NFL Player News

 The Broncos inactive list for Week 15 against the Chargers is heavy with injured players Thursday, as wide receiver Wes Welker (concussion), defensive back Champ Bailey (foot), running back C.J. Anderson (illness) and defensive lineman Derek Wolfe (illness) were all unable to play Thursday.

Additionally, quarterback Zac Dysert and offensive linemen Chris Kuper and J.D. Walton were not in uniform for the game. 

Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (illness) is inactive for Week 15 against the Chargers Thursday, despite being listed on the injury report as probable. Anderson has appeared in just four games this season.

Titans featured back Chris Johnson has stressed the importance of adding another 1,000-yard season to his resume. He is on pace for 1,009, which would give him six in a row.

"Just to get 1,000 yards every year is a blessing," Johnson told The Tennesseean. "Coming in, you want to get way more than 1,000 yards. I am definitely surprised (it's not more). There was a lot of hype and big expectations this year, but a lot of things didn't go well."

Johnson has overcome a four-game span in which he gained just 110 yards to put himself on the verge of another 1,000-yard season.

The chances of Raiders running back Darren McFadden (ankle) playing Sunday against Kansas City diminished further when he was absent again from practice on Thursday.

McFadden, whom the Contra Costa Times has speculated might miss the rest of the season, could be considered third string at this point behind Rashad Jennings and Marcel Reece.

Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (knee) practiced on a limited basis Wednesday as the team prepared for Week 15 at Tennessee. Ellington sat out Week 13 with the injury, then returned Sunday and ran 11 times for 46 yards and a touchdown.

Several minor skill position Broncos and linemen are among the probables for their game Thursday against San Diego.

Among them are running back C.J. Anderson (illness), wide receiver Trindon Holliday (shoulder), tight end Joel Dreessen (knee) and offensive linemen Chris Kuper (ankle), J.D. Walton (ankle) and Winston Justice (finger).

The defensive probables are backs Omar Bolden (shoulder), David Bruton (shoulder) and Mike Adams (thumb) and end Malik Jackson (knee). 

With unrest at head coach and quarterback, the Redskins seem like an easy target for the Falcons in Week 15 after looking completely disinterested in a 45-10 loss against the Chiefs last week. That's good news for Falcons backup running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who has been minimally involved since starter Steven Jackson returned from a hamstring injury in Week 8.

Rodgers' 10 touches -- seven carries and three catches -- last week were his most in five games, so it's clear the Falcons haven't forgotten about him. With all the turmoil in Washington, the Redskins figure to be susceptible to blowouts from now until the end of the season, and though the Falcons aren't as likely to capitalize as the Chiefs were, the switch from Robert Griffin III to Kirk Cousins at quarterback only helps their cause.

If the game gets out of hand, Rodgers could get more work late against the team that has allowed the second-most Fantasy points to running backs. It's not a likely enough possibility for you to start him in a standard 12-team league, but in a 16-team points-per-reception league, he's worth a longer look this week.

Given coach Chuck Pagano's stated perference for Donald Brown earlier this month, Colts running back Trent Richardson is a long shot to get more than a handful of carries against the Texans in Week 15. And he's even more of a long shot to do anything with whatever he gets.

Richardson has averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry in 10 of his 11 games with the Colts. He has averaged 2.5 over during a six-game stretch in which he has gotten no more than eight carries. He has gotten more involved in the passing game in recent weeks, catching five balls for 68 yards at Cincinnati in Week 14, but as a rusher, he's a non-factor.

So even though he has what appears to be a favorable matchup Week 15 against the Texans --who rank 21st against the run, allowing 118.5 yards per game, and have given up the 11th-most Fantsay points to running backs -- you wouldn't want to use him in Fantasy. Of the three CBSSports.com Fantasy Football analysts, Dave Richard ranks him the highest this week and still has him only 38th among running backs.

As expected, Colts running back Donald Brown wasn't much of a factor against a top-five Bengals run defense last week, but the outlook is better for him Week 15 against the Texans.

Houston ranks 21st against the run this season, allowing 118.5 yards per game, and has given up the 11th-most Fantasy points to running backs this season. The Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew has rushed for 187 yards in two games against them, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He has averaged 3.0 yards per carry in his other 11 games this season.

Brown picked up 49 yards on six carries when he visited the Texans in Week 9, but the Colts were relying more on Trent Richardson back then. Brown seems to be their preferred backfield option right now.

Against a struggling team that just fired its head coach, the Colts could jump out to an early lead and rely on Brown to close out the game, but Texans have played the Jaguars and Patriots close the last couple weeks. Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard and Nathan Zegura all rank Brown among their top 20 running backs for this week, but given the uncertain backfield situation and inconsistent offensive philosophy, he's better used as a flex option in Fantasy.

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews already has a solid performance against his Week 15 opponent -- he scored 11 Fantasy points (in standard leagues) on 59 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Broncos in Week 10. 

Since that game, Mathews has run for over 100 yards twice, scoring two touchdowns and averaging 22.3 receiving yards. In that four-game span, Mathews has averaged 13.3 Fantasy points per game in standard leagues. 

Denver, meanwhile, has allowed five touchdowns over those last four games to opposing running backs, as well as 41 receiving yards per game. They've caused four fumbles in that run, which might be a bit of a concern for Mathews, who has encountered fumble issues in the past, but Mathews has fumbled just once this season and could carry momentum forward from his 29-carry game in Week 14. 

There's still some risk involved with Mathews -- a quick turnaround after a heavy workload, the presence of Danny Woodhead, and the past fumble issues -- but he's solid enough of an option to be used in most Fantasy formats this week.