NFL Player News

Texans running back Jonathan Grimes came into Sunday's 37-13 loss to the Broncos in relief of an injured Deji Karim, carrying the ball five times for 23 yards. All of his carries came in the fourt quarter. 

Grimes, who was signed by the Texans earlier this week, may be pressed into Week 17 duty against the Titans, as Dennis Johnson appeared to hurt his hamstring in the game, and Karim went to the locker room limping in the fourth quarter. 

Grimes is in his second year of professional football. He had two career carries before Sunday's game. 

Patriots running back Shane Vereen left Sunday's game against the Ravens in Week 16 with a groin injury, according to The Boston Globe.

Vereen, who caught 4-yard pass for a touchdown in the opening quarter, left the game late in the first with the injury. He had two carries for 6 yards and one grab for 4 yards before getting hurt. His status remains uncertain for the remainder of the game.

Washington running back Roy Helu had just one carry Week 16 against the Cowboys.

Helu carried for -2 yards. He also caught two passes for five yards. He was not a big part of the team's running plans. Helu will take on the Giants Week 17.

The Dolphins offense had a miserable performance in Week 16 against the Bills, and the running backs were not exempt. Daniel Thomas and Lamar Miller finished Sunday's game with just 14 combined yards on the ground in a 19-0 loss.

Miller rushed the ball just three times for 8 yards, and was barely seen on the field for much of the game. Thomas even worse, finishing with 6 yards on nine carries, while adding one reception for 3 yards.

Thomas rushed for 105 yards in Week 14, but has just 30 yards combined in his other three games. He enters Week 17 against the Jets with 406 yards on the ground, while Miller has 636 yards. 

Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman carried the ball three times for six yards in Sunday's 37-13 win over the Texans. He had all three carries at the end of the game, in what was essentially garbage time. 

With the Broncos having wrapped up a first-round bye, there is a chance Hillman sees some more carries in the season finale, as the starters are rested. The three carries were his first since Week 7. 

The Broncos play the Raiders in Week 17. 

Buccaneers running back Bobby Rainey received plenty of work in Week 16 against the Rams, but struggled to make an impact in a 23-13 loss.

Rainey ran the ball 20 times, but managed to pick up just 37 yards on the ground. He did score early in the game on a 1-yard run in the first quarter, but did little beyond that. He added one reception for 4 yards, and lost a fumble as well. 

Rainey has been a bit hit or miss for the Buccaneers, rushing for 100-plus yards twice, but less than 50 in four of his other seven games. He enters Week 17 against the Saints with 531 yards on 139 carries, with five touchdowns. 

The Colts still won't let Trent Richardson sit -- they gave him 16 carries and plenty of playing time in passing situations on Sunday at the Chiefs. He turned those 16 carries into just 43 yards (a 2.7 rushing average) and caught three of five targets for 15 yards. 

Richardson continues to look tentative when handling the rushing work, taking extra long to make a cut and run. There were several plays where Richardson was hit in the backfield, making for either a nominal gain or a loss. 

He'll keep trying to fit into the Indianapolis offense next week when it hosts the Jaguars in Week 17. 

Colts running back Donald Brown collected 79 yards on 10 carries and 31 yards on two catches with a rushing score and a receiving score on big plays to help his team upend the Chiefs 23-7 in Kansas City on Sunday. 

Brown's first touchdown came on a 33-yard catch-and-run where Luck checked-down to the back and he had tons of room to run. He avoided two Chiefs defenders and just got inside the front right pylon for the Colts' first touchdown of the game. 

In the third quarter Brown ran through the right guard, picked up a block and then broke away from one Chiefs defender and leaped over another as he kept his feet in bounds for a 51-yard score. It was all the Colts needed to put away the sloppy Chiefs defense. 

Brown will take on the Jaguars at home in Week 17 before the Colts host a home game in the playoffs. 

Raiders running back Darren McFadden, who's missed two straight games with an ankle injury, is active for the game at San Diego. He's expected to be mixed in behind Rashad Jennings.

The Cardinals have ruled wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (concussion), tight end Rob Housler (groin), quarterback Carson Palmer (ankle, right elbow), linebacker Matt Shaughnessy (groin), defensive back Justin Bethel (wrist), linebacker Karlos Dansby (foot), running back Andre Ellington (quadriceps), wide receiver Michael Floyd (ankle) and running back Rashard Mendenhall (finger) active for Sunday's contest against Seattle in Week 16.