sacramento Bee is reporting that Lamont Jordan is suffering from a bad back, missing both practices over the weekend. It's the same bad back that hobbled him last season. Dominic Rhodes is suspended for the first four games so that leaves Justin Fargas, Adimchinobe Echemandu (don't make me type that again) and rookie Michael Bush. Hmmmm. This looks like a fantasy opportunity...actually, two fantasy opportunities. The first opportunity is with Rhodes. Yes, he's out for 25% of the season but when he comes back he should be getting a lot of carries. If you can grab him late and stash him away he'll return a huge amount on your investment. I don't have any faith in Fargas or in AEch, though it's possible one or both of them may start during those first four games. The second opportunity is Michael Bush. While he's still rehabbing from his injured knee, he could (could) be in a position to be splitting carries with Rhodes at midseason. This news about Jordan just reinforces my belief that Bush is a great late round "last RB" to take a gamble on.