NFL Player News

Jones (coach's decision) is listed as inactive Monday versus the Steelers, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Jones' pro debut will be delayed another week following the Buccaneers' decision to deactivate him. The trend likely will continue as long as Peyton Barber and Jacquizz Rodgers remain healthy and productive. Jones' next chance to play arrives Sunday in Chicago.

Patterson hauled in his only target for 12 yards in Sunday's 26-10 loss to the Lions.

While working as the Patriots' No. 3 wideout Sunday, Patterson logged 19 of a possible 48 snaps on offense. Through three games, Patterson has caught five of his seven targets for 36 yards, and his modest involvement in the team's attack figures to wane in the coming weeks, with Josh Gordon (hamstring) having been acquired in a trade last week and Julian Edelman due back from his suspension Week 5.

Boone had two carries for 11 yards and one reception for no yards in Sunday's loss to Buffalo.

Boone played 13 snaps on offense as he was active the first time this season with Dalvin Cook missing the game with a hamstring injury. Boone is a clear No. 3 running back and may not get any carries when Cook and Latavius Murray are both healthy.

Cook (hamstring) reiterated Monday that he expects to play in Thursday's game against the Rams, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Cook said his hamstring is feeling good, though he also acknowledged he'll need to operate on a day-to-day basis to see how the injury responds. He didn't practice at all last week and was ruled out on the Friday injury report ahead of Sunday's 27-6 loss to the Bills. A return to limited participation Monday or Tuesday would be an excellent sign for his Week 4 availability.

Martin rushed for 43 yards on nine carries in Sunday's 28-20 loss to the Dolphins.

Martin posted season highs in both yardage and touches Week 3, but starter Marshawn Lynch once again led the Raiders backfield en route to 64 yards and a score on 19 carries. Martin also was overshadowed by fellow backup Jalen Richard in the passing attack, as the latter accounted for six receptions for 59 yards on seven targets. Martin's fantasy value remains limited to deeper leagues while Lynch and Richard continue to produce at full health.

Ekeler carried the ball four times for 47 yards and caught all three of his targets for 24 yards in the 35-23 loss to the Rams on Sunday. He also lost a fumble.

The fumble happened as Ekeler was attempting to move the chains on fourth down late in the contest, closing the door on any hope of a miracle comeback. The second-year running back was hardly featured in the passing game, but neither was Melvin Gordon as the two backs combined to catch five passes after totaling 23 receptions in the previous two games. The lack of guaranteed opportunities mutes Ekeler's explosive capabilities somewhat, but a bounceback performance could be in order against the depleted 49ers in Week 4.

Barkley had 17 carries for 82 yards and a score and caught all five of his targets for 35 more yards during Sunday's win over the Texans.

Barkley's performance was better than the numbers as he constantly broke tackles and got himself into space even when the run wasn't entirely blocked. So far he's living up to his draft pedigree.

Cunningham caught one pass for nine yards in Chicago's Week 3 win over the Cardinals.

Cunningham was targeted twice in a game that saw him produce his first touch of the season. Other than his special teams work, he's been largely an afterthought in the Bears offense, and he'd likely need an injury to earn appreciable rwork on a regular basis.

Williams rushed five times for 29 yards and brought in two of three targets for 16 yards in the Packers' 31-17 loss to the Redskins on Sunday.

Williams was expected to retain clear lead-back status for at least one more week despite the return of Aaron Jones from suspension, but it was the latter who actually paced the backfield in carries, albeit by just one. Williams was more efficient on a per-touch basis, but Jones is clearly the more explosive of the two. Moreover, with Williams having averaged well under 4.0 yards per tote in the first two games, Sunday's 5.8 figure is likely an outlier. The second-year BYU product will look to continue laying claim to his share of the backfield work against the Bills in a Week 4 matchup.

Gordon carried the ball 15 times for 80 yards and a score during Sunday's 35-23 loss to the Rams. He also caught two of his four targets for four yards.

Gordon was arguably the Chargers' most explosive player Sunday, ripping off multiple 20-plus yard runs on the afternoon which culminated in a season high in rushing yards. Despite the strong running performance, it was a bit odd to see Gordon targeted so infrequently in the passing game after the fourth-year running back averaged 10 targets through the first two weeks of the season. That should change next week when the Chargers take on the 49ers, who have allowed the third-most receptions (26) to the running back position through three weeks.