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Training Camp Notes: A Texas-Sized Injury

With Tuesday came the news that Texans running back Arian Foster will likely miss a chunk of the season after suffering a groin injury in practice Monday. The Houston Chronicle's John McClain reported Tuesday that Foster's injury will require surgery, and an IR/designated to return tag is possible. The hit to Foster's fantasy value is sizable if he misses more than a couple of games, and he'll be a risky pick in drafts until more is reported on the severity of the injury. Of course, this opens up a window for Houston running back Alfred Blue. If Blue is healthy when the season begins (he dealt with minor cramping problems Tuesday) he will likely be Houston's go-to back for Week 1. Blue piled up 528 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in his rookie year, starting three games. If he gets a similar number of touches in the first few weeks, he could be a good depth option at running back until Foster returns.

  • Word out of the Lions' camp is that rookie running back Ameer Abdullah is impressing coaches with his movement and reaction time. Joique Bell, who is still working back from a few minor procedures he had in January, is presumed to be Detroit's primary rusher come Week 1. But Abdullah can find likely some room in the team's offense if he keeps turning heads. Bell is more of a physical back, while Abdullah liked to play with direction changes during his time at Nebraska, so the two shouldn't step on each other's toes in terms of situational playing time. It'll be interesting to see what kind of action Abdullah sees in practices and preseason games once Bell is closer to fully healthy.
  • Despite previous reports of DeVante Parker's inevitable readiness for Week 1, Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin said Tuesday that the rookie wide receiver's health status is still uncertain. Parker, who had surgery on his foot on June 5, is still not running at full speed. Philbin said he's not sure how much Parker will practice during training camp, and is unsure of whether the former Louisville Cardinal will be able to play in preseason games.
  • Julian Edelman was held out of Tuesday's practice with an unspecified injury, apparently stemming from something he suffered on Sunday. The New England veteran spent the day doing rehab work. It's likely that this was just a precautionary move to make sure Edelman doesn't over-exert himself early in training camp, but it bears watching just to be sure. If he's healthy for Week 1, Edelman's value will be difficult to pin down. He'll be dealing with a fresh-faced quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, who doesn't bring Tom Brady's experience and skill to the pocket. Still, Garoppolo will likely lean on New England's studs, like Edelman and Gronkowski, in the passing game. Edelman caught 92 passes for 972 yards and four touchdowns last year.
  • 49ers wideout Bruce Ellington missed Tuesday's practice with a leg muscle strain he suffered on Monday. There is no timetable for his return, so the injury bears monitoring. Ellington is competing for San Francisco's slot receiver position after a rookie campaign in which he caught six passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
  • ESPN's Ed Werder reported that the Eagles and quarterback Sam Bradford are in discussions about a short-term deal that would lock Bradford up past 2015, the final year of his contract. Bradford, who is returning from a torn ACL in his left knee, has taken the majority of the team's first-team snaps despite head coach Chip Kelly declaring that the team would have an open competition for the starting spot between Bradford and Mark Sanchez. It seems Kelly and the coaches have liked what they've seen from Bradford over the past few months, and even if a deal isn't completed, he's the odds-on favorite to start Week 1 for the Birds.