NFL Player News

Vereen had nine catches for 51 yards Sunday night. He did not receive a carry.

Given the Giants' lack of a running game or deep threat with Odell Beckham out, and the poor play of the offensive line, dumping the ball off to Vereen was their go-to play for much of the game. That makes him a useful fill-in for PPR, but even PPR backs need some carries to be every week starters.

Elliott rushed 24 times for 104 yards and caught all five targets for 36 yards in Sunday's 19-3 victory over the Giants.

Elliott earned this 100-yard effort the hard way, as he never broke off a run longer than 10 yards going against the Giants' stout defensive front. No matter, he saw the same heavy workload fantasy owners became accustomed to seeing in his rookie year and, therefore, seems safely locked into a workhorse role for as long as he remains legally eligible to play. Speaking of which, Darren McFadden -- who was firmly considered Elliott's handcuff entering the season -- was a healthy scratch Sunday in favor of Alfred Morris and Rod Smith. If this scenario becomes a trend moving forward, then Morris, and not McFadden, would seemingly be the appropriate contingency plan in case Elliott's temporary restraining order against the NFL doesn't last the entire season.

Mack had 10 carries for 24 yards, including a three-yard touchdown, and one reception for 21 yards in Sunday's loss to the Rams.

Mack would have had another touchdown on the reception, but the officials said he was out of bounds before going into the end zone. However, replays showed the ball crossed the goal line, and head coach Chuck Pagano missed a chance to challenge as he quickly called for running another play. While it was an ugly game for the Indy offense, it was encouraging for Mack, as he was used early in the game, mostly ahead of Robert Turbin and with the same frequency as Frank Gore. He averaged just 2.4 yards per tote, but he had a big play in the passing game and could have more of a role in the offense from the jump than many expected.

Abdullah rushed 15 times for 30 yards and caught three of four targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 35-23 victory over the Cardinals.

Although the Cardinals gave Abdullah very little room to run Sunday, it was still nice to see Detroit's commitment to getting the run game going. Abdullah was clearly the team's lead runner, too, as his carries vastly outpaced that of Dwayne Washington (six) and Theo Riddick (one), though the latter remains locked in as the team's preferred third-down back. Unfortunately, things don't look any easier for Abdullah in Week 2, as the Lions travel to play a Giants team that allowed the third-fewest rushing yards in 2016.

Breida rushed four times for 11 yards Sunday against the Panthers. He was not targeted in the passing game.

Carlos Hyde dominated the running back touches as expected, leaving only a handful of carries for the undrafted rookie. While Breida didn't have a fantasy-relevant day, his usage confirms his primary backup role. The 22-year-old posted a 4.37 40 time during his pro day, so there is playmaking potential if the oft-injured Hyde were to miss any time this season.

McCaffrey carried 13 times for 47 yards and caught five of seven targets for 38 yards in the Panthers' 23-3 victory over the 49ers on Sunday. He also accrued seven return yards on three punts.

Though his numbers aren't eye-popping, McCaffrey easily looked like the Panthers' most impressive weapon Sunday, not to mention QB Cam Newton's favorite target in the passing game -- as his team-high seven targets indicate. Likely the rookie's most impressive play came on 3rd-and-15 when he lined up on Newton's hip and took a swing pass 16 yards for the first down, all while displaying the trademark elusiveness we've come to expect from the Stanford product. Expect McCaffrey to remain heavily involved next week in the Panthers' home opener against the Bills.

West rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries in Sunday's win over the Bengals.

West put Baltimore up by three scores just before halftime, dropping his shoulder down under the defender's tackle and edging in for a two-yard touchdown. The Ravens' game plan, certainly influenced by Cincinnati's turnover troubles, played right into West's hands on Sunday, as 42 of the team's 60 offensive plays were runs. With Joe Flacco looking rusty after coming off a back injury, it would be silly for Baltimore to move away from West's one-cut running style -- which is perfect for Marty Mornhinweg's West Coast scheme -- until opposing defenses find a way to stop it.

Mixon rushed for nine yards on eight carries and had 15 yards receiving on three catches in Sunday's loss to Baltimore.

Mixon rushed for 10 yards on three carries and had a nine-yard catch during the Bengals' second drive. However, he didn't record a touch again until the fourth quarter, when losses of four and five yards to end the game damaged his already modest production. Though just over two yards per touch is an unappealing way to start a career, Cincinnati drafted Mixon to be an all-purpose back, and, while he currently sits behind Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, he still wound up with the most touches of the three. Look for him to continue to take away opportunities from the two veterans as the season progresses.

McFadden (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Giants, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

With no injury reported during the week, it appears McFadden has simply fallen behind Alfred Morris for the No. 2 running back job. The team wants its No. 3 back to contribute on special teams, so Rod Smith will be active over McFadden. There wasn't any real hint of this prior to Sunday, though Morris did outplay McFadden during the preseason. Morris instantly becomes the preferred handcuff for Elliott owners.

Kelley gained 30 yards on 10 carries in Sunday's 30-17 loss to the Eagles. He failed to haul in his only target.

Kelley struggled to get much going versus a stout Eagles front, recording a long gain of just six yards. Washington trailed for much of the afternoon and totaled just 17 total rushes, but it was encouraging for Kelley that fellow back Chris Thompson received just three of those. Thompson saw significant run in passing situations, so it appears Kelley will be used almost exclusively on early downs this season. Nevertheless, he remains the team's lead back heading into next week's matchup with the Rams.