The Detroit Lions are hoping to have Calvin Johnson back for Week 8 and while they are hopeful, the team has a bye coming up and fantasy football owners should keep an eye on his progress, as the WR said that his ankle is getting better and now many are expecting him to be back for Week 10 no matter what and that makes Golden Tate a prime fantasy starter against the Falcons in London on Sunday.
Johnson has been dealing with an ankle injury for most of the season and he comes into week 8 after starting to practice again with the team, but he will miss the game Sunday in London. According to ESPN.com, Johnson said that his ankle is getting better and that he has started running and that he has more movement in the ankle than he did in previous weeks. Johnson has been out for the last two games and while there is a chance for him to play on Sunday, it's possible he will be held out by head coach Jim Caldwell.
Johnson first came down with the injury against the Packers in Week 3 and he was able to play through it, but it came back up against the Bills and knocked him out the two games after that. Reports from last week had the Lions keeping Johnson out through the bye week and into the next week so he could be fully healed, but now it looks like it's possible he gets in for Week 8. This season Johnson has already missed two games and he could miss three if he is out this week and that would be a career high for him.
According to Pro Football Talk, Johnson is feeling better and can run routes while cutting and as the week goes on, the team will check his progress ahead of game time on Sunday. Johnson has 22 catches for 348 yards this weekend and he is in line for some low numbers that would put him back in his 200-7-2008 range after being one of the most consistent players in all of football. The game is on at 9 am ET on Sunday from London, so fantasy owners should keep it locked to the injury reports.
Johnson has put up some amazing numbers over the past few seasons and in that time he has only missed two games. The last time he missed time before last year was back in 2009 when he also missed two games and now Johnson is hoping to keep that streak intact (of not missing more than two games). Last season Johnson had 84 catches for 1492 yards and 12 touchdowns and the season before that the WR had 122 catches.
Johnson had just five TDs, but he had 1964 yards and the year before that he once again was fantastic with 96 catches for 1681 yards and 16 scores. Johnson's streaks of over 84 catches, 1000 yards and double digit touchdowns are in jeopardy if he continues to miss time. Johnson has had double digit TD receptions in three of the past four seasons and four of the past six.
