Vikings vs. Rams: Is Danny Amendola fantasy football material or a "probable" decoy?

Even more than his fantasy football owners, the St. Louis Rams need Danny Amendola. As good as it's been to watch Sam Bradford and Chris Givens develop a rapport that could mean big things for years, they were a second-half Brandon Gibson explosion away from the Buffalo Bills completely stifling the offense, thanks to a vice-grip on Givens (who caught just three balls in 10 targets) and Steven Jackson. Amendola might be experienced enough in being an offense's only target to convert third downs and move the team upfield, but Givens can't keep going it alone. With Amendola upgraded to probable, he's likely to make a difference against the Vikings. But will it be a fantasy difference?

Amendola's mere presence, after all, will help free Chris Givens so long as he looks like a credible-enough threat when he's in for a snap. And since he caught a 38-yard bomb in his seven snaps against the Arizona Cardinals, just a week after injuring his foot, that seems as probable as his injury status. But it's hard to say, now, whether he's healthy enough to play full time, or whether his foot is solid enough to ensure he gets the kind of looks he usually would from Bradford.

For the Rams that's not as important as his ability to play at all--to keep defenses from collapsing on Givens and leaving Steve Smith to do snow angels on the turf. For fantasy football players--well, as always, it's a bit of a gamble.