Cliff Avril Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

The Seahawks on Friday placed DE Cliff Avril on IR with the neck injury he suffered Oct. 1 against the Colts. The team reportedly doesn't know yet whether he'll be able to return after 8 games. Avril has been getting "numerous" opinions from doctors, according to multiple reports, and is likely contemplating his football future even beyond this season. IDP owners can go ahead and dump him for another option. Frank Clark will continue to replace Avril in the starting lineup.

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said Monday that DE Cliff Avril will be out "a while" after suffering a neck injury Sunday night that is causing numbness down 1 of his arms. Frank Clark should see a spike in playing time as long as Avril is out and makes for a solid IDP option. Seattle will visit the Rams in Week 5 before a Week 6 bye.

Seahawks DE Cliff Avril suffered a neck injury in the 1st half of Sunday night's game against the Colts. He has been ruled out for the night. We'll see about his status heading toward Week 5.

The Seahawks on Friday signed DE Cliff Avril to a 4-year extension. Avril has been a more valuable player on the field in Seattle than he has to IDP owners. His low-volume tackle production makes him risky, and the mere 13 total tackles over the past 2 seasons aren't enough to make him worth the gamble most weeks. Avril does at least present matchup opportunities, though. We'll see if he can enhance his fantasy profile going forward. His continued presence certainly doesn't hurt Seattle's team-D outlook at least.

Seahawks DE Cliff Avril will play Sunday night for the 1st time with his new team.  He missed Week 1 with a hamstring injury that cost him most of training camp.  “Cliff looks good,” Carroll told ESPN.com. “He had a great week. He’s full-speed. He could have played last week, but now he’s had time getting all the reps in and he’s ready to go.”  It's not clear whether Avril will start, but that probably doesn't matter.  Seattle rotated its entire D-line heavily last week and figures to do the same against the Niners.  You shouldn't consider Avril for your IDP lineup until he at least faces a more positive matchup.  DE Chris Clemons, meanwhile, looks more likely to return for Week 3.  The Seahawks listed him as questionable, but Carroll indicated they'll probably wait another week before bringing him back from the January ACL tear.

The Seahawks expect to get starting CB Brandon Browner and DE Cliff Avril back for Week 2.  Avril took part in limited practice Wednesday after missing Week 1 with a hamstring injury.  HC Pete Carroll expects Browner to return to the field Thursday after surprisingly missing the opener with his own hamstring injury.  Seattle could also get DE Chris Clemons back for Sunday's clash with the Niners.  Clemons practiced on a limited basis Wednesday.  He's been out since suffering an ACL tear in January.  Any of these 3 returns would certainly help the Seahawks' team defense.

As expected, Seahawks DE Cliff Avril will miss today's matchup with the Panthers.  Seattle will also miss CB Brandon Browner.  Both are dealing with hamstring injuries, and each absence hurts the team D.  If you drafted the Seahawks, you probably need to stick with them as your Week 1 starter.  But Panthers QB Cam Newton presents a dangerous matchup.  Newton, meanwhile, gets a better fantasy football matchup thanks to those injuries.

Seahawks DE Cliff Avril is doubtful for Sunday's opener at Carolina because of a hamstring injury that plagued him through much of training camp.  Seattle will also miss DE Chris Clemons, who's still working back from his January ACL tear, and 2nd-year man Bruce Irvin during his 4-game suspension.  Altogether, the absences might make it hard for the Seahawks to collapse QB Cam Newton's pocket.  If you drafted their D in fantasy, you pretty much have to start them and hope that the secondary and the run defense lock down the Panthers.  The myriad injuries and Irvin suspension were the main reasons we didn't project Seattle's D for the top spot in our preseason rankings.

Seahawks DE Cliff Avril practiced with teammates Wednesday for the 1st time since training camp began.  The free-agent addition took part in some position drills but sat out the team portion.  He's also expected to miss Saturday's 2nd preseason game.  Avril has been dealing with a hamstring injury.  The potential for those to recur doesn't get us excited about Avril's IDP outlook.  Of course, that's mostly because we weren't particularly excited in the 1st place.  He's a sack-first producer with a much lower ceiling in that category than many others at the position.

The Seahawks revealed today that DE Cliff Avril is out with a plantar fascia injury.  Per The Seattle Times, HC Pete Carroll told reporters that they don't expect the issue to bother Avril long term.  Carroll said Avril has done well in rehab, is about to start running again and should only be out for "another couple weeks."  If Avril's foot is good to go by training camp, then it shouldn't be an issue.  Inflammation in that area can linger, though.  And the pain can sap a guy's explosiveness even if he can handle it well enough to play.  We'll keep an eye out for Avril's return to the practice field.  Until then, you can send your pass-rushing resume out to Seattle.  They could use the help right now.

The Seattle Seahawks have brought in former Tampa Bay Buccaneers DE Michael Bennett on a 1-year, $5 million deal. It's a much smaller pact than expected for one of the market's best D-linemen, same as DE Cliff Avril's Seattle deal. In Bennett and Avril, the Seahawks add 2 players who spent the past 2 seasons as full-time left ends. Bennett looks more the part of the typical strong side DE and plays the run much better than his fellow signee. Avril has produced many more sacks than Bennett and seems the more likely fit for Chris Clemons' role at right end. Clemons, of course, suffered an ACL tear in the playoff win at Washington. Bruce Irvin, the 1st-round pick a year ago, looks like he'll stick with his situational-rusher role. Bennett can kick inside to tackle in passing situations to get more pressure guys on the field. Seattle's D looks like it should be among the league's best units in fantasy football again in 2013.

Former Lions DE Cliff Avril has reached a 2-year deal with the Seahawks. It's a surprisingly short contract for a 26-year-old pass rusher with 29 sacks over the past 3 years. Seattle gets a guy to help fill the void while DE Chris Clemons works back from an ACL tear. Avril might not slot into Clemons' RDE role, which could go to 2012 1st-round draft pick Bruce Irvin. Avril played LDE for the Lions and made his living off his speed. That's much the same game that Clemons and Irvin play. Clemons, who will turn 32 in October, could be a candidate for release. His $8.17 million cap number would drop to $4.3 million in that case, and the Seahawks could choose to spread it over 2 years. Either way, Avril should be set up to approximate his solid Detroit production and draw DL2 consideration in IDP leagues. Back in Detroit, restricted free agent Willie Young could get a shot at the starting job Avril vacated. Young comes with plenty of upside but has proved little in the NFL so far. The Lions only have 1 DE -- 2012 rookie Ronnell Lewis -- currently under contract.

DE Cliff Avril left in the 3rd quarter of Sunday's loss to the Vikings with a possible concussion. We'll await the official diagnosis. Avril entered the game questionable with a back injury but was able to start.

An up-and-down negotiation process ended with DE Cliff Avril not getting a new deal before today's deadline. That leaves him playing out 2012 under the 1-year franchise tender. Avril broke out in a contract year in 2011. The fantasy numbers were inflated by some big plays, though. He brings lots of regression potential as an IDP pick, even if his performance on the field doesn't suffer. Avril remains a solid fantasy option, but don't draft him as a top-5 DL.

The Lions elected to franchise DE Cliff Avril on Monday. Unlike most players, he said he's "blessed" to get the tag. That's a pretty good sign negotiations haven't reached animosity in Detroit. The Lions are spending a lot of money on the D-line, but retaining Avril is good news for them as a fantasy D and his IDP outlook. Avril enjoyed a breakout fantasy season in 2011.

Lions DE Cliff Avril put up 2 sacks as the Lions thoroughly outplayed the Patriots Saturday night. Detroit's starting LDE came into the night with 1 total QB hit in the preseason. Avril is an underrated pass rusher, though, who compiled 8.5 sacks in just 13 games last season. With Detroit continuing to add talent up front, Avril is an upside IDP target who should at least be a matchup starter.