Superbowl Injury Status

New York Giants

Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) confirmed Thursday that he suffered no setbacks and feels “great.” Bradshaw is planning to practice again on Thursday. The Wednesday practice was Bradshaw’s first since early in the season. Coach Tom Coughlin had expressed some concern that Bradshaw might emerge from the workout with soreness, but he didn’t and appears to be as healthy as he’s been in months.

Hakeem Nicks (questionable, shoulder) says he feels “a lot better this week.” “There should be no setbacks. It’s not sore or anything,” Nicks said. “The rest helped out a lot with just my shoulder and just my body in general. I wouldn’t miss (the Super Bowl) for anything.” With 18 catches for 335 yards and four touchdowns through the Giants’ first three playoff games, Nicks could be in for a monster day against the Patriots’ 31st ranked pass defense.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Matt Barnes

Coach Mike Brown confirmed that Matt Barnes is his starting small forward “for the foreseeable future.” Barnes has started six straight games, averaging 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks during that span. He’ll continue to share time with Metta World Peace, but deep-leaguers can certainly do worse. Barnes has a roto-friendly game thanks to his plus defensive skills and reasonable 3-point shooting. We can safely expect 24-30 minutes nightly, depending on game flow.

NFL 2011 Difference Makers

1. Julio Jones, WR, Falcons – A midseason hamstring injury was the only thing that could slow down Jones as a rookie. The 4.39 40-yard dash he ran at the NFL Combine was jaw-dropping, but he appeared to be even faster on the Georgia Dome turf. Perhaps more impressive was Jones’ ability to shrug off tacklers near the goal-line, showing a nose for the end zone. In his final four games of the regular season, he scored six touchdowns. Jones’ raw talent makes teammate Roddy White appear ordinary.

New York Giants Injury Report

Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) returned to practice Friday, as expected, and is listed as probable for Week 18. Bradshaw has been sitting out mid-week practices to cut down on the wear-and-tear while playing through a cracked bone in his foot. He’s averaged just 3.65 yards per carry since returning to action five games ago.

NFL Wildcard Weekend Injury Report: Saints vs Lions

New Orleans Saints

Lance Moore  has been ruled out for the Wild Card round due to a hamstring injury. Moore is out indefinitely. Robert Meachem should start against Detroit.

Indianapolis Colts – Thursday Player Status

The Colts confirmed Tuesday that Peyton Manning (neck surgery) will not practice for the remainder of the season. He won’t play either, obviously. “He’s rehabbing. I think that’s probably what I can say the best to you,” coach Jim Caldwell said. Not surprising.

Houston Texans – Thursday Player Status

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle expects Andre Johnson (hamstring, out) to play in Week 17 against the Titans. It sounds like it’d be a tuneup kind of appearance, getting Johnson “ready for his first playoff appearance.” Johnson insists he could play in Week 16 if the Texans allowed him, but they’re shutting him down for one more week.

Atlanta Falcons – Injury Report for Thursday Night Football

Julio Jones was limited in Tuesday’s practice with his back injury. It’s noteworthy that he’s listed with a back injury instead of the usual hamstring, though we suspect the Falcons are simply easing him into the practice week. The only rookie receiver with four 100-yard games, Jones is locked in as a high-upside WR2 with three dome games the rest of the way.

Will Chris Paul Come to Los Angeles?

NBA officials and the Los Angeles Clippers traded Chris Paul proposals into Tuesday night, but ESPN’s Marc Stein and Chris Broussard are claiming that league sources say the Los Angeles Lakers have jumped back into the mix with a package built around Pau Gasol.

Green Bay Packers – Fantasy Report

James Starks (ankle) will be “challenged” to practice on Wednesday. The injury is not believed to be a “long-term issue,” but it sounds like Starks has a lot of progress to make if he wants to be cleared for Sunday’s game against Oakland. With Starks aggravating an injury he originally suffered in Week 11 each of the past two weeks, it’s hard to envision him suiting up this weekend. His status will be updated Wednesday.