NFL Player News

Chubb (calf) is participating in Monday's practice, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Chubb has missed back-to-back contests due to a calf injury, but it looks like he's now progressing toward a return. Coach Kevin Stefanski also recently expressed optimism that Chubb could retake the field Week 8 against the Steelers, which would provide the team with a significant boost on offense. Though D'Ernest Johnson impressed with 146 rushing yards and a score versus the Broncos, the impact of Chubb's involvement in the ground attack can't be overstated for Cleveland, and getting consisted production between the tackles will be key if Baker Mayfield (shoulder) is again unavailable.

Ahmed had seven carries for 26 yards during Sunday's 30-28 loss to Atlanta. He also caught both of his targets for 26 yards.

Ahmed managed a season-high 56 scrimmage yards against Atlanta's vulnerable defense, though it was Myles Gaskin -- who had 67 rushing yards and a score -- who was once again the more productive backfield option. Part of the context for Ahmed's involvement was the fact that Malcolm Brown (hamstring) was forced out of Sunday's contest, but even before that, the second-year pro appeared to be operating as Miami's No. 2 running back. Of course, Ahmed is only on the fantasy radar in deep formats.

McNichols recorded one reception on one target for 10 yards in Sunday's 27-3 win over Kansas City.

McNichols has worked primarily as a pass catcher out of the backfield, so the game script didn't fit into his typical role. He also lost some work to Darrynton Evans (knee), who returned from injured reserve to make his first appearance of the season. Through six weeks, it was clear that McNichols was the primary backup to Derrick Henry, though his role on the team is now less defined.

Evans carried the ball twice for seven yards in Sunday's 27-3 win over Kansas City. He added two receptions for 11 yards.

Evans was activated off injured reserve Saturday and played six offensive snaps. As expected, he worked as a backup to Derrick Henry, though he split second-string duties with Jeremy McNichols. So long as he is healthy, Henry will clearly maintain a heavy workload out of the backfield, though it's unclear whether Evans or McNichols will now serve as his primary backup.

Freeman rushed three times for 18 yards and caught one of two targets for one yard in Sunday's 25-3 loss to the Giants.

Freeman played five fewer offensive snaps than starting tailback Chuba Hubbard, but his mere four touches paled in comparison to the rookie's 16. Freeman has yet to garner more than six touches in a game this season, so although star Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) will still be sidelined in Week 8 versus the Falcons, Freeman remains without much fantasy value.

Mitchell rushed 18 times for 107 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-18 loss to the Colts.

It was a tale of two running backs Sunday, as Mitchell posted an identical rushing line to the Colts' Jonathan Taylor. While the latter's team got the victory, the rookie tailback continued to establish himself as the top dog in San Francisco and as a reliable fantasy option for managers. Mitchell gets a favorable matchup next Sunday against the Bears, who have given up 122.1 rushing yards per game to opponents this season.

Taylor rushed 18 times for 107 yards and a touchdown while catching all three targets for three yards in Sunday's 30-18 win over San Francisco.

Taylor did lose his first fumble through seven games this year, but all players were dealing with slippery conditions in Santa Clara on Sunday evening (seven total fumbles, four lost). The 22-year-old extended his touchdown streak to four games, and he has now accounted for six scores and 551 total yards from scrimmage over the last four weeks. While Taylor is undoubtedly trending in the right direction, his streak of soft matchups comes to a close in Week 8 when the Colts take on the Titans, who limited the back to 72 total yards and no scores back in Week 3.

Conner carried the ball 10 times for 64 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 31-5 win over the Texans.

While Chase Edmonds saw a bigger workload with 16 touches, it was Conner who once again hit paydirt, scampering for an 18-yard TD in the fourth quarter. The former Steeler has six rushing touchdowns over the last four games compared to Edmonds' zero scores on the season, making Conner the more valuable fantasy asset in most formats heading into a Week 8 clash with the Packers.

Edmonds carried the ball 15 times for 81 yards and caught one of three targets for nine yards in Sunday's 31-5 win over the Texans.

He was Arizona's leading rusher on the afternoon, although James Conner was also productive with 64 rushing yards and a TD. Edmonds is still looking for his first score of the year, but he's collected at least 75 scrimmage yards in five of seven games heading into a Week 8 clash with the Packers.

Drake carried the ball 14 times for 69 yards and a touchdown and caught all three of his targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 33-22 win over the Eagles.

Josh Jacobs got off to a good start and scored a rushing TD in the second quarter, but after he left with a chest injury, Drake saw his workload increase significantly. He saw double-digit carries for the first time all year and double-digit touches for the first time since Week 3. The former Dolphin and Cardinal has scored three TDs in the last two games as interim coach Rich Bisaccia appears to see more value in Drake than Jon Gruden did, but Jacobs will have extra time to heal up over the Raiders' Week 8 bye.