NFL Player News

Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said Monday starting running back Trent Richardson (shin) has been practicing for a few days with the rookies and is cleared for training camp. Richardson sat out the mandatory June minicamp and the final week of organized team activities with a muscle strain in his right shin.

Patriots running back Shane Vereen has the chance to be a breakout player this season. He should be considered a solid No. 3 running back in standard leagues and a potential No. 2 running back in PPR formats.

His Average Draft Position on CBSSports.com is No. 65 overall, which is about right for his expected role.

Vereen will replace Danny Woodhead, who left New England for San Diego. He should be in line for a big boost in production. Last year, Woodhead played on most passing downs in New England. He had 76 carries for 301 yards and four touchdowns and 40 catches for 446 yards and three touchdowns, and he finished as the No. 24 Fantasy running back in standard leagues.

Vereen is an upgrade over Woodhead in terms of talent, and hopefully he will earn Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's trust like Woodhead did. Keep in mind that the Patriots need help in their passing game with Rob Gronkowski (back) hurt and Aaron Hernandez, Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd gone. And Vereen caught seven passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the postseason last year.

He will also get his share of carries in tandem with Stevan Ridley, and he's a great running back to target in Round 6 in standard leagues and Round 5 in PPR formats.

The Raiders will go into training camp with a potential position battle at No. 2 running back behind Darren McFadden, which is an important role given McFadden's injury history.

The main participants will be rookie Latavius Murray and Rashad Jennings, but fullback Marcel Reece is also in the mix.

According to Comcast Sports Net, Murray might have the lead going into training camp because at 223 pounds, Murray fits the Raiders scheme the best. Murray missed part of the offseason program with a foot injury, so he must make the most of training camp and his preseason carries to earn the No. 2 spot.

Jennings came to Oakland via free agency from Jacksonville, where he averaged 2.8 yards per carry and struggled filling in for Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) last season.

Reece filled in for McFadden last year, but the Raiders seem intent on keeping him at fullback. Still, if McFadden gets hurt this season, Reece could still play a prominent role.

The Titans want to see more consistency from running back Chris Johnson this season, reports The Tennessean.

The report says that last season Johnson had 29 carries of better than 10 yards, but he was also stuffed -- held to zero or negative yards -- 38 times. The latter figure was third highest in the league.

Johnson also caught only 36 passes for 232 yards last season, both career-lows for the five-year veteran. He caught at least 50 passes in two of his first four seasons, and the Titans want to get him more involved in the passing game again.

Browns running back Trent Richardson expects to be ready for the start of training camp next week, reports the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Richardson sat out the mandatory June minicamp and the final week of organized team activities with a muscle strain in his right shin.

"I have no pain at all in the leg," he said. "I'll be ready for camp and I'll be ready to go for the season. ... I'll be full-go right from the get-go and y'all out there will see me flying around. I can't wait to get out there and I can't wait for the first game. I've been waiting forever for this season and I know it's going to be a good one for us."

Daryl Richardson was listed as the "projected starter" at running back for the Rams heading into training camp on the team's official website.

Under the heading "key contributors," the Rams also listed Isaiah Pead and rookie Zac Stacy.

Richardson likely has the edge as the starter based on experience. He outplayed Pead in their rookie season in 2012, and this will be Stacy's first season in the NFL.

Richardson had 98 carries for 475 yards as Steven Jackson's backup last year. Pead, meanwhile, had just 10 carries for 54 yards. He is also suspended for Week 1 for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

In our recent 12-team standard mock draft, Raiders running back Darren McFadden was selected in Round 3 at No. 34 overall. That's a great value pick based on his Average Draft Position on CBSSports.com.

McFadden's ADP is No. 29 overall, and he could be a steal in Round 3 -- if, of course, he stays healthy. McFadden has never played in more than 13 games in a season and missed 13 games the past two years.

But the Raiders are committed to McFadden by going back to a power rushing game, which suits his style of play. And the Raiders are lacking in weapons, which means McFadden is going to see plenty of touches.

It's always going to be a gamble with McFadden based on his injury concerns, but as we saw in 2010 when he had 1,600 total yards and 10 touchdowns, he can be a beast when healthy. I'd gamble on McFadden in Round 3, and you should also.

Chargers coach Mike McCoy continues to support running back Ryan Mathews coming into the season. Even though the team signed Danny Woodhead and brought back veteran Ronnie Brown, McCoy expects Mathews to play a prominent role, reports NFL.com.

McCoy said that the running back moves had "nothing to do" with Mathews' shortcomings. It was about building depth behind Mathews. McCoy's expectations for Mathews are clear: "To have a great year and be the guy."

Browns running back Trent Richardson has to stay healthy this season based on his expected workload under new coordinator Norv Turner, reports ESPN.

Turner, who has a lengthy history coaching running backs -- Emmitt Smith, Ricky Williams, Frank Gore and LaDainian Tomlinson during his career -- plans to rely on Richardson if he's healthy. Running backs under Turner average about 300 carries and 55 catches in a season.  

The Browns kept Richardson out of about half the OTA and minicamp practices because of a pulled muscle in a lower leg. Club doctors feared the injury might lead to a stress fracture, so they shut him down.

He is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

Redskins running back Roy Helu could be a difference-maker this season if he's healthy, reports The Washington Times.

The report says Helu's speed and elusiveness on the second level set him apart from Alfred Morris. And a healthy Helu would reduce Morris’ physical burden after Morris carried 335 times last year.

Helu is a quality third-down back because of his good hands, his ability to gain yards after the catch and his adequate pass blocking. He improved his blitz recognition as his rookie season progressed in 2011.

But Helu's durability is a concern until he proves otherwise. Knee and toe problems have affected him in each of his first two seasons, and last season he played only the first three games. He was cleared to practice in June, and Helu proved he could sharply cut at the end of OTAs.