Zach Cunningham Injury Updates | Shark Bites

Eagles LB Nakobe Dean finished the week with a full Friday practice and looks ready to return from the foot injury that has kept him out since Week 1. The team still must officially activate him before 4 p.m. ET Saturday, but that seems likely. It's not yet clear whether Nicholas Morrow or Zach Cunningham will leave the lineup for Dean's return. But practice video showed Dean and Cunningham working together during the week. Cunningham was the starter next to Dean to open the season. You'll find Dean highest among Eagles LBs in our Week 6 rankings, though still projected cautiously for his first game back.

The Eagles are opening the 21-day practice window on LB Nakobe Dean this week. Dean spent the past four games on IR after suffering a foot injury in Week 1. We'll see how soon he's ready to return to game action, but it's obviously positive that he's ready to practice at his earliest eligibility. Dean opened the season wearing the green helmet dot and calling plays in the defensive huddle. We'd bet on the second-year LB returning to that full-time role as soon as he's physically ready. We'll see what that means for the playing time of LBs Nicholas Morrow and Zach Cunningham. Morrow began the year on the practice squad, with Cunningham starting alongside Dean. But Morrow has performed well in Dean's absence, grading out better than Cunningham in every category, according to Pro Football Focus. Cunningham previously played his way out of starting opportunities in Houston and Tennessee. Dean is worth grabbing this week on waivers if stashing him makes sense in your IDP league.

Eagles LB Nakobe Dean is expected to miss "multiple weeks" with the right foot injury that knocked him out of Sunday's win over the Patriots, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler each call Dean a candidate for short-term IR, which would cost the second-year LB at least four games. If Philly doesn't place Dean on IR this week, he might be back sooner. Zach Cunningham led LB playing time for the Eagles in Week 1, but LB Christian Elliss took over the green helmet dot and play-calling duties in relief of Dean. We'll have to see who stays on the field more between them while Dean is out. Both look like low-level IDP options against the Vikings and Buccaneers the next two weeks. Dean is OK to drop in most IDP leagues. But you can consider stashing him -- at least for now -- in deeper formats.

Titans EDGE Bud Dupree (hip), DL Jeffery Simmons (ankle), LB Zach Cunningham (elbow), S Amani Hooker (shoulder) and CB Kristian Fulton (hamstring) missed Thursday's practice. Simmons has played the past 2 weeks despite missing both practice weeks. His playing time increased last game vs. the 1 before. We'll see about the whole group Friday.

The Titans have ruled EDGE Bud Dupree (hip) out for Sunday's game against the Raiders. LB Zach Cunningham is questionable with a knee injury he suffered Thursday. That kept him off the field Friday. Neither should have factored significantly into your IDP plans. We'll check Cunningham's status Sunday.

The Texans this week designated LB Christian Kirksey to return from IR, and he has practiced with the team. If his repaired left thumb is ready for Sunday's game against the Colts, the returning starter would destabilize LB Zach Cunningham's role. Cunningham had sunk to a reserve spot behind Kirksey and Kamu Grugier-Hill before Kirksey's injury. We'll watch for whether Kirksey makes it back to the active roster.

The Texans have ruled LB Christian Kirksey out for Sunday's game against the Dolphins with his fractured thumb. It's a little surprising after Kirksey played through the injury last week (after it occurred at the end of the Week 7 game). It's tough to know what the LB playing time will look like with Kirksey out. According to the Houston Chronicle, Neville Hewitt "was prepared to play in place of Kirksey last week," when Kirksey played with a "club" on his injured hand. So it appears Hewitt -- rather than Zach Cunningham -- will be the 2nd LB alongside Kamu Grugier-Hill.