NFL Player News

Vereen (triceps) wouldn't have participated had the Giants practiced Monday.

Vereen cleared concussion protocol to rush twice for 11 yards and catch two passes for nine yards Sunday against the Lions, but he still lands on the Giants injury report to start this week. With only a few days before Thursday's game against the Eagles, it's unlikely any of New York's players will be overextended in the buildup to kickoff, but Vereen's status is noteworthy nonetheless.

Patterson had five receptions for 49 yards on eight targets and four kick returns for an average of 31 yards in Sunday's loss at Indianapolis.

Patterson had the most targets among recievers as Stefon Diggs appeared to be lost in the offense and Adam Thielen suffered a neck injury early in the game. He'll likely remain a second or third option after Diggs and Thielen (if healthy) next week at Green Bay.

McKinnon had three carries for 12 yards and nine receptions for 59 yards in Sunday's loss to Indianapolis.

McKinnon played 34 snaps on offense compared to 12 snaps for Matt Asiata and 12 for Adrian Peterson. It's likely that Peterson will get more snaps next week against Green Bay, but McKinnon likely also got a larger workload with the Vikings falling behind early. McKinnon should still get work as the team's third-down and receiving back. However, his role may sharply decline the next two games with Peterson back from a knee injury.

Asiata (ankle) had just one reception for 20 yards and did not have a carry in Sunday's loss to Indianapolis.

Asiata played just 12 snaps on offense as he became a clear third-string running back with Adrian Peterson back from a knee injury. Asiata may have been more of a factor if the Vikings had goal-line chances or were playing with a lead. Still, he's likely going to have a limited role with Peterson back.

According to Eagles coach Doug Pederson, Barner (hamstring) will not play Thursday against the Giants.

Barner was seen walking with a heavy limp following Sunday's loss to the Ravens, when he was forced into an early exit due to a hamstring problem. That injury will prevent him from being ready to play Thursday, and could ultimately keep him sidelined in Week 17 as well. While Darren Sproles (concussion) is expected to be cleared to play this week, Byron Marshall could slide into Philadelphia's No. 3 running back role with Barner out.

Hillman carried the ball seven times for 34 yards in Sunday's loss to the Raiders.

Hillman saw just 13 snaps on offense compared to Kenneth Farrow's 41, but the rookie running back failed to capitalize on the increased workload, picking up 39 yards on 15 carries. Adding to the rushing woes, Farrow's critical fumble late in the fourth quarter set up what would be the game-winning field goal for the Raiders, as the Chargers failed to score on their two ensuing drives. As a result, fantasy owners could see Hillman earn a few more carries if starting running back Melvin Gordon (hip, knee) misses another week, as the Chargers may opt to limit Farrow's exposure until he proves he can hold onto the ball.

Barner (hamstring) was seen walking with a significant limp following Sunday's game against the Ravens and could potentially be done for the remainder of this season, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Barner's hamstring injury could make it pretty difficult for him to overcome the Eagles' quick turnaround ahead of Thursday's game against the Giants. With just one contest remaining after that, Barner also could've played his final down of the current campaign. Whether that proves true remains to be seen, but Barner's injury Sunday only adds to Philadelphia's banged-up backfield, which was without Darren Sproles (concussion) in Week 15 and placed Wendell Smallwood on injured reserve (knee) last Monday. Given those problems, Byron Marshall could see more action behind starter Ryan Mathews in Philadelphia's final two tilts.

McFadden ran the ball three times for 10 yards and caught his only target for minus-2 yards in Sunday's 26-20 win over the Buccaneers.

As expected, Ezekiel Elliott dominated the workload on the ground out of the Cowboys' backfield, while both Elliott and Lance Dunbar were more involved in the passing game, leaving few opportunities for McFadden to make an impact. He's little more than an insurance policy at RB for Dallas, but could be a viable fantasy dart in Week 17 if the team has nothing to play for and elects to rest Elliott heading into the postseason.

Sims gained four yards on three carries and hauled in three of five targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 26-20 loss to the Cowboys.

With Jacquizz Rodgers declared a healthy inactive, Sims had all of the leftover backfield work to himself, although that ended up not amounting to much. Doug Martin handled 16 of the 19 running back touches on the night, leaving Sims to primarily serve in his customary pass-catching role. Despite his limited involvement in his first two games back from injured reserve, Sims still figures to have a modest but important role over the final two games as the team continues its playoff push.

Martin carried 16 times for just 42 yards and was not targeted in the passing game during Sunday's 26-20 loss to the Cowboys.

Martin had found the end zone in consecutive games heading in, but he was smothered by a sound Cowboys run defense and averaged an underwhelming 2.6 yards per carry. His season has been quite disappointing considering the large contract he signed in the offseason, as he has averaged just 2.9 yards per carry with three touchdowns, missing six games earlier in the campaign due to injury. Martin has still been a featured player in an improving offense and will look to bounce back next week against the Saints.