NFL Player News

Down to two healthy running backs, the Colts have "begun researching running back Ben Tate -- including his character and potential fit in Indy's scheme -- and appear interested in possibly claiming him off waivers from the Browns," reports ESPN.com.

Cleveland waived Tate on Tuesday as the Browns opted to move forward with rookies Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West. Tate averaged 3.1 yards per carry but scored four touchowns in eight games.

Indy just lost running back Ahmad Bradshaw to a fractured fibula. Trent Richardson and Dan Herron are the only remaining backs on the Colts' active roster.

Patriots running back Jonas Gray has been credited with 2 more rushing yards in his mammoth performance Sunday night at Indianapolis, reports NFL.com. Gray's stat line now reads 37 carries, 201 yards, four touchdowns.

A league official blamed a record-keeping error. Early in the fourth quarter, Gray lost 2 yards on a rush. But a facemark penalty was enforced from the line of scrimmage, which should have erased Gray's carry, per NFL.com.

Gray becomes the third rusher in Patriots history to surpass 200 yards in a game, joining Tony Collins (212 yards, 1983) and Jim Nance (208 yards, 1966).

The 49ers officially opened the practice window for linebacker NaVorro Bowman and  three other players on Tuesday, according to Pro Football Talk. Bowman, along with tight end Garrett Celek, offensive lineman Brandon Thomas and cornerback Keith Reaser will have three weeks to be added to the 53-man active roster or their seasons will be lost.

An earlier report had Bowman in danger of missing the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee that he suffered during last season's NFC Championship game. He's expected to be a limited participant in practice all week leading up to Week 12 against Washington.

The Browns have struggled to find playing time for all three members of their crowded backfield recently, and Ben Tate was open about his unhappiness with his role. The team took care of that problem by waiving him Tuesday, which should open things up in Cleveland at least a little more.

Isaiah Crowell got the start in the team's most recent game against the Texans in Week 11, rushing for 61 yards on 14 carries, while Tate got just two carries and Terrance West received just five. Additionally, Crowell received 66 percent of the snaps Sunday, while West actually had a smaller role than Tate, seeing the field on just 10 percent of the team's plays. However, West is also just two weeks removed from getting his own start and rushing for 94 yards on a team-high 26 carries, so it's hard to say where the team will go from here.

Crowell has been the best back in Cleveland on a per-carry basis, leading the team in yards per carry, first downs and rushes of longer than 20 yards. Of course, he is also the only Browns back to put the ball on the turf so far, with three fumbles in 78 carries. Coaches can be fickle about running backs with fumble histories, which makes Crowell somewhat risky, even if he looks like the best back of the two right now.

In the short term, Crowell looks like the back to own in Cleveland if you can only have one. However, West should still get plenty of carries down the stretch, and has plenty of Fantasy value of his own. 

Fantasy owners who stashed Adrian Peterson in hopes of getting a boost late in the season received a body blow Tuesday, with the league's announcement that Peterson has been suspended for the remainder of the season.

Peterson, who had been on the league's Exempt/Commissioner's Permission list since Sept. 17, was hoping to return for the final six weeks of the season after accepting a plea deal in his case last week. However, the announcement of Peterson's suspension and the Vikings' statement of non-support for Peterson seems to indicate that his chances of seeing the field this season are essentially gone.

The NFLPA has already announced it will appeal the suspension, but is there any reason at this point to think the Vikings would welcome Peterson back into the fold with open arms? "We respect the league's decision and will have no further comment at this time," hardly sounds like the statement of a team that is going to fight to get Peterson back on the field, does it? Even if he is reinstated, will the Vikings be willing to make him active every week, especially when reports have indicated he may not be a long-term part of their plans beyond this season anyways?

Though there is a slim chance Peterson could still return, it probably isn't something you want to pin your hopes on. If you can spare the roster spot, it probably isn't hurting you to keep him on the end of your bench, but don't expect much out of it. At this point, both Jerick McKinnon (79 percent owned) and Matt Asiata (73 percent) should both be valued over Peterson.

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said running back Andre Ellington's routine of sitting out Wednesday practices is hurting his production on Sundays, reports ESPN.com. "It's showing up too much on Sundays right now," Arians said.

"Then, obviously, he can't run well enough in the passing game for us to do some things. He saw a ghost on the screen pass out there, turned around and lost 4 yards when he should've had about 20. Just some of those things."

Ellington has nursed a foot injury all season and lately has battled a hip issue, too. He's yet to run for 100 yards in a game and is averaging 3.4 yards per carry this season.

Arians indicated that missing Wednesday practices has affected Ellington's conditioning and his ability to "see the game plan through the eyes of Cardinals coaches," the report said.

"He's gutting it up on Sundays, but he needs to perform better too," Arians said. "Right now, he's as healthy as he's been and we need more out of him."

Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman is expected to miss his second straight game Sunday when Denver hosts the Dolphins, reports the Denver Post. Hillman suffered a midfoot sprain in the Week 10 win at Oakland.

When asked if he was disappointed in Cordarrelle Patterson's season on Monday, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told reporters the team will be patient with their second-year wideout.

"I don't think disappointment is the right word," Zimmer said, per the Star Tribune. "I think youth might be the right word."

Patterson was limited to two catches for 24 yards in a Week 11 loss to the Bears. He has just three grabs over his past two games and 332 receiving yards this season. He's 138 yards away from surpassing last season's total.

Browns coach Mike Pettine addressed Isaiah Crowell's surprise start in Week 11 against Houston during his Monday news conference, per the Akron Beacon Journal.

"Crowell was a guy that had practiced well, we felt really good about where he was and progress he made," Pettine said.

Crowell registered 14 of Cleveland's 24 carries and played 51 of 77 offensive snaps on Sunday. He finished with 61 rushing yards. Ben Tate played only 16 snaps and Terrance West logged 10 snaps.

When asked if there was an attitude issue with Tate, Pettine responded with, "nothing that I would speak on here."

Colts running back Trent Richardson gained a total of zero yards on seven carries in his team's 42-20 loss to the Patriots in Week 11.

Both Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw received seven carries in the game but could only manage a combined four yards as the Patriots completely shut down the Colts rushing attack. Richardson, whose longest run went for two yards, also delivered a 21-yard catch on his only target.

Richardson had put together a pair of solid performances in his previous two games, rushing for 110 yards on 21 carries over that two-game stretch while adding 50 yards on six receptions. With Ahmad Bradshaw unable to finish Sunday's game due to injury and a matchup against the Jaguars in Week 12 on tap, the former first-round pick could have a chance at redemption next Sunday.