NFL Player News
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Nick Chubb RB | HOU
Browns' Nick Chubb: Gets 27 touches
Chubb carried the ball 23 times for 96 yards, adding 35 more yards on four receptions (seven targets) in Sunday's 20-13 loss to the Rams.
Chubb was the only Brown to experience consistent success against a tough Rams defensive unit in the primetime showdown. Earlier this week head coach Freddie Kitchens said that he would try and get his feature back more involved by keeping him in on passing downs more often. He held true to his word, as Chubb received 100 percent of all running back touches after surrendering 11 total touches to other backs over the first two games of the season. The uptick in usage is a positive sign for the second-year back's fantasy owners, as true backfield workhorses are few and far between in today's NFL. Expect Chubb to continue to see the lion's share of touches against the Ravens on Sunday.
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Austin Ekeler RB | WAS
Chargers' Austin Ekeler: Slowed down by Texans
Ekeler carried the ball nine times for 36 yards in Week 3 against the Texans. He also added seven receptions on seven targets for 45 yards.
Ekeler was held in check for the first time this season but still managed a productive game thanks to his involvement in the passing attack. Even though he continued to clearly work ahead of Justin Jackson, it was surprising to see Ekeler earn only nine carries, particularly because the Chargers led throughout the first half. Despite the down performance relative to his massive production through the first two weeks of the season, Ekeler has 368 total yards and four touchdowns through three games. Furthermore, he should have a great chance to return to the end zone in Week 4, as the Chargers draw a matchup against the lowly Dolphins.
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Raheem Mostert RB | LV
49ers' Raheem Mostert: Leads backfield in win
Mostert carried the ball 12 times for a team-high 79 yards in Sunday's 24-20 win over the Steelers.
He also failed to catch his only target. Mostert's 230 scrimmage yards over the last two games are impressive, but they may not guarantee him a significant role in the Niners' backfield moving forward. The team gets an early bye in Week 4, which could give Tevin Coleman (ankle) the time he needs to get back in game shape, and Jeff Wilson's emergence as a goal-line specialist could leave Mostert as the odd man out in the team's backfield committee once Coleman returns.
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Matt Breida RB | SF
49ers' Matt Breida: Productive despite committee
Breida carried the ball 14 times for 68 yards while catching two of three targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 24-20 win over the Steelers.
While the third-year back has piled up 220 scrimmage yards over the last two games, Breida's production could have been even greater were he not stuck in a backfield committee. Raheem Mostert ran for a team-high 79 yards Sunday, Jeff Wilson banged home two more short TDs, and even fullback Kyle Juszczyk got in on the action with 51 receiving yards. Tevin Coleman (ankle) will also rejoin the active roster at some point, so while Breida's big-play ability should keep him involved in the offense, he's unlikely to ever get a chance at a full starting workload.
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Jeff Wilson RB | MIA
49ers' Jeff Wilson: Two more short TDs
Wilson carried the ball eight times for 18 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 24-20 win over the Steelers.
He also failed to bring in his only target. Stuck on the practice squad in Week 1, Wilson has now scored four TDs in the last two games and emerged as Kyle Shanahan's preferred short-yardage and goal-line option in the backfield. While Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert will continue to see most of the touches between the 20s as long as Tevin Coleman (ankle) is sidelined, Wilson may be carving out a role for himself that will last even after Coleman gets healthy.
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James Conner RB | ARI
Steelers' James Conner: Stifled by Niners
Conner carried the ball 13 times for 43 yards and caught four of five targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the 49ers.
While Mason Rudolph was able to generate a couple of big plays late in his first career NFL start, for the most part, the Niners defense got away with stacking the line and preventing Conner from building up any kind of momentum. Even so, the 43 rushing yards were actually a season high for the third-year RB, who's had a rough start to 2019 no matter who's been under center for Pittsburgh. Conner could have a better opportunity to get going in Week 4 against a Bengals defense that's been vulnerable on the ground.
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Kenyan Drake RB | GB
Dolphins' Kenyan Drake: Racks up 72 scrimmage yards
Drake carried 12 times for 38 yards and caught three of six targets for 34 yards during Sunday's 31-6 loss to the Cowboys.
Drake received 15 touches to Kalen Ballage's nine on the day, making a much greater impact both as a runner and a receiver against a tough Dallas defense. This was a notable improvement from the first two games, in which Drake totaled 75 scrimmage yards on 17 touches. Despite this effort, Drake seems unlikely to produce big numbers in next Sunday's home matchup against the Chargers.
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Ronald Jones RB | DAL
Buccaneers' Ronald Jones: Totals 121 scrimmage yards
Jones carried 14 times for 80 yards and caught his only target for a 41-yard gain during Sunday's 32-31 loss to the Giants.
Jones received one carry more than Peyton Barber but outgained the latter significantly. He also made the most of his only target, scampering 41 yards to set up a touchdown in the first quarter. Jones has shown the capability to produce at times this season and is now averaging an impressive 5.3 yards per carry for the season. He'll need to sustain this type of production to pull ahead of Barber on the depth chart, with his next opportunity coming Sunday on the road against the Rams.
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Rashaad Penny RB | CAR
Seahawks' Rashaad Penny: Could practice soon
Coach Pete Carroll believes Penny (hamstring) could return to practice as soon as this coming Thursday, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.
This is encouraging news for Penny, as returning to practice during the week would give him a fair shot at suiting up against the Cardinals in Week 4 after sitting out Seattle's Week 3 loss to the Saints.
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Alexander Mattison RB | MIA
Vikings' Alexander Mattison: Records first career touchdown
Mattison ran for 58 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries during Sunday's 34-14 win against the Raiders.
The rookie third-round draft choice hurdled Raiders safety Curtis Riley en route to a 10-yard touchdown run, providing him with his first career regular-season score in the NFL. Mattison has been profoundly efficient in a limited sample size to this point, averaging 5.3 yards per carry on 25 attempts. In Week 4 he and the Vikings backfield will be facing a Bears defense that has yet to allow a 60-yard rusher, or a rushing touchdown this season.