NFL Player News

Penny rushed four times for 28 yards in Saturday's playoff loss to the Cowboys.

Penny was the most efficient running back on paper in this outing with 7.3 yards per carry, but that stat's deceptive since it's a small sample size and one of his rushes went for 28 yards while the other three combined for a goose egg. The rookie first-round pick couldn't secure a starting role this season when Chris Carson was healthy and only recorded double-digit carries twice, ending up with 85 carries for 419 yards and two touchdowns. Carson broke out as a highly productive back, but Penny's lack of touches after being the second running back selected in the 2018 NFL Draft is a troubling review, especially with young backs flourishing around the league. Penny will look to capture more backfield reps with a strong offseason program and training camp. However, Carson is under contract for two more years and coach Pete Carroll's game plan is historically tough to read, so perhaps fading his 2019 outlook is appropriate at this time.

Elliott carried 26 times for 137 yards and a touchdown during Saturday's 24-22 win over the Seahawks. He also caught four passes for 32 additional yards.

Elliott eclipsed 30 touches for the third time this season, averaging 5.3 yards per carry while providing utility as a receiver as well. He scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge in the fourth quarter and could have had another on the next drive, but Dak Prescott took the ball in instead. Perhaps his best contribution came on the team's final scoring drive, when he got outside, picked up a first down and stayed in bounds to keep the clock running. The team's next opponent will depend on Sunday's results, but Elliott will need to put on another magnificent performance whether the Saints or the Rams are on the other side next weekend.

Mack rushed 24 times for 148 yards and one touchdown while catching two of three targets for six yards in Saturday's playoff win over the Texans.

Mack put forth his highest yardage total of the season against a Houston defense that had yet to allow a 100-yard rusher through 16 games. The 22-year-old has reached the century mark in three of the last four games and has a 5.0 YPC in that stretch. The Colts built a 21-0 lead in the first half and rode Mack in the second half to help cruise to the 21-7 win. The second-year running back has a matchup at Kansas City in the divisional round next week against a defense that allowed 132.1 rushing yards per game and a 5.0 YPC in the regular season.

Although Todd Gurley (knee) is expected to return for the Rams' divisional-round matchup on Saturday, Jan. 12, Anderson may keep a steady role within the offense, Myles Simmons of the team's official site reports.

Anderson took full advantage of Gurley's absence in Weeks 16 and 17, parlaying 43 carries into 299 yards and two touchdowns while reeling in four of his six targets for 17 yards. Coach Sean McVay is of the belief that Gurley will be available for the Rams' postseason opener, but Anderson's performance seemingly will ensure regular touches out of the backfield, especially if the inflammation in Gurley's knee lingers. Prior to Anderson's arrival in LA, Gurley didn't yield many reps to the other running backs on the roster, though, so it's difficult to forecast what kind of workload the former can expect if the latter is good to go.

Bolden caught his sole target for nine yards during Sunday's 42-17 loss to the Bills. He ends the season with eight rushes for 91 yards and two touchdowns, and three receptions for 13 yards and one touchdown.

Bolden remained in a depth role with the Dolphins all season, even after Frank Gore suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 15, and only played 25 offensive snaps through 16 games. Most of Bolden's limited usage came in the red zone, allowing him to achieve slight fantasy value with three total touchdowns during the Dolphins' last four games. The 28-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and will remain squarely behind Kalen Ballage and Kenyan Drake on the depth chart if Miami chooses to re-sign him.

Abdullah played 16 special teams snaps during Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Bears.

For the second straight game, Abdullah did not play an offensive snap. He finishes up the season with one reception for 10 yards on two targets. The former 2015 second-round pick was mostly utilized as a kick returner during the 2018 regular season and didn't log a single carry despite top running back Dalvin Cook missing multiple games due to injury. Set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, Abdullah will look for a depth role elsewhere in the league if Minnesota doesn't re-sign him.

Ekeler (groin) is listed as questionable for Sunday's wild-card game at Baltimore.

Contained to only some activity in practice this week due to a groin injury, Ekeler could be in danger of sitting out for the third time in four games. That said, he'll serve in a complementary role to Melvin Gordon this weekend, if Ekeler is active. That gig translated to 8.5 touches for 73.7 scrimmage yards per game for Ekeler in the 11 contests in which both running backs were active this season.

Ekeler (groin) logged a limited practice again Thursday.

Ekeler's groin issue has limited him in each of the first two practice sessions to begin the week, leaving his status somewhat unclear. Friday's injury report should provide a bit more clarity on his status, though Melvin Gordon figures to lead the way for the Chargers' backfield regardless.

Williams signed a reserve/future contract with the Lions on Thursday.

Williams did not play for an NFL team during the 2018 regular season after having served in a depth role with the Cardinals during the previous four years. The 27-year-old will work to show his versatility during the offseason and attempt to earn a backup role in Detroit.

Williams rushed a career-high 11 times for 31 yards in Week 17 against the Raiders.

Nearly all of Wiliams' work came late in a blowout, so there is very little to take away from the fact that he split carries with Damien Williams evenly on the day. He should serve as a backup in the playoffs and should be in the running to retain a spot as a depth option again in 2019.