NFL Player News

Wilson rushed 11 times for 27 yards while adding two receptions for an additional 11 yards in San Francisco's Week 16 loss to Chicago.

After Matt Breida left the game early with an ankle injury, Wilson finished the game as the lead running back, but was unable to have much success running against the ferocious Chicago defense. Should Breida miss next week's game, Wilson should get enough volume to be a fantasy starter against a Rams defense that can be attacked on the ground.

Anderson rushed 20 times for 167 yards and a touchdown and brought in one of three targets for minus-5 yards in the Rams' 31-9 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.

No one could have seen this one coming when Anderson was seemingly brought on as veteran insurance last Monday. However, once Todd Gurley (knee) was declared inactive Sunday, Anderson vaulted up to the lead-back role in his first taste of game action as a Ram. He responded with a vintage performance that harkened back to his Broncos heyday, posting his best rushing yardage total since Nov. 30, 2014, when he lit up the Chiefs for 168 on 32 carries. Given how well he performed, Anderson could well find himself in the primary running back role again in Week 17 against the 49ers if the Rams opt to allow Gurley's inflamed knee to get extra rest in advance of the postseason.

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.