Paul Hayes is out injured with a fractured cheekbone so Ben May will start in attack with Gary Hooper, despite nursing a dead leg.
Andy Crosby (knee) is unavailable but Jonathan Forte, who has returned from a month-long loan spell at Notts County, is included in the squad for the match.
But winger Kevan Hurst has added his name to the long-term injury list after undergoing a hernia operation.
Northampton are set to be without midfielder Luke Guttridge.
Guttridge came off with a ricked neck in the reserves' 1-0 win over Luton in midweek and is unlikely to feature at Glanford Park.
However, manager Stuart Gray has a ready-made replacement in Abdul Osman, who came through 90 minutes of the second-string game as he continues his recovery from a knee injury, while forward Colin Larkin is also available after a thigh problem.
Captain Chris Doig remains around a fortnight away from returning from his hamstring injury and influential striker Adebayo Akinfenwa is also still sidelined with a calf injury.
Goalkeeper Frank Fielding will make the 16th and final appearance of his loan spell from Blackburn but striker Nicholas Bignall has returned to Reading.