NFL Player News

Mack rushed 12 times for 34 yards and touchdown while catching one of three targets for four yards in Sunday's 28-27 win over the Giants.

This had to qualify as a disappointment for Mack coming off a career-high rushing effort the week prior against Dallas. Unfortunately, it seems like the norm recently for the 22-year-old, who now has run for 34 yards or less in three of his last four games. With four scores in the last three weeks, however, he'll be a touchdown-dependent play on the road against the Titans' in Week 17.

Penny (knee) is listed as inactive Sunday versus the Chiefs.

Penny made his presence felt in practice Friday for the first since Dec. 8, getting listed as a limited participant. While saying that Penny's recovery was "going really well," coach Pete Carroll told Brady Henderson of ESPN.com that his availability will depend on "whether or not it's the right decision for him to go and if we can get enough information on game day." Clearly, the Seahawks didn't like what they saw in the meantime to allow Penny to return, ensuring his second absence in a row. With the rookie inactive, Chris Carson should receive most of touches out of the backfield. Behind Carson, the pecking order yields Mike Davis, with J.D. McKissic a distant third.

Zenner rushed eight times for 45 yards and added two catches for 22 yards on three targets in Sunday's 27-9 loss to Minnesota.

Zenner was easily Detroit's best option on the ground, as LeGarrette Blount (calf) was held to 29 yards on 11 carries. It's a bit puzzling why a beat-up Blount got more work than Zenner, but odd coaching decisions are nothing new to Lions fans. Zenner should push for double-digit touches against the Packers in Week 17.

Ford rushed seven times for 33 yards and added two catches for 14 yards on four targets in Sunday's 24-12 loss to New England.

Ford got the start at running back with coach Sean McDermott punishing LeSean McCoy for a "situation" between the two, and even though McCoy returned to lead back duties to begin Buffalo's second drive, Ford still ended up outplaying the declining veteran. If injury issues persist in Buffalo's backfield, Ford could once again find himself handling a handful of touches against the Dolphins in Week 17.

Brieda (ankle) won't return to Sunday's game versus the Bears.

Such has been Brieda's fate on other occasions this season, but this one comes in the midst of fantasy championship pursuits. He'll leave Week 16 with four carries for 20 yards and one reception (on one target) for six yards. Jeff Wilson will man the 49ers backfield for the rest of this contest and perhaps in the season finale if Breida's aggravation is serious enough.

Murray ran for 22 yards on nine carries and added two catches for six yards during Sunday's 27-9 win over Detroit.

Through 13 games with John DeFilippo calling plays, Minnesota dropped back on 62.2 percent of offensive snaps. With Kevin Stefanski now calling the shots and pledging for a return to the grind-it-out style that took the Vikings to the conference title game last season, Minnesota has dropped back on just 43.8 percent of offensive snaps over the past two weeks. That's good news for Minnesota's stable as a whole, but Dalvin Cook has been the primary beneficiary, edging out Murray 35 carries to 24. This return to pound-it-out football will face a tough test in Week 17 against a Chicago defense that ranks in the top five in the league against the run, surrendering just 3.8 yards per carry.

Williams rushed 15 times for 95 yards and a touchdown while adding six catches for 61 yards on nine targets in Sunday's 44-38 overtime win over the Jets.

Heading Green Bay's backfield with Aaron Jones (knee) on injured reserve, Williams delivered a strong performance when fantasy owners needed it most. While he left to get checked out for a concussion at one point, Williams was able to return to the contest. He found paydirt from seven yards out late in the first half and was the only Packers running back to get a carry in this one. Williams could have had an even bigger day if either of quarterback Aaron Rodgers' pair of one-yard rushing touchdowns went to the running back instead. He's primed to finish the season strong against the Lions in Week 17, barring any injury setbacks.

McCaffrey carried 21 times for 101 yards and caught 12 passes for an additional 77 yards during Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Falcons.

McCaffrey took on a workhorse role with Cam Newton (shoulder) sidelined, setting a new career high in offensive touches. He managed 4.8 yards per carry on the ground, and while he wasn't as effective on a per-catch basis, he still led the team in receiving yardage. Carolina's poor recent form has actually coincided with a drastic uptick in production for McCaffrey, who's averaging 167.7 scrimmage yards per game over the last seven. He'll look to finish what has been an outstanding season in style during Week 17 against the Saints.

Bolden rushed four times for nine yards and caught his only target for four yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 17-7 loss to the Jaguars.

Bolden did all of his damage during the first quarter, reaching the end zone on a misdirection play in which Kenyan Drake attracted the attention of most of the Jaguars' defense. The 28-year-old appears to have earned the trust of Miami's coaching staff in the red zone, but he remains difficult to trust for fantasy purposes due to the scant number of touches he typically sees.

Drake rushed six times for 23 yards and caught four of five targets for 31 yards during Sunday's 17-7 loss to the Jaguars.

Drake has not seen a notable increase in touches despite the placement of Frank Gore (foot) on injured reserve. The third-year pro split carries with rookie Kalen Ballage, but neither runner was particularly effective during the Week 16 loss -- one in which Miami only managed 183 yards of total offense. Drake has not logged more than ten carries in a single game since Week 8, and his usage heading into a Week 17 tilt against the Bills will be difficult to predict.