East Rutherford, NJ – The New York Giants have ruled out running back Ahmad Bradshaw for Sunday's game with the Atlanta Falcons due to a knee sprain that's kept the team's leading rusher out of practice the entire week.
Bradshaw sustained the injury during the first half of last Sunday's 52-27 win over New Orleans. Though he did return to the contest, the sixth-year pro was limited to only 11 carries totaling 33 yards.
"It would have been a reach for him to be ready," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin conceded on Friday. "With someone like that, his constitution, you have to give him every benefit of the doubt. I'm sure he'd be disappointed right now. He thinks come game day it's all going to straighten out for him. In this case, it's, medically, really the only wise move."
Bradshaw had appeared in 12 of New York's first 13 games this season and has compiled 869 rushing yards and five touchdowns while adding 21 receptions totaling 196 yards.
With Bradshaw unavailable, lead ball-carrying duties for Sunday's showdown with the 11-2 Falcons figure to fall upon rookie David Wilson, who's coming off a career-best 100-yard, two-touchdown effort on 13 attempts against the Saints. The 2012 first-round pick also took back a kickoff 97 yards for a score in the victory and finished the contest with team records for both total offense (327) and kick return yardage (227).
Bradshaw will be joined on the Giants' inactive list by safety Kenny Phillips and cornerback Prince Amukamara. Phillips has missed seven of New York's last nine outings due to a lingering knee injury, while Amukamara hurt his hamstring in the New Orleans game.
Two other key players, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee) and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (back), are both listed as probable for New York. Starting linebacker Michael Boley (back) was given a questionable tag, but did resume practicing on a limited basis on Friday.
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