NFL Player News

Ellington was targeted five times Sunday in Atlanta, corralling two for a season-high 19 yards.

In essence, Ellington only takes the field when David Johnson needs a breather, and the latter is one of the NFL's workhorse backs, as he's one of four players with at least 260 touches to this point in the season. Ellington is thus relegated to whatever he can get, which resulted in two receptions in a game for just the second time in the campaign. If status quo reigns in the Cardinals' backfield, he can expect 2-to-3 looks on a weekly basis.

Vereen (triceps) could return to practice this week, ESPN's Jordan Raanan reports.

Vereen was placed on injured reserve after tearing his triceps in Week 3, but after having surgery and clearing the two-month recovery timetable associated with the procedure, he's now edging closer to a return to practice. Whether that happens or not this week remains to be seen, but it appears Vereen has a decent chance of returning during the regular season, which would represent a nice boost to the Giants' backfield options.

Cunningham caught his only target for 12 yards and didn't have a rushing attempt during Sunday's loss to the Saints.

Since the Rams' Week 8 bye, Cunningham has rushed only 11 times for 57 yards and caught 10 passes for 48 yards through four games. While he's been effective on the ground (5.2 yards per attempt), his volume in the offense doesn't offer much fantasy upside. At this stage of the season, Cunningham is probably best viewed as an insurance policy for Todd Gurley owners or a lottery ticket in deep leagues.

Martin gained 87 yards on 23 rushes and secured both of his targets for two yards in Sunday's 14-5 win over the Seahawks. He also lost a fumble.

One week after posting a season-best 63 yards on the ground, Martin provided an 87-yard encore that serves as his new high-water mark, while also carrying over 20 times for the second straight game. The effort also included a season-high 3.8 YPC, and the overall production could certainly be a sign of the fifth-year pro's improving health. He figures to be a particularly key clock-eating, chain-moving component of the Week 13 game plan against the Chargers, who can cause plenty of headaches for opposing defenses with the play of Philip Rivers and Melvin Gordon.

Harris rushed twice for 15 yards in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins.

Harris was the only other running back aside from Carlos Hyde to receive a carry, but he was not involved in the passing game. Shaun Draughn actually out-touched Harris 6-2 despite not receiving a carry. Hyde is the clear lead back in San Francisco, and it appears that Draughn has reclaimed his third-down role, leaving Harris in a change-of-pace role. He is simply a handcuff option for Hyde owners at this point.

Draughn secured all six of his targets for 49 yards in Sunday's 31-24 loss to the Dolphins. He did not receive any carries.

It was another strange stat line for Draughn, who saw all of his touches exclusively come through the air for the second consecutive week. While it's disappointing to see he's all but fallen out of the backfield rotation in favor of both Carlos Hyde and DuJuan Harris, the five-year veteran continues to be a presence in the passing game. He's caught nine passes for 92 yards and a touchdown over the last two outings. Draughn's productivity will fluctuate naturally week to week while being deployed in this manner, making him a low-end fantasy option at the moment.

Henry rushed eight times for 60 yards and a touchdown but wasn't targeted in the passing game Sunday in Chicago.

Henry found the end zone from 11 yards out late in the first quarter for his second career touchdown. The rookie out of Alabama ended up out-gaining starter DeMarco Murray 60 to 43 on the ground, but Murray still out-touched him 22 to six. Henry's limitations as a pass catcher cap his upside, and he should continue to see single-digit touches following Tennessee's Week 13 bye.

Murray (ankle) carried 19 times for 45 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's game against the Panthers. He also caught three of four targets for an additional 43 yards in the 35-32 win.

Murray generated a long gain of just seven yards on the ground, but another strong receiving game and his ninth rushing score of the season salvaged his day from a fantasy perspective. He received his highest total of touches in 2016 as rookie DeAndre Washington was inactive for the first time, leaving just Murray and Jalen Richard as the active tailbacks. Despite his inefficiency, Murray is clearly the lead dog in the backfield, with his red-zone usage and receiving skills keeping him among the more useful running fantasy backs in the game.

Rawls ran for 38 yards on 12 carries in a 14-5 loss to Tampa Bay in Week 12.

Rawls and the rest of the Seahawks offense were inept for most of Sunday's loss. In his second game back from injury, he was held scoreless and without any receptions while churning out just 3.2 yards per carry. Despite his lack of production, Rawls remained the clear No. 1 option at running back and no other back had more than a single carry. A return home could help spark Rawls and the rest of the offense in next week's matchup with Carolina.

Hightower gained 51 yards in 15 carries and another 54 yards on two receptions, including a 50-yard touchdown grab, in Sunday's win against the Rams.

Hightower was quiet for most of the afternoon before hauling in a long touchdown from wide receiver Willie Snead on a trick play in the fourth quarter. He also ripped off a 30-yard run on the Saints' final offensive possession. Hightower performed well in Week 11 when Ingram left the game early with a concussion, but it was Ingram who looked like the more dangerous player in Week 12 against the Rams. Still, the Saints seem content dividing the touches, and both players should be viable fantasy options in a favorable Week 13 tilt at home against the Lions.