The razor sharp strike pair, who have scored six goals between them already this season, have knee injuries and sat out the Carling Cup defeat at Grimsby in midweek.
Manager Paul Jewell has admitted that neither would have been fit even for a league game on Tuesday night so was keeping his fingers crossed for better news from the treatment room today.
Both strikers were injured in the 3-0 win over Brighton last Saturday, although Ellington lasted the whole game after scoring twice, while Roberts played for 80 minutes.
Jewell wants them fit for the visit to the Stadium of Light and Monday afternoon's home clash with Cardiff, and should know more by the time the squad meet up for training again tomorrow.
He said: "Both Nathan and Jason actually have similar knee injuries and are having treatment to try and get them right for Saturday.
"Before the Grimsby game, I'd stated that Nathan wouldn't have played even if it was a league game, while Jason was rested just as a precaution.
"But on reflection, I don't think Jason would have been ready for Tuesday night either, so it was a blessing it wasn't a league fixture.
"Hopefully they'll be able to do some work today and train with the squad tomorrow ready for the Sunderland game."
Jewell watched stand-in strikers David Graham and Neil Roberts draw a blank at Grimsby, although the performance of summer signing Graham offered much encouragement.
Elsewhere on the injury front, forgotten full-back Steve McMillan is getting closer to full fitness after a nightmare spell on the sidelines.
The Scottish left-back missed all of pre-season training and the opening games of the campaign with a knee injury he picked up on the final day of last term.
It was the latest in a long line of niggling problems which have blighted his time at the JJB Stadium and limited him to 81 league and cup appearances in three-and-a-half years at the club.
But McMillan is now back training and could feature in the next reserve team outing against Sheffield Wednesday next week. Jewell said: "Steve is injury-free at the moment and has started training again.
"He's a fine player and just needs to be able to put a run of games together to show that he is over his injuries.
"We've two good left-backs at the club in Leighton Baines and Steve, and it would be great if both of them were available for selection.
"Hopefully he can play in the next reserve game and then push on from there."
Blackpool manager Colin Hendry has thanked Jewell for allowing on loan Mike Flynn to play in the Seasiders' Carling Cup defeat at Crewe.
Jewell initially blocked the request for him to play but later relented, and even though the League One side slumped to a 4-1 defeat, Hendry was grateful that Flynn had played.
Latics also allowed Tony Dinning to play for Ipswich against Brentford in the same competition.
Manager Paul Jewell has admitted that neither would have been fit even for a league game on Tuesday night so was keeping his fingers crossed for better news from the treatment room today.
Both strikers were injured in the 3-0 win over Brighton last Saturday, although Ellington lasted the whole game after scoring twice, while Roberts played for 80 minutes.
Jewell wants them fit for the visit to the Stadium of Light and Monday afternoon's home clash with Cardiff, and should know more by the time the squad meet up for training again tomorrow.
He said: "Both Nathan and Jason actually have similar knee injuries and are having treatment to try and get them right for Saturday.
"Before the Grimsby game, I'd stated that Nathan wouldn't have played even if it was a league game, while Jason was rested just as a precaution.
"But on reflection, I don't think Jason would have been ready for Tuesday night either, so it was a blessing it wasn't a league fixture.
"Hopefully they'll be able to do some work today and train with the squad tomorrow ready for the Sunderland game."
Jewell watched stand-in strikers David Graham and Neil Roberts draw a blank at Grimsby, although the performance of summer signing Graham offered much encouragement.
Elsewhere on the injury front, forgotten full-back Steve McMillan is getting closer to full fitness after a nightmare spell on the sidelines.
The Scottish left-back missed all of pre-season training and the opening games of the campaign with a knee injury he picked up on the final day of last term.
It was the latest in a long line of niggling problems which have blighted his time at the JJB Stadium and limited him to 81 league and cup appearances in three-and-a-half years at the club.
But McMillan is now back training and could feature in the next reserve team outing against Sheffield Wednesday next week. Jewell said: "Steve is injury-free at the moment and has started training again.
"He's a fine player and just needs to be able to put a run of games together to show that he is over his injuries.
"We've two good left-backs at the club in Leighton Baines and Steve, and it would be great if both of them were available for selection.
"Hopefully he can play in the next reserve game and then push on from there."
Blackpool manager Colin Hendry has thanked Jewell for allowing on loan Mike Flynn to play in the Seasiders' Carling Cup defeat at Crewe.
Jewell initially blocked the request for him to play but later relented, and even though the League One side slumped to a 4-1 defeat, Hendry was grateful that Flynn had played.
Latics also allowed Tony Dinning to play for Ipswich against Brentford in the same competition.