NFL Player News

Martin toted the rock 21 times for 100 yards in Sunday's 35-3 loss to the Chiefs.

It was a bit surprising to see Martin receive 21 carries in a game that the Raiders trailed big from start to finish. Regardless of coaching logic, the veteran took advantage of the opportunity and cashed in for his second straight 100-yard performance. Martin has quietly put himself back on the fantasy map down the stretch, averaging 67.8 rushing yards per game with four touchdowns over his last five contests. The 29-year-old has certainly made himself some money in the upcoming free agency period with this strong finish, as he will probably latch on with a club in a similar backup role to what he served for the Raiders this year.

Freeman rushed 17 times for 60 yards and caught eight of 10 targets for 43 more yards in Sunday's 23-9 loss to the Chargers.

Freeman took full advantage of Philip Lindsay's absence due to a wrist injury and saw season highs in carries, targets, and total yards. The 22-year-old finishes his rookie season with 130 rushes for 521 yards and five touchdowns to go with 14 catches for 72 yards. He'll likely serve in a backup role to Lindsay again in 2019.

Ekeler posted eight rushes for 58 yards and one touchdown but didn't haul in his only target during Sunday's 23-9 victory in Denver.

Most of Ekeler's production came after Melvin Gordon's final touch early in the fourth quarter, including a 41-yard dash around right end and a one-yard TD on the same drive to put the game out of reach. Afterward, Gordon told Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com that he "tweaked" his ankle but expects to be fine for a wild-card game in Baltimore. The preceding could result in more first-team work than normal for Ekeler in the coming days, but he would take a back seat to an active Gordon in the do-or-die setting next weekend.

Cook rushed 11 times for 39 yards and brought in four of five targets for 21 yards in the Vikings' 24-10 loss to the Bears on Sunday.

The Vikings' offensive line couldn't successfully open up any running lanes against the notoriously stingy Bears front, leading to a sub-par outing on the ground for Cook. The second-year back had offered glimpses of his upside over the prior four games, rushing for between 73 and 136 in three of them and amassing 17 catches over that span as well. However, Sunday's 3.5 yards per carry harkened back to Cook's pedestrian production earlier in his injury-shortened season. Now having dealt with a torn ACL and a nagging hamstring issue over his first pair of pro campaigns, Cook will look forward to getting through the offseason healthy and preparing for a 2019 campaign that he should be able to enter at full strength.

Conner (ankle) ran for 64 yards on 14 carries and caught all three of his targets for 30 yards during Sunday's 16-13 win over Cincinnati.

After missing the past three games due to an injury, Conner returned to his role as the primary rusher for the season finale. With Le'Veon Bell in a season-long holdout, Conner stepped up and finished up the 2018 season with 215 carries for 973 yards (4.5 average) and 12 touchdowns. He also had 55 catches (on 71 targets) for 497 yards and one touchdown in 13 games. He has two years remaining on his current contract, and with Bell almost certainly playing for someone else next season, Conner looks like a borderline first-round selection in 2019 redraft fantasy leagues.

Gordon said he "tweaked" his ankle during Sunday's 23-9 win at Denver but expects to be OK for the Chargers' wild-card contest at Baltimore next weekend, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reports.

Prior to his departure in the fourth quarter, Gordon had 10 carries for 42 yards and three receptions (on three targets) for 24 yards to his name. According to the running back, he could have taken the field again, but the Chargers held him out as a precaution. Taking over as the lead runner, Austin Ekeler proceeded to punch it into the end zone from one yard out on the drive in which Gordon had his last rush. Any sort of limitations for Gordon in practice this week will result in Ekeler handling first-team reps.

Anderson rushed 23 times for 132 yards and a touchdown while catching all three targets for 22 yards in Sunday's 48-32 win over San Francisco.

Anderson was a force in the run game for the second straight game, as he has 43 carries for 299 yards (7.0 YPC) and two touchdowns since joining the Rams on Dec. 18. Todd Gurley (knee) will now have two weeks to recover before Los Angeles hosts the divisional-round game, but Anderson has shown more than enough to feel comfortable with him in the backfield. Granted, the run defenses in the NFC playoffs are better than the likes of Arizona and San Francisco, but the 27-year-old shined despite only briefly being with the Rams.

McCaffrey ran for 18 yards on four carries and added a 22-yard catch during Sunday's 33-14 win over the Saints.

With the playoffs out of reach, McCaffrey rested for most of Sunday as Cameron Artis-Payne and Travaris Cadet did most of the heavy lifting. The talented sophomore did warm up on the sidelines as a quarterback following Kyle Allen (shoulder's) injury, but the Panthers were able to grind the game away without his services. Though quiet Sunday, the dazzling back ended his season with 1,965 total yards and 13 total touchdowns.

Barkley carried 17 times for 109 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 36-35 loss to the Cowboys. He also caught four passes for an additional 33 yards.

Barkley averaged an impressive 6.4 yards per carry against the tough Dallas front, thanks in large part to a 68-yard rumble to set up a touchdown in the third quarter. He scored on a two-yard touchdown run later in the game and topped off his day with another useful performance as a pass catcher. This strong showing caps a tremendous rookie season for Barkley, who finishes with a whopping 2,028 scrimmage yards and 15 total touchdowns. He'll enter the 2019 campaign as one of the top fantasy assets available in all formats.

Washington ran for 108 yards on 11 carries during Sunday's 33-14 loss to Carolina.

With nothing really to play for in Week 17, the Saints gave Washington a longer look and he didn't disappoint, gashing the Panthers for a handful of nice carries, including a 26-yarder at the end of the third quarter that set up a touchdown. The third-year back entered Sunday with just 16 carries in 12 games, but maybe Sunday's strong showing can lead to a modest supporting role in the playoffs behind Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram.