NFL Player News

Broncos head coach John Fox would not provide any new updates on the injury status of running back Montee Ball during his Monday press conference, according to the Denver Post. Fox indicated that the team will likely provide more information once the team unveils its Week 6 practice report on Wednesday.

Ball left Week 5 against Arizona in the third quarter with a groin injury. According to earlier reports, the Broncos are fearing for bad news regarding his status moving forward. If he is unable to start in Week 6 against the Jets, the team will likely turn to Ronnie Hillman, Juwan Thompson and C.J. Anderson.

Fantasy owners have little reason to view the Jaguars backfield optimistically, but you can't just ignore them, can you?

The Jaguars' running backs have combined for just 3.0 yards per carry on the season, with the majority going to the ineffective duo of Toby Gerhart and Denard Robinson. At this point, the team might be willing to try anything to jumpstart the running game, which is why Jordan Todman and Storm Johnson saw bigger roles in Week 5 against the Steelers.

Todman actually saw the field more often than any other running back, but was used just once in the running game, on a carry that was negated by a penalty. Johnson played just 12 percent of the team's snaps, though that wasn't far off from Gerhart -- the starter -- who played 18 percent of the snaps. Robinson rounded out the group with 34 percent of the snaps played.

There is nobody in Jacksonville you should consider a starting option at this point. Heck, in 10-team leagues, there might not be anyone even worth owning here. However, in deeper leagues, there might be some value in speculating on Todman, Johnson and Robinson, just in case one of them shows signs of life. At this point, that's all it would take. 

Jaguars running backs Toby Gerhart (foot), Jordan Todman (ankle) and Storm Johnson (ankle) are all expected to practice Wednesday, according to ESPN. The trio combined for 42 rushing yards during a 17-9 loss Sunday vs. Pittsburgh.

After impressing so much in Week 4, Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon came tumbling back to Earth in Week 5. Should Fantasy owners still be excited about his long-term future?

McKinnon rushed for just 24 yards on seven carries Thursday against the Packers, and was far less effective than Matt Asiata as a runner. However, he still played 38 percent of the team's snaps, and does not seem to be going anywhere at this point. Especially since Asiata has failed to impress as the lead back at times.

McKinnon is still a long-term project, but he showed enough skill in Week 4 to make him one you don't want to give up on. McKinnon is not a must-own right now, but if you liked him after Week 4, one poor showing in a blowout shouldn't change your mind too much. 

Yes, Bobby Rainey scored a touchdown on a 9-yard scamper Week 5 at New Orleans, but it was one of only nine touches he had all day. By comparison, Doug Martin had 17 and played nearly twice as many snaps.

In other words, nothing has changed for Rainey in terms of Fantasy value. He remains one of the better handcuff options in the game and has shown enough in a reserve role to give his owners some hope of him overtaking Martin someday, but that day has yet to arrive.

Rainey deserves to be owned in Fantasy, but your bench is the best place for him.

The Broncos are preparing for news running back Montee Ball sustained a major groin injury Sunday against the Cardinals, according to NFL.com. The Denver Post reported Sunday Ball could be "out for a while," according to an NFL source.

After Ball left the game early in the third quarter, he was replaced by Ronnie Hillman, who rushed for a team-high 64 yards on 15 carries. The Broncos also leaned on running back Juwan Thompson, who had 15 rushing yards and one touchdown on three carries.

Limited from the get-go by a foot injury that at first looked like it might cost him a few games, Cardinals running back Andre Ellington has been slow to get going this season. But with the help of a big play late in the third quarter Week 5 at Denver, he finally had the performance Fantasy owners were expecting from him when they draft him.

That play also said a little something about his health. With third-string quarterback Logan Thomas in the game, Ellington caught a pass between two defenders and outran both of them for an 81-yard score, looking both nimble and light on his feet.

As the target of the Broncos defense with the Cardinals unable to muster much of a passing game, Ellington averaged only 2.0 yards per carry, but he had 16 of the team's 19 carries. The Cardinals want to give him the ball, and he showed with that 81-yard touchdown that he's still capable of doing big things with it.

The return of quarterback Carson Palmer would go a long way to improving Ellington's value by giving the Cardinals offense some balance, but even as things stand now, he's worth starting every week in Fantasy.

As if things couldn't get worse for Broncos running back Montee Ball, the first-year starter injured his groin early in the third quarter Week 5 against Arizona and could potentially miss a few weeks.

He was a non-factor before the injury, rushing six times for 7 yards and catching two passes for 11, which seems like just a side note except when you consider that his replacement, Ronnie Hillman, was most certainly a factor, rushing 15 times for 64 yards.

C.J. Anderson was inactive for this game but has also looked good in relief of Ball this season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Ball himself has averaged 3.1 yards per carry.

Now, maybe with more exposure, Hillman and Anderson will prove to be less effective than Ball, making it easy for the Broncos to go back to their intended starter whenever he's ready to play again. But they could also make him an afterthought. If you own Ball in Fantasy, you'll want to make a play for Hillman first and Anderson second.

Patriots running back Shane Vereen ripped off 90 yards on just 10 carries in Sunday night's blowout of Cincinnati. Vereen caught all three of his targets for 18 yards in going over 100 total yards for the first time this season.

Vereen, who had not broken 70 total yards since the opener, will try to keep it going Week 6 at Buffalo.

Already without starting running back Ryan Mathews, who was sidelined for a third straight game because of an MCL sprain, the Chargers looked like they'd be without a running game when backup Donald Brown suffered a concussion in the second quarter Week 5 against the Jets. But that's only because Branden Oliver hadn't made himself known yet.

Against a defense that entered the day ranked No. 1 against the run, allowing 63.3 yards per game, Oliver turned in the Chargers' best rushing performance of the season, picking up 114 yards on 19 carries. He capped his first drive with a 15-yard touchdown run up the middle and weaved his way through the defense for a 52-yard gain early in the third quarter. And just for good measure, he had another 50-yard gain and a touchdown on two separate plays receiver.

He looks like he could be an every-down back for an offense that could use one, which would seem like a match made in Fantasy heaven. But with Mathews now three weeks into what was expected to be a four-to-five-week absence, Oliver may not be long for the role.

He's still a high priority on the waiver wire this week since Mathews could always suffer a setback, but understand that Oliver won't just get to take the job and run with it.