LeSean McCoy did not practice Sunday, as the Eagles got back to work for the first time since Friday night's preseason loss to the Patriots. The team gave no reason for McCoy's absence, but it does not appear to be an injury. Perhaps Shady just needed a day off. As far as fantasy owners are concerned, McCoy can have as many days off as he wants, as long as he is healthy, of course. All indications are that McCoy will be back at practice on Monday. If he misses another day of practice, this becomes a story to pay attention to, but for now, view McCoy as 100%.
Jamaal Charles, who along with McCoy is atop many fantasy draft boards, was held out of Sunday night's preseason game against the Panthers. Charles has been hampered recently by a bruised foot, but it appears that Charles' night off is simply precautionary. As with McCoy, this does not appear to be serious, but it is always worth keeping an eye on injuries when top-tier running backs are involved.
Drew Brees is back! Many of you may not have even known he went anywhere, but in fact, Drew Brees has not been on the field for the Saints since Aug. 1. That changed on Sunday, as Brees finally returned to practice. The Saints star has been dealing with a pesky oblique strain, however, now seems healthy and ready to let loose. Look for Brees to start next Saturday's preseason game against the Colts, and continue to consider Brees as a top fantasy signal caller.
Emmanuel Sanders missed Sunday's preseason game against the 49ers. A thigh injury kept Sanders out of the game, but he also missed practice early in the week with a quadriceps ailment. Between the injuries and the lack of production - Sanders had zero catches in preseason game one - Sanders has not grabbed hold of the third WR job in Denver the way many hoped he would. With Eric Decker's departure in free agency, Sanders has the opportunity to be a significant fantasy contributor in 2014. Anyone who has a prominent role in a Peyton Manning offense should be considered a potential fantasy contributor. However, Sanders will have to prove he is healthy, and can produce with Manning, before he should be considered the trendy sleeper some have labeled him to be.
Michael Floyd missed his second straight preseason game after sitting out Saturday's contest with the Vikings. The groin issue, that held Floyd out, does not appear to be serious, as Floyd has been able to practice on a somewhat consistent basis. However, groin injuries can often linger and reoccur, so this is definitely a situation to keep an eye on. Assuming health, Floyd remains a nice number two wide receiver to target this season, with the upside to be a number one. Floyd put up 1,041 yards in 2013, and is likely to build on that success with a second year in coach Bruce Arians' system.
Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper were at opposite ends of the spectrum on Sunday. The former missed practice, while the latter returned to practice after a lengthy absence. Maclin has a sore hamsting, but is expected to return to practice on Monday. It seems as though the Eagles have been trying to limit Maclin's work during the preseason, as he has been dealing with some soreness throughout training camp. This is to be expected after returning from a torn ACL last July, but is still worth keeping an eye on. Maclin should be good to go for Thursday's preseason tilt against the Steelers, but continue to monitor the situation. Cooper has been dealing with a foot issue that has kept him sidelined for over a fortnight, so it was good to see him back at practice. Assuming Cooper can go against the Steelers, we can begin to feel confident that he is healthy and ready to go for the season. If Maclin and Cooper can stay on the field, both have the potential to be valuable fantasy assets. The Eagles offense should, again, be at the top of the league.
Brandin Cooks is human. Despite all superhuman evidence to the contrary, that is a fact. Cooks has made a name for himself in Saints camp with his speed and shiftiness, and has seen his fantasy stock rise dramatically as a result. However, Cooks had his first poor showing - one catch for 16 yards - in Friday's preseason win over the Titans. While it is just a preseason game, and one that Drew Brees did not play in to boot, Cooks' performance is just a tiny reminder that rookie receivers are bound to go through growing pains. Cooks is still a very intriguing fantasy prospect for 2014, with a ton of upside, just remember that he is a rookie, at a position that is not often kind to first-year players.