NFL Player News

Boone scored on a four-yard touchdown run in Friday's 52-33 loss to the Saints.

To the dismay of Dalvin Cook's fantasy managers, Mike Boone punched in a four-yard score in the second quarter. That rush marked Boone's fifth carry of the season, and he's played just 19 snaps on offense all year.

Coach Matt Rhule said Monday that McCaffrey (thigh) is "probably a no" to suit up against the Saints in Week 17, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

McCaffrey appears set to close out the 2020 campaign with a seventh consecutive absence, setting his sights on returning to full health for 2021 rather than risk further injury in a meaningless regular-season finale. If the Pro Bowl running back officially is ruled out to face the Saints, Mike Davis once again will stand to handle a workhorse role.

Arians said Monday that he's "hopeful" Jones (finger) will come off the reserve/COVID-19 list and suit up against the Falcons in Week 17, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.

Jones will have to clear all necessary protocols relating to COVID-19 before returning to Tampa Bay's facilities, at which point he'll be able to test out his fractured left pinky finger. As such, Jones will have to overcome a number of hurdles before garnering full clearance, but it appears as though he's trending toward a Week 17 return. Arians said he hopes to get the second-year running back "prepared for (the) playoffs."

Barner returned two kickoffs for 43 yards and ran back five punts for 20 yards in the Buccaneers' 47-7 win over the Lions on Saturday.

The veteran running back was particularly busy in the blowout win, with the Lions offense frequently stalling once Matthew Stafford (ankle) was forced from the contest. The highlight of Barner's seven returns was a 30-yard scamper on a kickoff runback, and he now has 242 total return yards through six games. Barner's role should remain exclusive to special teams in Week 17, as the 31-year-old has just six snaps from scrimmage on the campaign.

Penny rushed three times for nine yards in Sunday's 20-9 win over the Rams.

Penny played just four of 63 snaps on offense, finishing well behind Chris Carson (40) and Carlos Hyde (20). He certainly showed some shiftiness in his short stint on the field, and it'll be interesting to see if the Seahawks ramp up his playing time in next week's game against the 49ers.

Johnson returned three kickoffs for 79 yards and two punts for 13 yards in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Jets.

Johnson is normally Cleveland's kickoff returner, but he took on an added role on punt returns Sunday with Donovan Peoples-Jones added to the COVID-19 list for the game.

Dillon rushed 21 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 40-14 win over the Titans.

Dillon turned in the surprise performance of Week 16 (and possibly the season) when he more than doubled his total yardage for the year in one fell swoop. Jamaal Williams (quad) had to sit this one out, opening the door for the Packers' third-string back to burst onto the scene. Additionally, the blowout nature of Sunday's contest allowed him to receive over 20 touches. Dillon was a second-round pick for the Packers in this year's rookie draft, so the team clearly believed in his talent enough to take the Boston College product that high even with a proven workhorse like Aaron Jones under contract. Dillon was averaging 4.8 yards per carry on 24 attempts prior to Sunday's coming out party, so there are flashes of high fantasy upside here. As for the rest of this season, Williams' health and a potentially closer score against the Bears should lead to tempered expectations in Week 17.

Jones rushed 10 times for 94 yards and caught two passes for 14 more yards in Sunday's 40-14 win over Tennessee.

Jones had an incredibly efficient game, averaging a whopping 9.4 yards per carry, which is shockingly the second time he has averaged over nine yards per tote this season (9.3 YPC in Week 2). While that kind of effectiveness should warrant celebration from his fantasy managers, it actually left them wanting more after seeing backup AJ Dillon go off for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. While the lopsided score explains why the backup received twice as many carries as Jones, it is worth noting that one of Dillon's scores came on the Packers' second drive of the contest. Head coach Matt LaFleur stuck with his usual backfield timeshare even with Jamaal Williams (quad) sitting this one out, and then Dillon took on a larger workload in the second half once the game was put well out of reach. The light workload should have Jones well-rested for an important seeding matchup against the Bears on Sunday.

Henry rushed 23 times for 98 yards in Sunday's 40-14 loss to the Packers. He was not targeted in the passing game.

Henry was held in check by Green Bay's defense, which did not allow the league's leading rusher to break off one of his signature big rambles down the field. The fact that 98 yards and a 4.3 yards-per-carry mark is considered a "down game" is just a testament to how dominant the physically imposing back has been this season. In fact, Henry's managers should be pleased that the runner still received 23 carries in a blowout loss. That commitment to the run offers game script protection for Henry, which is especially valuable for a player that isn't really involved in the passing game. Look for Henry to finish the regular season on a high note Sunday when he takes on the Texans, who he ran all over in their first meeting this year to the tune of 212 yards and two scores.

Elliott carried the ball 19 times for 105 yards and caught all four of his targets for 34 yards in Sunday's 37-17 win over the Eagles.

His afternoon could have been even more productive, but the fifth-year back was ruled down just short of the goal line on a three-yard run in the second quarter on a play that might have been overturned had coach Mike McCarthy thrown the challenge flag. Elliott still wound up topping 100 rushing yards for only the second time in 2020, and he looked re-energized after sitting out last week's game due to a calf issue. Elliott will look to keep rolling in Week 17, with a possible NFC East title on the line against a Giants defense he gashed for 91 yards and two TDs back in Week 5 -- the last rushing touchdowns he's scored to date.