Washington Redskins RB Clinton Portis sprains knee

November 12, 2008 @ 00:00:00

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Tim Heaney

Ryan O'Halloran, of The Washington Times, reports Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis (knee) sustained a second-degree sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the team's Week 9 loss.

Despite enjoying a bye last week, Portis said his right knee worsened late last week. "Thursday night and Friday, it started getting worse, so I came in, and they said MCL sprain, second degree," Portis said. "As of right now, I can't straighten it out, and I started bending it today. Hopefully by the end of the week - we'll have five days - I'll be right."

With a Grade 2 sprain of his medial collateral ligament, Portis has a partial tear of one of his four major knee ligaments, which could require a recovery time of three to four weeks. However, at this point, the team has not yet ruled him out of this week's game.

It should also be noted running back Ladell Betts (knee) sprained his medial collateral ligament during the team's Week 6 loss to the St. Louis Rams, and he has yet to start practicing. However, they never released the degree of his sprain.

Portis has been a workhorse this season, likely carrying most fantasy teams. He sits second in the league in rushing yards with 995, and he has found the end zone seven times. His value decreases slightly in point-per-reception leagues - he has just 18 receptions for 150 yards (seven of those coming in Week 9) - but he is still among the best in the league at his position.

From a fantasy perspective, Portis should remain on all fantasy rosters. If he misses time, he could still return right in the thick of the fantasy playoffs with a decent matchup in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Owners should keep an eye tuned to KFFL.com for any updates on his status, and be sure to check back Sunday, Nov. 16, to see if he is playing.

As for pickups, owners should look at running back Shaun Alexander, who would be the likely starter if Portis can't go. He hasn't received much work with only 10 carries for 23 yards, but that work came in three games. Portis was receiving most of the work, so there wasn't much room for Alexander to establish himself. Also, he signed about a month ago, so he could still have been getting back in shape. He won't be in his 2004 or 2005 form, but at this stage in the season, grabbing a back that could see significant carries is a must if you need to build some depth.

Betts is an intriguing option; he has experience in the system and is averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Yet, he has not played since Week 6 but hopes to practice Wednesday, Nov. 12, or Thursday, Nov. 13; even if he does, he isn't recommended as an addition.

Backup Rock Cartwright, who has four totes for 13 yards this year, is mainly a kick returner who's buried deep in the depth chart; he isn't worthy of consideration.

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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