NFL Player News

Draughn (knee) did not return to Sunday's game against the Bengals.

Initially deemed questionable to return, Draughn was later ruled out for good, finishing his day with nine carries for 38 yards and one catch for four yards on two targets. He'd been playing nearly all of the offensive snaps, and the 49ers chose to replace him with a a mixture of Travis Cadet and Kendall Gaskins. If Draughn can't play in Week 16 against the Lions, former rugby player Jarryd Hayne could get a promotion from the practice squad, though he'd still be unlikely to get more than a handful of touches. There's also some chance Mike Davis (hand) will return from short-term injured reserve for Week 16 or 17.

Vereen carried four times for 29 yards in Sunday's loss to the Panthers. He also snagged eight of 10 targets for 43 yards and a touchdown.

The game flow Sunday played out perfectly for Vereen, as the Giants fell behind big and turned to the pass-catching back to help climb out of the hole. Vereen has flashed at times this season, but his specific role in the offense limits his usage and upside from week to week. The flow of the game will likely dictate his role once again in Week 16 against the Vikings.

Murray gained 78 yards on 21 carries and secured one of two targets for two yards in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Packers.

The second-year tailback had a solid afternoon on a wet track at the O.co Coliseum, although his carries were reduced late in the game with the Raiders in catch-up mode. Murray's 3.7 yards per carry was actually his second-best figure in that category over the last five weeks, a span that had seen him average less than two yards per tote in one contest and under three yards in two others. Now at 956 rushing yards on the season, Murray should easily surpass the 1,000-yard mark against a generous Chargers rush defense in Week 16. In doing so, he will be the franchise's first back to achieve the milestone since Darren McFadden tallied 1,157 yards in 2010.

West carried a team-high seven times for 35 yards and caught both targets for another 11 yards in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs.

The second-year back was the busiest member of the Baltimore backfield Sunday, as Buck Allen was benched after fumbling for the second straight week. The Ravens abandoned the run for the most part after going down big on the scoreboard, but West's average of five yards per carry was impressive versus a stout Chiefs run defense. Allen should get another chance to shoulder the load, but West could see an expanded role next week versus Pittsburgh.

Anderson rushed four times for 14 yards and caught one pass on three targets for six receiving yards Sunday against the Steelers.

Ronnie Hillman dominated the touches out of the backfield, and while he wasn't overly successful (14 carries for 48 yards), it wasn't bad enough to get Anderson more touches. It's clear Hillman is the main runner right now, which severely caps Anderson's fantasy upside.

Hillman rushed 14 times for 48 yards but lost a fumble during Sunday's loss to the Steelers.

While the performance was hardly productive, Hillman saw significantly more action than C.J. Anderson, who rushed four times for 14 yards and caught one pass for six receiving yards. The Broncos did most of their damage through the air, as quarterback Brock Osweiler passed for 296 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for a score. Hillman continues to be the starter in Denver, but he's failed to reach even 60 rushing yards in four consecutive games. Up next is a Week 16 home game against the Bengals, who have allowed the third-fewest rushing touchdowns this season.

Brown gained 90 yards on 12 carries and secured two of three targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 30-14 victory over the Dolphins.

Brown emerged from the mothballs he's apparently been preserved in all season to explode on an unsuspecting Dolphins squad. While the Miami defense certainly provided a tantalizing matchup for the Chargers ground game, the general consensus was that the game would potentially serve as rookie Melvin Gordon's long-awaited NFL coming-out party. Instead, it was the seven-year veteran who maximized the opportunity after Gordon exited with a second-quarter knee injury, amassing his best rushing yardage total in just over four years. Brown had not reached the 90-yard mark on the ground since decimating the Titans for 161 yards in Week 15 of the 2011 campaign, and got there Sunday largely on the strength of a dynamic 53-yard scamper to the Dolphins' five-yard line midway through the fourth quarter. With the extent of Gordon's injury still unknown, it remains to be seen what level of usage Brown will receive over the season's final two games.

McKinnon caught four passes off of four targets for 76 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over Chicago, adding 10 rushing yards on seven carries in the process.

In the moments before the end of the first half, McKinnon took a dump off into the flat and broke through several arm tackles on his way to a 17-yard score, his first of the season. Adrian Peterson's dominance has made McKinnon a nonfactor for much of the season, Sunday's 11 touches marking a season high. Peterson, who was dinged during Sunday's action, may be losing his stranglehold on carries, however, as he has topped 20 carries just twice over the past five games after doing so six times in his first nine contests. Though McKinnon has totaled a modest 41 rushes this season, the total is second on the team and he should see the bulk of whatever carries are left on Peterson's plate.

Gaskins had just two carries Sunday, but caught six of seven targets for 52 yards in the 24-14 loss to the Bengals.

Gaskins took over for starter Shaun Draughn, who left the game with a knee injury and did not return. Meanwhile, Travaris Cadet was also in the mix after Draughn left, finishing with four catches on six targets for 32 yards. Gaskins is bigger than Cadet, however, and was probably the reason why he was in the game when FB Bruce Miller scored a one-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. If Draughn misses any time, expect Gaskins and Cadet to form some sort of backfield committee next week at Detroit.

Jones rushed for 28 yards on 10 carries and added an eight-yard catch in Sunday's win over Buffalo.

The vast majority of Jones' fantasy value stems from two games. In Weeks 2 and 9, Jones combined for 333 of his 794 total yards this season and three of his four scores. Jones has now been held under 85 total yards and without a touchdown in five consecutive games. Help may be on the way. Morris has a slight lead on Alfred Morris in touches over the past four weeks, 59 to 55, and Washington has dates with two defenses in the bottom 10 in the league in rush defense to end the season.