The Atlanta Falcons need good news on the injury front. After losing several players for the season, the team has two wins as they rely on backups to help fill the holes. They snapped a three-game losing streak with a win against the Buccaneers on Sunday, relying heavily on Matt Ryan's arm to get them bye. However, there appears to be good news on the horizon as Steven Jackson is set to return.
Right now, the Falcons are relying on Jason Snelling and Jacquizz Rodgers to help the struggling ground game. The two ran for a combined 30 yards on 15 carries, providing almost no balance for the Atlanta offense. In the offseason, the Falcons signed Jackson to help establish a more secure and prominent ground game after Michael Turner's departure. However, an injury in Week 2 has had the veteran sitting on the bench.
After missing the last four games, head coach Mike Smith announced Jackson is expected to return to practice this week after working out a thigh and hamstring injury.
"This is all based on what the doctor will say in terms of how much he'll participate in practice as we go through the week, but when we left out of here on Friday, everything was very good in terms of testing and the opportunity to return to play," Smith said, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "We are anticipating to get him in and see how he handles it. You've got to go in and take it one day at a time when you're coming back from an injury."
It is uncertain whether or not the running back will be available for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. That is certainly a premature guess. Smith intends to limit Jackson as he works up to a full return. If he is only available to do limited drills then the likelihood of Jackson being on the field in Arizona is slim.
After the original injury occurred in the first half of Atlanta's game against St. Louis, Jackson was only expected to miss at least two weeks. However, the injury continues to take a turn for the worse as the running back has not been on the field since.
Fantasy owners should really beware when it comes to Jackson. The 30-year-old's health is relatively unknown at this point. It seems unlikely he will contribute against the Cardinals in Week 8 with more production to come in Week 9. Remaining invested in either Rodgers or Snelling is wise for at least one more week.