The New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football to close Week 9, and they might have wide receiver Sterling Shepard back in action. Shepard has been in the concussion protocol since suffering a head injury in Week 5. On Wednesday, he got in what head coach Pat Shurmur would describe as a full-contact practice session, according to NFL analyst Darryl Slater.

The Giants do not submit their first formal injury report until Thursday because of the Monday game, so that will be when we really see how full it is. Shepard has been practicing in limited fashion with a no-contact jersey. Removing the jersey and going full is a big step forward in moving through the concussion protocol.

If Shepard has full practices Thursday through Saturday, he would likely be cleared through the protocol and ready to play on Monday.

Fantasy football analysis, Giants WR Sterling Shepard

This makes things a little dicey if you’ve been jumping on Darius Slayton as a waiver wire pick-up. If Shepard is active, he will likely compete with Golden Tate for the most targets, and one has to wonder where Slayton will fit in behind those two, Evan Engram, and Saquon Barkley. Slayton’s value for now is tied to the health around him. If Shepard is active, Slayton is not a particularly good play for the time being.