NFL Player News

Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman rushed for 74 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns while adding 29 yards on four receptions in his team's 42-17 blowout win over the 49ers in Week 7.

Hillman scored both of his touchdowns in the third quarter, avoiding would-be tacklers on a 37-yard score up the middle on his first score. He ran with authority on the second touchdown, plowing through a linebacker on a one-yard burst into the end zone. Hillman has strung together three impressive performances in October, and he's done enough to remain in the game plan once Montee Ball heals up, potentially even as the team's No. 1 back. The Broncos will square off with the Chargers on Thursday in Week 8.

Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson found the end zone for the first time since Week 1 Sunday, though that doesn't mean his Fantasy outlook has changed much.

The story in Week 7 remained the same as it has been for most of the season for Patterson, despite his touchdown. He scored on a 4-yard screen pass in the second quarter, one of just two receptions on the game for him. He had just 9 yards total in the game, and that isn't even his worst performance of the season.

Patterson has just 32 yards on six receptions over the last three games, and has been a total non-factor as a rusher as well. We entered the season with high hopes for Patterson, but he just hasn't looked up to it yet. At this point, Patterson is still best left at the end of your bench, just in case he does figure it out. 

Even though he rushed for 95 yards, Justin Forsett's performance Week 7 against the Falcons may seem a little underwhelming to Fantasy owners given that he was the CBSSports.com Start of the Week. After all, he didn't score a touchdown or catch a pass after contributing in both of those areas in previous weeks.

But even more encouraging than his actual production in Week 7 is the fact that he carried the ball 23 times, nearly three times as often as any other Ravens running back. That's a starter's workload, and by giving it to him, the Ravens confirmed once and for all that they see Forsett filling that role. It may have seemed like a given thanks to Forsett's production, but he actually had one fewer carry than Bernard Pierce in Week 6 and split the workload almost evenly with Pierce and Lorenzo Taliaferro in Week 5. Pierce did vulture a touchdown from Forsett in this one, but eight carries for 21 yards confirm he's now only second in the pecking order.

With this performance, Forsett only deserves more of your trust going forward, not less. Keep him active for what's actually a favorable matchup Week 8 at Cincinnati.

The Cowboys backup runners did little Week 7 against the Giants.

Lance Dunbar received three carries, gaining 16 yards. He was not targeted in the passing game. Joseph Randle gained 7 yards on two carries. He caught one pass for 14 yards. 

Both players will take on Washington Week 8. 

Jerick McKinnon has looked like a better option for the Vikings than Matt Asiata, and it seems like the team is ready to hand the running game over to him full time.

McKinnon has seen his role grow greatly over the last four games, but was still splitting carries with Asiata up until two weeks ago.McKinnon was clearly the top option in Week 7 against the Bills, however, as he received 19 carries to Asiata's six. More importantly, he looked like a back who is worthy of that kind of role, as he paced the team with 103 yards on the ground.

Asiata is not going away, and could end up stealing some goal-line carries from McKinnon, who has yet to score this season. However, if you could only own one back in Minnesota, McKinnon has to be the guy. Especially with a matchup against the ever-vulnerable Buccaneers' defense on the way in Week 8. 

After serving as just a change-of-pace option for the first six weeks, Denard Robinson became the focal point of the Jaguars running game Week 7 against Cleveland, and based on how he performed in the role, he's a good bet to keep it going forward.

He ran 22 times for 127 yards and a touchdown, with a long of only 20 yards. That's a good thing in this case. It means he didn't owe the majority of his yardage to a single play in which he happened to break free. He was just a consistent contributor out of the backfield.

That's more than anyone can say for Toby Gerhart, the team's intended starter at running back. Gerhart, who was sidelined for Week 7 with a foot injury, ran for fewer yards in five weeks of starting (123) than Robinson did in just this one. The Jaguars knew there had to be a better answer, even experimenting with rookie Storm Johnson, and may have finally found it in Robinson.

Injured or not, Gerhart is just a waste of a roster spot in Fantasy, and though Johnson has scored a touchdown in two straight games, his 2.3 yards per carry during that stretch shows he's no real threat to Robinson. The Jaguars really don't have anything to lose by giving the second-year player an extended look, so he should be a priority off the waiver wire this week.

Raiders running back Darren McFadden led the way on the ground Week 7.

McFadden again received the majority of the carries for Oakland, picking up 48 yards on 14 carries. He averaged just 3.4 yards per attempt during the contest. McFadden did manage to plunge in on a 1 yard run near the end of the second quarter. McFadden also hauled in four passes, but only gained 7 yards. 

He'll look for more Week 8 against the Browns. 

Chargers running back Branden Oliver rushed for 67 yards on 15 carries and added 11 yards on two receptions in his team's 23-20 loss to the Chiefs in Week 7.

Oliver was effective while averaging 4.5 yards per carry, but the Chargers put the ball in the hands of Philip Rivers while also losing the time-of-possession battle in a big way, holding on to possession for only 21 minutes. Oliver is up to 316 rushing yards and 135 receiving yards to go with three touchdowns. The Chargers will head to Denver for a Thursday night battle in Week 8.

As unlikely as it seems, the Colts have found a way to keep both Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw productive, as both topped double figures in Fantasy scoring yet again in Week 7 against the Bengals.

Both players have managed to reach double figures in Fantasy scoring in three of the last four games, and the duo has combined for nine touchdowns; seven have come from Bradshaw. The Colts are unafraid to run the ball or throw it to either player, and they have combined for 214 touches in seven games.

Most of the time, the running back by committee is harmful for Fantasy purposes, but both players in Indianapolis have been able to carve out their roles while remaining productive. Bradshaw is the better player here, but both should remain solid options heading into Week 8 against the Steelers. 

Cardinals running back Andre Ellington contributed in multiple ways Week 7.

Ellington made an impact in the rushing game, picking up 88 yards on 24 carries. He was equally impressive in the passing game, notching six receptions for 72 yards. Ellington led the team in both rushing and receiving yards for the game. He also avoided an injury during the contest. Ellington went down at the beginning of the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a leg issue. It turned out to be cramping, and Ellington was able to return.

He'll look for more Week 8 against the Eagles.