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<div>Steelers' QB Sunday remains unclear</div>

Fantasy Football, NFL News
November 13, 2015
InjuryRoethlisberger listed as questionable

Who is playing quarterback this Sunday in this Steelers-Browns matchup? No, seriously? While the Browns intend on locking down that information for strategic reasons, the Steelers are still dealing with an injury situation. Ben Roethlisberger shed a walking boot on his sprained left foot earlier this week, but according to the team’s public relations staff, Roethlisberger is questionable. He was limited during Friday’s practice. Pittsburgh’s insistence on not declaring Roethlisberger out could have been the kickstarter for this weekend of intrigue, although Roethlisberger has made a career of healing fast when the outlook is grim. The good news is that backup Landry Jones can play well enough to win. On the season he’s hit on almost 60 percent of his passes and has a 3-2 TD to INT ratio. Against an opportunistic, but porous Browns defense this weekend, he could fare quite well. Of course, at 5-4 Pittsburgh would prefer the sure thing. Whether or not they’ll get lucky remains to be seen. (NFL.com)

Nerdy Football Analysis: This one is likely to be a gametime decision. With the Steelers set to kick off early, this will allow Roethlisberger owners to insert him into their lineups if he gets the green light.

Manziel will start for Browns on Sunday

Fantasy Football, NFL News
November 13, 2015
InjuryMcCown still limited in practice as he recovers from rib injuries

The Browns are expected to start Johnny Manziel against the Steelers on Sunday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Earlier, Browns coach Mike Pettine would not name a starting quarterback for what he described as competitive reasons. Pettine said Johnny Manziel took the majority of reps in Friday’s practice and that Josh McCown was limited as he recovers from rib injuries. Pettine said earlier in the week that McCown would start if healthy. (ESPN)

Nerdy Football Analysis: Manziel is a mid-range QB2 this week with some upside, as the Steelers’ pass defense is currently ranked 26th in the NFL.

Megatron questionable but intends to play

Fantasy Football, NFL News
November 13, 2015
InjuryWR dealing with sprained ankle

Calvin Johnson said this week that he plans to play in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers (1 p.m., Fox), but after two days of limited work, the Detroit Lions’ leading receiver did not participate in practice today. Johnson, who has 48 catches for 659 yards in eight games, sprained his ankle in the Lions’ Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He said he spent last week’s bye getting treatment on his ankle and that this year’s injury is nothing like the high ankle sprain that kept him out of three games last year. (Detroit Free Press)

Nerdy Football Analysis: Even with the injury, Johnson’s a mid-range WR1 this week facing off against a Packers’ secondary that has struggled recently.

Anquan Boldin Not Considering Retirement

NFL News
November 13, 2015

While one veteran receiver – Steve Smith – came into the 2015 season expecting it to be his last, that’s not the plan for another veteran wideout, Anquan Boldin. Speaking to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, the 49ers pass catcher confirmed that he doesn’t intend to retire at the end of the 2015 campaign. No, this isn’t the end,” Boldin said.

Boldin, who began his NFL career with the Cardinals back in 2003, turned 35 in October, and has dealt with some nagging hamstring problems this year. However, he has remained reasonably productive, even with the Niners not getting a whole lot out of quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the early going, resulting in a change to Blaine Gabbert.

After going over 1,000 yards on 80+ receptions in each of his first two years with the Niners, Boldin isn’t on track to reach those landmarks again in 2015. However, in seven games this season, he has caught 31 balls for 372 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and has been unfazed by the uncertainty at quarterback in San Francisco.

“In Arizona, one year it was Josh McCown, Shaun King, and then Kurt Warner, then it was Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart. It’s nothing new to me,” Boldin said. “It’s just a situation where you trust the coach and you trust he’ll put the best guy out there. And as a team you have to be behind whoever it is the coach puts out there. It doesn’t change your job or what you have to do.”

Despite the 49ers’ struggles this season, Boldin says he’d like to return to the team next season, after his current contract expires. While continuing his career in San Francisco is one possibility, Boldin could be an interesting option for contending teams to consider if he finishes 2015 strong and reaches the open market in March.

 

Pigskin Links: Payton, Panthers, 49ers

NFL News
November 13, 2015

Here at Nerdy Football, we deliver up-to-the-minute news on NFL transactions and high-quality original analysis. Each week, we also feature some of the best blog articles from around the web in our regular feature, Pigskin Links.

We’re looking for interesting reads on all things football from blogs of all sizes. While Nerdy Football is dedicated to player movement, Pigskin Links is open to pieces on all areas of the game. If you would like to suggest your blog post (or someone else’s) for Pigskin Links, send me an email with the link and a brief synopsis at PigskinLinks@gmail.com.

Here’s this week’s look around the football blogosphere:

  • Spunkmeyer On Sports went over the most likely destinations for Sean Payton.
  • Total Sports Live says the Panthers are a contender.
  • NFL Spin Zone graded the 49ers.
  • Buffalowdown is happy with the Bills‘ backfield.
  • Steelers Gab gave a tip of the cap to DeAngelo Williams.
  • Turn On The Jets mourned Thursday night’s loss.
  • The Jets Blog was impressed with D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
  • Russell Street Report endorses Chris Givens as a starter.
  • Phin Phanatic wonders if the Dolphins can top the Eagles.

Got a great football blog post that you want to see featured in next week’s Pigskin Links? Email it to Zach or tweet it to him: @ZachLinks.