NFL Player News

Jaguars running back Storm Johnson didn't blow anyone away in his first start, but he should continue to see a decent role in Week 7 against the Browns, and could be in line for a better performance this time around.

Johnson rushed for just 21 yards on a career-high 10 carries against the Titans last week, but faces an easier matchup Sunday. The Browns are allowing 4.8 yards per carry to opposing running backs, compared to 4.0 for the Titans. The Browns are also allowing 21.6 Fantasy points per game to running backs, the eighth-highest total in the league.

The Jaguars' running game has been a disaster all season, so we shouldn't expect a huge showing from Johnson even as his role increases. This is a bit of a better matchup, though, and he looks like the primary option in the running game, even getting work on the goal line last week.

Though he shouldn't be considered a must-start option by any means, Johnson can be viewed as a bye-week replacement or Flex option for Week 7. 

The humbling experience of being inactive for the Week 6 win over Pittsburgh has Browns rookie running back Terrance West thinking about his outlook.

Benched by Mike Pettine for poor practice habits and lack of effort when he wasn't carrying the ball, West is hoping to earn his way back into the coach's good graces. He has fallen behind featured back Ben Tate and impressive fellow rookie Isaiah Crowell on the depth chart, which he admits bothered him.

"Sometimes I let it get the best of me," West told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I wish I could get the ball every play. I wish I could, but this is the NFL. It's not college anymore. ... I'm a team guy, but at the same time I'm a ball hog. If I could tell a coach, 'Give me the ball every play,' I would. ... That's just the competitor in me."

West, who was a healthy scratch against the Steelers, rushed for 100 yards in his NFL debut. But he remains clearly behind Tate, who has exceeded 200 yards rushing in the last two games combined, and Crowell, who has scored four touchdowns this season and ran for 77 yards on just 11 carries in the Week 6 win.

Pettine has stated that West's status for Sunday in Jacksonville will be determined by how well he practices this week.

The Patriots are going to have a tough time replacing Stevan Ridley in the running game, and we will get our first glimpse of how the team plans to do that in Week 7 against the Jets Thursday. The primary options to replace Ridley are Brandon Bolden and James White, though Bolden would not tell the Boston Herald Wednesday how he expects to be used in Thursday's matchup.

"I'm going into this game just doing whatever they ask me to do, whether it's special teams or offense," he said.

Neither Bolden nor White has much of a track record, though Bolden does at least have one 100-yard game under his belt back in 2012. He should get the first crack at an increased role, as he received six carries in Week 6, but Patriots head coach Bill Bellichek is notoriously fickle with running backs, so he could have a short leash Thursday.

We should have a much better idea of how the Patriots' backfield share will shake out after Thursday, but Fantasy owners will want to steer clear for Week 7. The Jets have allowed just 3.6 yards per carry and 13.0 Fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, so Bolden only makes sense as a desperation player this Week. White is just a long-term flier for now. 

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews (knee) has yet to be cleared to resume running, U-T San Diego reports.

"I'm just taking it one day at a time," Mathews said Wednesday. "When they think it's time for me to start running, then it's time to start running. It's all in their hands."

Mathews has been out for slightly longer than a month with an MCL sprain. The team has no reason to rush him back with Branden Oliver emerging as a threat at the running back position.

A rather lengthy Jets injury report for their Thursday game against the Patriots is dominated by probables. The lone exceptions are wide receiver Greg Salas (wrist/ankle) and linebacker Trevor Reilly (knee), both of whom have been ruled out.

The probables are tight end Jace Amaro (knee), guard Willie Colon (knee), wideouts David Nelson (ankle) and Eric Decker (hamstring), tackle Breno Giacomini (back), defensive lineman Damon Harrison (ankle), running back Chris Johnson (ankle), center Nick Mangold (shoulder) and cornerback Darrin Walls (knee).

Browns running back Terrance West said Wednesday he expects to be active Week 7 against the Jaguars after being a healthy scratch Week 6, per the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. West said being inactive will "most definitely" make him a better player down the road.

West said the coaches want him to do a better job of carrying out fakes. He added he is supposed to continue running down the field on play-action.

Cardinals running back Andre Ellington did not practice Wednesday, reports the Arizona Republic. The team is trying to manage Ellington's foot injury and get him through the season, the report said.

Arizona visits Oakland on Sunday.

Chargers running back Donald Brown, who sat out Week 6 due to a concussion, did not practice Wednesday. Though, he was on the field watching drills, according to U-T San Diego.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said running back Joseph Randle, arrested on a shoplifting charge Monday, apologized to the team and will be fined significantly for the incident, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Randle will play Sunday against the Giants, Garrett added.

Randle is accused of shoplifting cologne and underwear from a Dillard's in Frisco, Tex. He was charged with Class B misdemeanor theft.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told reporters he'd like to get running back Matt Asiata more touches and running back Jerick McKinnon fewer touches than last week, reports WGR in Buffalo. Asiata got three touches to McKinnon's 17 in the home loss to Detroit.

Minnesota visits the Bills on Sunday.