All of the buzz yesterday in the pro football world -- outside of the never-ending coverage of Cowboys versus Giants -- was the status of Tom Brady's left shoulder. He injured it in week 16, then missed Wednesday's practice, and people got worked up into a tizzy when the mention of X-rays appeared Thursday. But after practicing in limited fashion yesterday, Brady practiced again Friday. He is listed as probable on the Patriots' injury report.

Fantasy Analysis:

It seems pretty clear that Brady's non-throwing shoulder is not separated. The Patriots currently sit atop the AFC, but they need to win Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills to clinch home-field advantage. Otherwise, they are left to depend on losses by the Steelers and/or Ravens. So expect the Patriots to approach week 17 as a must-win, making Brady, Welker, Gronkowski, etc. very safe starts.