Week 3 looks like it will be marred with injuries to elite running backs.  While it should come as no surprise to fantasy owners, it puts them in a difficult situation because the status of some of the top rushers likely won’t be known until the weekend.  This is where owning handcuffs will come in very handy.  So without further adieu, here is the next edition of the gridiron walking wounded.

Eddie Lacy (RB-GB)

This could be a troubling situation for fantasy owners as Eddie Lacy is dealing with an ankle injury that has kept him out of practice this week.  The good news is that he will have an extra day to recover since the Packers play on Monday night.  The bad news is that you will have to make a decision whether to start him before we will likely know if he is going to play.  James Starks should be on your radar as a possible temporary replacement in weekly leagues.

DeMarco Murray (RB-PHI)

Murray has been utterly disappointing through his first two games with Philadelphia.  His two touchdowns in Week 1 skew his point total which is not reflective of how poorly he has performed.  Now he is out with a hamstring injury and had to leave practice earlier this week.  Murray’s status is still up in the air so you need to closely monitor the situation up until game time.  Even if Murray plays he will have a difficult matchup against a stingy Jets defense that shut down Andrew Luck and the Colts last Monday night.

Arian Foster (RB-HOU)

It was a little too good to be true to think Foster would be back by Week 3.  He says he feels great but that he is not 100% yet.  There is a chance he could be back for Week 4 so monitor his status next week.

Brandin Cooks (WR-NO)

Cooks has missed practice this week dealing with an ankle injury, but he is adamant about being on the field against Carolina this weekend.  The Saints offense has been erratic at best and Cooks has been underwhelming.  It won’t get any easier this week if Cooks is less than 100% going against a solid Panthers’ defense.

LeSean McCoy (RB-BUF)

McCoy has had a hamstring issue since the preseason and has received days of rest at times during practice.  He was back on Thursday in a full capacity and will certainly play this week against Miami.  McCoy has been disappointing for fantasy owners with only 130 rushing yards and no touchdowns through the Bills’ first two games. 

Jason Witten (TE-DAL)

The Cowboys have been decimated by injuries to key players, but it appears that Witten will avoid missing his first game in nine years.  The future Hall of Fame tight end is dealing with injuries to both ankles and a knee.  Witten was limited in practice on Thursday and should suit up for the Cowboys game against Atlanta this weekend.  He is still a TE1 despite Tony Romo being out and Dallas likely trying to run the ball as much as possible.

Lamar Miller (RB-MIA)

I have made my feelings about Miller well known, so I cannot endorse him as much more than a low end RB2 or Flex option this week.  He has been nursing an ankle injury but returned to practice in a limited capacity on Thursday.  This is a good indication that he will play, but the Dolphins have a tough matchup against a Buffalo defense looking avenge the torching that the Patriots gave them last week.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE-TB)

There are slim pickings at tight end for fantasy owners, so it is relatively significant that Austin Seferian-Jenkings will miss several weeks with a shoulder injury.  He already matched his touchdown total from last year and seemed to be developing a solid rapport with Jameis Winston.  Now he will miss at least four to six weeks so his fantasy relevance is all but gone in redraft leagues.

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and is also the co-host of the Fantasy Alarm podcast. You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment),