NFL Player News

The Cardinals and Johnson (hernia) agreed to a one-year contract Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

After missing just one game through his first seven NFL campaigns, Johnson has managed just 15 appearances the past two years, including four in 2016 due to season-ending surgery to repair a sports hernia. The developments on the health front paved the way for the emergence of David Johnson, who the elder RB will back up in his return to the Cardinals. Due to David Johnson's workhorse nature, expect Chris Johnson to do little more than spell his teammate.

Elliott has filed an appeal for a speeding ticket he received in April in which he was booked for driving 100 mph in a 70 mph zone, Valerie Wigglesworth of The Dallas Morning News reports.

While in and of itself the speeding ticket doesn't seem like a big deal, the news comes on the heels of reports that Elliott might get a suspension stemming from a domestic-violence allegation last July as well as an altercation at a bar over the weekend in which there's conflicting testimony about whether the running back threw a punch. Even if the commissioner's office clears him on the DV charge, a rap on the knuckles for "conduct unbecoming the league" could well be coming, given his inability to stay out of the headlines.

Elliott was involved in an altercation at a Dallas-area bar Sunday, Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan reports.

Details regarding the incident remain scarce, but since no arrest was made, Elliott may not be in any immediate danger of facing discipline from the league office. Nonetheless, it's another poorly timed off-field faux pas for the second-year player, who remains at risk of serving a short suspension to begin the upcoming season while the NFL continues to investigate domestic-violence allegations against the running back dating back to 2016.

Foreman was taken into custody by the University of Texas police department on Sunday and charged with marijuana possession and the unlawful carrying of a weapon, Brian Davis of the American-Statesman reports.

With the legal process just beginning, we won't speculate on a possible suspension, but there's a chance the Texans take action once all is said and done. A third-round pick out of Texas, Foreman is expected to compete for the No. 2 running back role behind starter Lamar Miller, although it remains to be seen how Sunday's events will affect his standing.

Elliott is preparing his response to a findings report received from the NFL regarding its investigation into a domestic violence accusation made against him in 2016, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. According to Schefter, Elliott is bracing for a short suspension despite the league insisting no decision has been made regarding potential punishment.

Elliott was questioned last July by police in Columbus, Ohio, after a former girlfriend accused him of assaulting her. While the district attorney opted to not pursue charges against Elliott due to conflicting stories, the NFL launched its own investigation and recently submitted its findings to him. The league has denied making a ruling on whether Elliott will be disciplined, but sources close to the situation reportedly believe the second-year pro could face a one- or two-game suspension. Of course, Elliott's fate won't be confirmed one way or the other until the investigation process is complete, which won't happen until the league reviews the response expected from the star rusher sometime in the next week.

Green is in competition with Matt Asiata and Mike James for the Lions' possible No. 5 running back spot, Tim Twentyman of the team's official site reports.

The Lions have phased the fullback position out of their offense, which opens the door for the team to carry a fifth running back on the roster behind Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick (wrist), Zach Zenner and Dwayne Washington. The thick Green, who stands 6-foot, 230 pounds, went undrafted out of Cincinnati but was in consistent contact with Lions running backs coach David Walker months leading up to the draft due to Walker's belief of Green's fit in Detroit, according to Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press. While Green only ran for 743 yards and two touchdowns for the Bearcats last year, he played on most special teams units, from field-goal protection to punt coverage. His versatility likely separates him from Asiata and James, in addition to the fact the Lions would save a slightly higher sum of cash if they parted ways with the other two over him. However, if Green ultimately makes the team, he would likely be multiple injuries away from gaining fantasy relevance.

West projects as the Ravens' Week 1 starter at running back due to Danny Woodhead's pass-catching specialization and Kenneth Dixon's four-game suspension, Ryan Mink of the team's official site reports.

West comfortably led the Ravens in rushing attempts (177), yards (774) and touchdowns (five) last season, but he increasingly ceded touches to the then-rookie Dixon as the campaign unfolded. In fact, Dixon finished with eight more carries than West over the final six games of last season. While that figured to place pressure on West's starting gig going into the upcoming campaign, Dixon's four-game suspension now rules him out of contention until October. Given that situation, Woodhead -- whom Baltimore signed quickly in free agency -- represents West's biggest threat for snaps, but the former Charger's penchant for pass catching makes him unlikely to be the Ravens' primary ball carrier. As a result, West figures to retain his prized role atop Baltimore's depth chart, offering decent early-season utility for fantasy owners.

Adam Schefter of ESPN has speculated recently that Elliott could still receive discipline from the NFL for last July's alleged domestic violence incident, Joe Giglio of NJ.com. "I would just say this," Schefter said Monday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. "It [the incident] is definitely a factor, and if I were drafting [in a fantasy league] today, I would be hesitant to [draft him]."

Although Elliott avoided any legal ramifications by the start of his fabulous rookie season, the NFL has bided its time, seemingly leaving no stone unturned. During both Monday's interview and an appearance Wednesday on NFL Live on ESPN, Schefter referred to discussions with people from the league, who "got a sense that some form of discipline could happen." Later, he mentioned another conversation, which concluded by his contact stating, "Yeah, I don't think anything is going to happen here." As it stands, the sheer time span of the investigation indicates the NFL is weighing every option at its disposal, meaning potential owners will have to weigh the risk/reward of landing Elliott on draft day.

Artis-Payne is on the roster bubble, USA Today's Lucas Ewing reports.

A 2015 fifth-round selection, Artis-Payne has taken 81 carries for 327 yards (4.0 average) and three touchdowns in 10 career games, while adding only six receptions and logging just 14 snaps on special teams. He may get a shot to push Fozzy Whittaker for the No. 3 job, but Whittaker has an advantage due to his pass-catching chops, special teams contributions and two-year, $2.5 million contract. Even if Artis-Payne were to make the team, he'd have a tough time getting touches in a backfield led by Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffrey.

Gillislee appears to be the Patriots' running back most likely to fill the void created by the departure of LeGarrette Blount, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.

The Patriots have some depth at running back, with James White and Dion Lewis set to reprise their change-of-pace duties and fellow newcomer Rex Burkhead bringing valuable versatility to the mix. From a fantasy perspective, week-to-week touches out of the team's backfield could be difficult to predict and game-flow dependent, but we suspect that Blount's goal-line duties are likely to be absorbed primarily by Gillislee. Considering Blount's league-leading 18 rushing TDs last season, Gillislee is in a good position to better the mark of nine total scores he logged in 2016 while with the Bills. In the process, he averaged 5.7 yards over 101 carries, a rate that he also recorded on 47 rushing attempts in 2015.