NFL Player News

Ekeler carried three times for seven yards and caught 15 of 16 targets for an additional 86 yards during Sunday's 20-13 loss to the Broncos.

Ekeler did next to nothing on the ground, watching as Melvin Gordon received 12 carries in his season debut. He excelled as a pass catcher, however, leading the team in targets, catches and receiving yards while serving as a safety valve for Philip Rivers. This was an encouraging sign for Ekeler, who received a hefty workload of his own despite 16 touches for Gordon. He should hold onto a similar role for next Sunday's home matchup with the Steelers, but a similar output isn't guaranteed.

Gordon carried 12 times for 31 yards and caught four of six targets for seven yards during Sunday's 20-13 loss to the Broncos.

Making his season debut, Gordon failed to capitalize on a matchup against a porous Denver run defense as he finished averaging 2.6 yards per carry. He received his fair share of targets in the passing game as well but produced next to nothing in that regard. Meanwhile, Austin Ekeler carried the ball just three times but was targeted a whopping 16 times due to the team's lack of available pass catchers. Still, it was a positive sign to see Gordon rack up 16 touches, and he'll look to improve his efficiency next Sunday at home against the Steelers.

Conner ran for 55 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries during Sunday's 26-23 loss to Baltimore.

Conner gave the Steelers the lead late in the third quarter, reaching out across the goal line for a one-yard run, his third touchdown in his last four games. Somewhat surprisingly, Conner did not see a target in the passing game after averaging five per game heading into Sunday. Expect that to change, particularly if Mason Rudolph (concussion) is out against the Chargers. With undrafted rookie Devlin Hodges likely to get the start in that case, Conner would need to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Henry carried the ball 20 times for 78 yards and a touchdown in Week 5 against the Bills. He was not targeted in the passing game.

Henry got only five carries in the first half, with the Titans maintaining only two drives of more than three plays. Things improved in the second half, as Henry found the end zone from one yard away and saw more consistent involvement in the offense. While Henry's minimal involvement in the passing game lowers both his floor and ceiling, he's a major driving force behind the Titans' inconsistent offense and is no longer splitting the backfield with Dion Lewis. Henry will look to find the end zone for the fifth time in six games in the team's Week 6 matchup against the Broncos.

Thompson is inactive for Sunday night's game against the Colts, BJ Kissel of the Chiefs' official site reports.

Thompson is the odd man out in the Chiefs' Week 5 backfield now that Damien Williams is back in the team's lineup Sunday.

Williams (knee) is listed as active for Sunday night's game against the Colts, BJ Kissel of the Chiefs' official site reports.

Williams, who last saw action in Week 2, figures to join a Week 5 timeshare with LeSean McCoy, while Darrel Williams is a candidate to work in a complementary/backup role Sunday. With McCoy in the mix, volume could be an issue for Damien Williams, but assuming no issues with his knee, he has a chance to see enough pass targets to carve out a degree of PPR utility in his return to the Chiefs' lineup.

Mack (ankle) is listed as active for Sunday night's game against the Chiefs.

Mack, who was forced out of Week 4's loss to the Raiders, will thus give it a go after practicing fully Friday and evidently progressing favorably through pre-game warm-ups in advance of Sunday night's contest. As long as he avoids any setbacks, Mack is in line to head the Colts' Week 5 backfield, with Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins on hand to serve in change-of pace/complementary roles.

Jacobs ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and added 20 yards on three catches during Sunday's 24-21 win over Chicago.

Jacobs capped the comeback in the closing minutes of Sunday's contest, leaping over the Bears defense for a two-yard touchdown to put Oakland on top for good. His two touchdowns were his first since Week 1, but he's comfortably the most reliable Raider from a fantasy perspective, tallying at least 99 total yards in four of five games. He'll be counted on Week 7 against a Packers defense that is pesky against the pass, but has been exposed at times by good running backs.

Montgomery rushed 11 times for 25 yards and a touchdown with an 11-yard reception in the Bears' 24-21 loss to the Raiders on Sunday.

Although this appeared as if it could've been a breakout spot for Montgomery, the Bears fell behind 17-0 at the half and as a result, the Bears mostly abandoned the running game. As a result, Tarik Cohen saw more field time than Montgomery. At least when he was given a chance for a goal-line carry, Montgomery converted to keep his fantasy day from being a complete disaster. He'll be on the bye next week, and when he returns Week 7, he'll continue to be a volume-based fantasy option.

Coach Ron Rivera told Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic that McCaffrey dealt with cramps near the end of Sunday's 34-27 win against the Jaguars.

McCaffrey limped off the field on the Panthers' second-to-last possession and was seen stretching his legs, per Rodrigue. A short time later, McCaffrey's backup, Reggie Bonnafon, iced the game with a 59-yard touchdown run, and while the Panthers had one last drive, Bonnafon got all the reps out of the backfield thereafter. Rivera implied that McCaffrey will receive plenty of rest this week, so his practice reps may be capped as the team readies itself for a divisional matchup with the Buccaneers in London.