Amendola Expected to Play Today
After missing the past 3 weeks with a groin injury, it looks like Danny Amendola will be returning to the lineup today against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Clarity on #Patriots WR Danny Amendola: Source tells me he's "good to go."This is a minor miracle considering earlier reports that the receiver had tore his groin muscle fully from the bone. With that said, it's hard to take any injury reports at their word from the notoriously tight-lipped Patriots, so who knows the actual severity of Amendola's injury.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 6, 2013
Fear of re-injury should be in the back of the Patriots minds if Amendola is indeed out there today. A groin injury is dramatically effected by every sudden motion and cut, something Amendola's game is largely based around. If the injury isn't fully healed, one wrong step could result in further damage and more missed time. For that reason, the Patriots are expected to ease Amendola back into the lineup with less than a full workload, so I would keep him on your fantasy team's bench unless bye weeks have you desperate.
Another factor to watch with Amendola is the weather. Cincinnati has seen steady rainfall since yesterday afternoon, with the rain expected to continue throughout the game. A slippery field could make it even more difficult for a player to make his return from a painful injury.
Of course, if Amendola is game ready, his return will be a huge boost for the Patriots passing game. The receiver's 10 catches (7 for first downs) and 104 yards carried the team to a win in the season opener against Buffalo, his one regular season game so far this season.
