The Jacksonville Jaguars are preparing for the Atlanta Falcons and for running back T.J. Yeldon's potential absence on Sunday.
The rookie running back missed his second-straight practice with an MCL sprain and seems like a very unlikely option for the Week 15 matchup. Sprained MCL injuries typically take weeks to recover from and while Yeldon has bounced back from injuries quickly in the past, this could be an uphill battle.
Luckily for the Jaguars, Denard Robinson came on strong in relief against the Indianapolis Colts and Joe Banyard is very familiar with the offense.
If Yeldon can't make it work on Sunday, Robinson, Banyard and even newly-signed Jonas Gray could be in for a heavy workload.
Injury Report
Jaguars
DNP: DE Ryan Davis (knee), RB T.J. Yeldon (knee)
LIMITED: CB Dwayne Gratz (hamstring), WR Allen Hurns (thigh), TE Nic Jacobs (hamstring), WR Bryan Walters (back), DE Andre Branch (groin), DT Roy Miller (knee), OT Jermey Parnell (knee)
FULL: LB Paul Posluszny (hand), DE Chris Clemons (rest)
Falcons
DNP: C/G James Stone (knee)
LIMITED: G Chris Chester (shoulder), WR Devin Hester (toe), NT Paul Soliai (calf), LB Paul Worrilow (knee)
FULL: TE Jacob Tamme (back), CB Desmond Trufant (calf)
More praise for Marshall
The Jaguars signed former Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Now the newly-minted cornerback/returner is starting to turn things on as he caps his rookie season.
Marshall was elevated to the outside cornerback position in nickel packages in Week 14 and did a nice job against the Colts. Defensive coordinator Bob Babich says he saw flashes from Marshall in practice leading up to the promotion.
"When he was on the scout team, we saw an ability for making plays on the ball," said Babich.
Marshall is likely poised for a second-straight week with a heavy amount of playing time. He's only been at the position for a few months, but the staff seems to be really impressed with his progress.
"I think Nick is a very talented individual and he has great instincts and great ball skills," said Babich. "The thing he lacks is just obviously playing experience at that position."
Along with heavy cornerback snaps, Gus Bradley also listed Marshall as one of the potential kick returners for Sunday's game.
Running backs ready to rumble
While we all know that Robinson can handle the load as a starter at running back, he will have help on Sunday if Yeldon is unable to play. The team signed Gray on Tuesday and Banyard has studied the playbook, waiting for his chance.
On Thursday, Bradley offered insight into what Banyard brings to the offense.
"He's picked it up really well," said Bradley of Banyan. "I think his work ethic stands out to us and he does a good job. I think he's growing in our system."
Banyard has immersed himself in the playbook and has seen limited snaps on offense. Sunday could be a great opportunity for the third-year player to make his mark.
"That's what you work towards when you get here and that's what you want to do," said Banyard on Thursday. "So if I get that opportunity, I'd love to [play more]."
Robinson is coming off an impressive performance and wants to make an impact in this game as well. If Yeldon sits, Robinson will be featured.
"If you look at everything, [my improvement] has come with me being comfortable and growing as a running back," said Robinson. "Actually, putting my foot in the ground and hitting the hole, I think that's the biggest thing."
While the Jaguars are down to three healthy running backs, having Robinson back and fully-recovered from injury is a big positive for a team that is likely to miss their starting back for at least a week.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter at @Mike_E_Kaye.
