There aren’t many reasons to get excited about Week 7 Monday Night Football’s matchup between the Seahawks and Saints, and Alex Collins’ injury status further complicates matters. Collins (groin) is officially “questionable,” and despite positive reports coming from Seattle’s coaching staff, it’s always tough for fantasy football owners to wait out a Monday night game-time decision. Getting the latest injury updates will be paramount before locking in your final start ’em, sit ’em decisions, especially with Rashaad Penny (calf) expected to come off IR this week.
That’s why we’ll continue to update this article with news on Collins up until the official active/inactive report comes out on Monday around 6:45 p.m. ET. For all the latest fantasy updates, follow us on Twitter @SN_Fantasy.
MORE MNF: DK lineup | FD lineup | Penny/Smith update
Is Alex Collins playing on Monday night?
UPDATE: Collins is officially ACTIVE, as is Rashaada Penny.
After missing the first two practices of the week, Collins (groin) returned on Saturday. He’s listed as “questionable,” but Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has already said Collins is “ready to go” for Monday night’s game against the Saints.
There are some worries about Collins, mainly that the weather forecast is calling for a rainy game, which usually isn’t great for players with sore groins. On top of that, Rashaad Penny (calf) figures to come off the IR and get a decent amount of carries. It’s tough to know how the RB touches will be divvied up until we see Penny and Collins in action together.
Ultimately, we view Collins as a low-end RB2/high-end flex and Penny as a flex. It wouldn’t be a shock if both struggled against New Orleans’ second-ranked run defense, but if the weather is nasty, then Seattle figures to feed its backs, either through a series of runs or short passes. Ideally, fantasy owners would avoid this situation if possible, but given all the byes and injuries this week, chances are many fantasy owners will be relying on one or both of these backs.
If Collins is a surprise scratch, then Penny will be a solid RB2 based on volume. You won’t have many flex options to pivot to if you’re counting on Collins, but your best bet is Tre’Quan Smith (if active). You could also try Freddie Swain or Gerald Everett. Either DeeJay Dallas or Travis Homer could also have some PPR value as Seattle’s pass-catching RBs.