Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli, a key blocker in the team's running game, did not practice again for a second day in a row on Thursday with an injured left calf.
Head Coach Mike Smith said he has no hard and fast rule that a player must practice in order to play, so he said the situation could go right up to game time on Sunday.
"Ovie is still in the training room," Smith said. "It's going to be a situation where, hey, hopefully we can get him out here tomorrow to see if he's going to be able to go. But right now he is still in the training room getting treatment."
Mughelli said he was injured on a kickoff return when his leg banged into someone else's in Sunday's 45-10 win over San Francisco&t=h "San Francisco").
"I'm an optimistic person, so I'm trying to have miracles happen to be able to play and practice," Mughelli said. "I want to practice today. I want to practice tomorrow. I want to be able to play Sunday. But I have to take it day by day to see what happens."
Mughelli seemed pleased with his progress.
"It's pretty good," he said. "I'm walking around pretty good. I think the rehab's going pretty well and from what the doctors say I'm way ahead of schedule."
He said after getting hurt trying to break up the 49ers' wedge, it took him a while to realize the extent of what happened.
"I didn't even know I was hurt until I got up after the play was over," he said. "Because the adrenaline was so much, I was like, 'C'mon on, gotta make the tackle. This feels funny. This doesn't feel right.' I tried to go back in one more time but I wasn't as effective as I want to be, so I decided I'll just sit out."
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