September 2014 4for4 Player News Articles

The Kansas City Chiefs have created space on their roster for the return of right tackle Donald Stephenson by placing running back Joe McKnight on injured reserve.

McKnight became the third Chiefs player to tear his Achilles tendon when he was hurt in practice last week. He was coming off a two-touchdown game in a win in Miami.

Coach Mike McCarthy tried and tried to get the Green Bay Packers running game going with Eddie Lacy last Sunday at Soldier Field, neglecting James Starks in the process.

It was the second time in four games this season that Starks failed to carry the ball.

"James Starks should touch the football every single game," McCarthy said Tuesday. "That will not happen again."

Expect Starks to have some kind of role in Thursday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. Considering he has averaged 5.0 yards per carry on his limited (15) attempts this season, perhaps that could jump-start a running game that has sputtered through the first four games. Lacy did score a TD last week but carried 17 times for only 48 yards. His schedule starts to ease a little so now looks to be the time for Lacy to step up.

Running back and kick returner LaMichael James agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins to join their practice squad.

The deal Tuesday came after James was released Sept. 8 by the San Francisco 49ers, who took him in the second round of the 2012 draft.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden has been impressed with the way quarterback Robert Griffin III has worked to rehab his injured ankle but a little over two weeks after the injury Gruden still doesn’t have a good idea of when Griffin might be able to play again.

“He’s doing a great job. For whatever injury he has, he’s probably going to recover quicker than the normal human being, faster than anyone, probably,” said Gruden. “So it won’t surprise me when he comes back, I’m sure he’ll be quicker than normal. He’s doing everything he can to get right but what that timetable is, I have no idea. Only his body will know and the trainers.”

Kirk Cousins will have a tough schedule ahead, starting this week with Seattle. After lighting up the Eagles, Cousins struggled last week against the Giants and may not be etched in stone as the team's starter when RGIII returns.

The NFL wants to “Protect Football on Free TV.” The FCC did just that on Tuesday, voting unanimously to abandon the blackout rule.

“This is a historic day for sports fans,” Sports Fans Coalition chairman David Goodriend said in a release. “Since 1975, the federal government has propped up the NFL’s obnoxious practice of blacking out a game from local TV if the stadium did not sell out. Today’s FCC action makes clear: if leagues want to mistreat fans, they will have to do so without Uncle Sam’s help.”

It doesn’t mean the blackout rule has died; the NFL and broadcast networks can agree to abide by its terms. Today’s decision means only that the NFL can’t insist on network blackouts via an FCC policy that previously gave the NFL the ability to pull the plug.

Since 1975, the NFL has blocked local broadcasts of games in which the home team failed to sell all non-premium tickets at least 72 hours before kickoff.

Redskins beat writers Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler answered questions about the Redskins TEs, specifically how Niles Paul is progressing through protocol after suffering a concussion.

We should get a status update Tuesday from Coach Jay Gruden and possibly Niles Paul himself. But if you read between the lines, roster moves provided us with a hint. The Redskins had two vacant roster spots. They signed a cornerback and a safety. If there was serious doubt about Paul, they probably would have signed a tight end. Because if Jordan Reed (hamstring) and Paul are both sidelined against the Seahawks, that would leave them with Logan Paulsen as their only healthy tight end.

Reed was back at practice Tuesday and wearing pads while Paul was not, CSN Washington reported in another item. Paul took a nasty hit against the Giants, and it's hard to imagine he would be back on the field as quick as this week. Looks like Reed may be porgressing enough to play Week 5.

QB Carson Palmer said nerve in shoulder hasn't progressed as much as hoped but still thinks he could prove capable of starting.

We keep hearing there is no real timetable for Palmer's return, and he could wake up one morning and feel fine, or it could linger for a while. This news makes it seem like it's lingering, but that Palmer wants to try and play through it. Drew Stanton could start again this week against the Broncos.

Jags WR Marqise Lee's status was still uncertain Monday.

Lee missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, and is going through the team’s return-to-play protocol and could practice this week. That situation should be updated Wednesday. Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns look like they could get a bulk of the work, and Ace Sanders returns from suspension and could also see time.

Jags WR Ace Sanders, suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the season, has been cleared to participate in all team-related activities, the team announced on Monday. The second-year veteran wide receiver could play against the Steelers.

“He’s fired up,” Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley said of Sanders during his weekly next-day press conference Monday at EverBank Field. “He’s excited. You can only imagine.”

The team will likely be without Cecil Shorts so if Sanders is active he could see some time. Marquis Lee is still a question mark.

Detroit Lions tight end Joseph Fauria said he sprained his left ankle while trying to potty-train his dog, a Pomeranian-Husky mix named Lil' Rufio.

"He was about to pee and I was like, 'Come here you little nugget,'" Fauria said. "And I was chasing him downstairs. I wasn't running but I was chasing him downstairs and I just misstepped and I reached with my left foot and I just didn't end up well."

Fauria denied rumors he got hurt playing volleyball or at a bar.

"I heard footgolf, basketball, lewd activities as well," Fauria said. "I'm no stranger to rumors. I did get suspended from a school and I know those rumors were around, too. I'm no stranger to it, but I was there supporting my friends and it happened two hours after."

It doesn’t look like Titan QB Jake Locker's absence will be an extended one. On Monday, coach Ken Whisenhunt said that he expects Locker will practice on Wednesday and that the quarterback was “very close” to playing against Indianapolis.

“My only concern was if he got hit … during the game that it would bother him and then he’d lose his effectiveness,” Whisenhunt said, via the Tennessean. “We just wanted to make sure he’s past that hurdle. He didn’t throw today. I think he’ll continue with treatment. He was very close Sunday … I would anticipate he’ll practice Wednesday.”

Whisenhunt added that he hoped the time off might get Locker back to his form from the season opener, the story said. Locker played well in the Titans’ only win of the season, but followed it up with a pair of poor performances before he was injured. The Titans have home games with the Browns and Jaguars coming up.

The Panthers didn't waste much time filling their need for a healthy running back.

Carolina signed free-agent running back Chris Ogbonnaya Monday night after cutting Tauren Poole, who was signed last week and fumbled in his first and only carry in Sunday's 38-10 loss to Baltimore.

Ogbonnaya, a fifth-year player, was released by the Browns just before the start of this season. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 draft out of Texas by the Rams.

Ogbonnaya's most productive season came last year for the Browns. He rushed 49 times for 240 yards for an average of 4.9 yards per carry, and he caught 48 passes for 343 yards and a touchdown.

At 6-foot and 220 pounds, he has seen time at both fullback and tailback. Panthers coach Ron Rivera said he was looking for a veteran running back who could help immediately in pass protection while also grasping the playbook quickly.

The RB situation not a pretty picture in Carolina. Darrin Reaves could see a lot of work if Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams can't go. Fozzy Whittaker could be next in line along with Ogbonnaya.

The Indianapolis Colts have parted ways with Da'Rick Rogers.

Coach Chuck Pagano announced Monday that the team has released the second-year wide receiver for conduct detrimental to the team.

Pagano told reporters that it would be "inappropriate to speak further" on the matter, per Mike Chappell of RTV6.

Rogers was arrested early Monday morning for operating a vehicle while intoxicated on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Rogers' BAC was between 0.08 and 0.14, according to police.

The Minnesota Vikings are still hopeful tight end Kyle Rudolph, who had sports hernia surgery last Tuesday, will be back on the field in fewer than eight weeks, the time Rudolph would have had to miss if the Vikings had put him on injured reserve with a designation to return this season.

A league source said last week that Rudolph would miss six weeks with the injury, and Rudolph said Monday he was able to walk without crutches after his surgery in Philadelphia last week.

"I'm moving around a lot better," Rudolph said. "I'm excited to get the recovery process going. Now, I'm almost a week in. It's just doing everything I can to get better every day."

Rudolph said the injury first surfaced during the first week of training camp, when he noticed pain on the right side of his abdomen.

Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer said last week that he’s “definitely” playing against the Broncos after missing the last two Arizona games with a nerve problem in his right shoulder. Coach Bruce Arians sounded a bit less convinced while discussing Palmer’s status on Monday.

Arians said, via Darren Urban of the team’s website, that Wednesday will be the day for Palmer to show that the issue has progressed to the point that he’ll be able to make the necessary throws to start against Denver. Arians added that he had hoped to see more progress from Palmer at this point, which makes his outlook for Sunday even further away from “definite.”

Urban also reported that Palmer wasn’t doing any throwing during the parts of practice open to reporters on Monday. Wednesday should give us a clearer idea if that’s part of the plan to get him healthy or if the shoulder still isn’t letting Palmer do what he needs to do to get back on the field. Drew Stanton would get the start again if Palmer can't go.

The slumping New York Jets have made a surprise move in the aftermath of their third straight loss.

The team announced Monday that it has released wide receiver Jalen Saunders, a fourth-round pick in May's draft. The Jets' filled Saunders' roster spot by signing veteran wideout T.J. Graham.

Saunders was inactive in Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions, six days after he muffed a punt against the Chicago Bears. He is a candidate to land on the Jets' practice squad.

Lions running back Joique Bell is believed to have suffered a concussion at the end of the third quarter. He was evaluated for a head injury and team officials prohibited him from speaking to media after the game, a league-wide policy for concussed players.

"Not going to talk about injuries, in particular," Caldwell said. "I'll leave that up to our injury report. You can take a look at that when it does come out."

Theo Riddick has a hamstring issue, meaning Reggie Bush could be in line for a big workload in Week 5 against the Bills.

All signs appear to be pointing toward WR Odell Beckham Jr. making his Giants debut on Sunday against the Falcons.

Watching the team's 2014 pick work at practice is becoming commonplace around the facility. Beckham warmed up with his team and ran routes at (almost) full speed again on Monday.

There is a chance he could be listed as a full participant once the injury report comes out this afternoon, which has not happened yet this season.

The story goes on to say that Beckham playing would certainly be uplifting for an offense that already appears to be putting things together. Beckham's speed and hands will be a game-changer, though it wouldn't be a surprise to see Ben McAdoo work him back in slowly.

Jags RB Denard Robinson played a career-high 36 snaps, which was one less than Gerhart (21) and Jordan Todman (16) combined. He ran for 25 yards and caught three passes for 7 yards, but all of his catches came behind the line of scrimmage, and PFF reports that Robinson actually had 21 yards after the catch.

Gerhart did go to the bench after fumbling on his first carry, but returned during the Jaguars’ second possession and finished with 32 yards rushing on 10 carries and had one catch for 8 yards. Despite the discrepancy in playing time, coach Gus Bradley said Gerhart has not fallen behind Robinson on the depth chart.

"Just trying to utilize everybody’s strengths," Bradley said. "You see the receivers move around, too. We’re trying to utilize their strengths. That’s been kind of our philosophy."

Gerhart did score a rushing TD but outside of that it's been a rough start to the season for owners who continue to stick with him. Robinson is still learning the position, the story said, and adjusting from running the ball as a QB in college to a running back at the pro level. RB is likely the best way for the team to get Robinson on the field and use his skills. Seems like he has a way to go, and it's a situation worth monitoring.

For 30 minutes anyway, QB Blake Bortles showed glimpses of how dynamic and special he might be once the Jaguars get more proven talent around him. He made it look routine in a mistake-free first half, completing 15 of 18 passes for 149 yards.

And that was playing with five other rookies on his side of the ball, including tight end Nic Jacobs, a five-day-old employee signed off the New Orleans Saints practice squad. One of Bortles’ prettiest throws was his TD pass in the corner of the end zone, lobbing the ball over two defenders, to a spot where only Jacobs could bring it down.

More impressive, it was the way Bortles moved the offense up and down the field, doing it almost effortlessly on back-to-back scoring drives. On the first TD march, he zipped a third-down, 13-yard sideline pass to Cecil Shorts, then connected on a play-action throw to tight end Clay Harbor down the seam for another 22 yards.

“[Bortles] has a savvy about him to make big plays” said receiver Allen Robinson. “Just his ability to make plays when nothing’s there. I don’t think there’s any such thing as a dead play with him.”

The story went on to say that for the first time all season, the Jaguars’ offense looked lethal, even if it didn’t last long enough to keep them in the game. Another positive sign was after Philiop Rivers took the Chargers 83 yards for their first TD, Bortles responded with a 76-yard march of his own that featured another display of his instinct and athleticism. Bortles certainly has some fantasy upside and his defense is likely going to put him in position to throw a lot, so he'll have some lower-end fantasy value going forward and probably get a lot of garbage-time production as a result.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Bucs QB Josh McCown will throw the ball to see how well he can sling it and if the pain from his torn ligament is tolerable. If it isn’t, McCown will head for surgery that would keep him out of the lineup for six weeks.

There’s been no public discussion of the quarterback plans moving forward in Tampa, but Lovie Smith may have given a hint while discussing how one win can change things after a rough start to the season.

“I definitely believe in momentum,” Smith said, via ESPN.com. “Sometimes nothing good happens until you just keep going. Once you get that momentum, you find a way to win. You have to experience it first. We didn’t know how to win.”

With Mike Glennon under center the last game and a quarter, the Bucs offense has shown some life. Glennon led the team to a game-winning TD in Pittsburgh in Week 4. We'll keep an eye on McCown's status, but it's hard to imagine the Bucs going back to him any time in the immediate future.

Jets beat writer Rich Cimini sees TE Jace Amaro as someone's stock who is rising:

The rookie finished with a team-high five catches for 58 yards, including four catches in the second half.

What took so long? They should've featured Amaro from the outset, especially against the Lions' suspect safeties, but he was targeted only once in the first half.

Early on, Jeff Cumberland got most of the reps on passing downs. Amaro needs to be a bigger part of the offense, the story said, and his ability to run after the catch is a much-needed dimension. If you're hurting at the position, Amaro may be a guy to grab off the wire, perhaps especially for those who have done the Jordan Reed and Niles Paul dance so far this season.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo isn’t ready to say he is 100 percent.

“I think I am getting close,” Romo said after the Cowboys’ 38-17 win against the New Orleans Saints.

Whatever the percentage is, Romo is feeling much better than he did in the first two weeks of the regular season. He has altered his practiced schedule the last two weeks, taking off Wednesday’s workouts to focus on strengthening his core and legs.

In the last two games Romo has completed 40 of 52 passes for 479 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception.

“I think it’s always going to be there. You’re going to have to constantly work on your back, but that doesn’t mean you can’t come back and be what you were,” Romo said. “I think that is part of being a great football player. That is what I’m trying to do and that is what I am going to have to do to be successful.”

For the second straight game, Romo’s legs were a big part of the story, too. On third and 5 from the New Orleans 49, Romo scrambled for a career-long 21-yard pickup. On the next play DeMarco Murray scored on a 28-yard run to give the Cowboys a 31-3 lead. Romo is starting to look like his old self from a fantasy standpoint. Outside of Seattle in Week 6, Romo's schedule is pretty favorable. The only thing holding him back is Murray's success in the running game, but even so, it seems like he's at least going to have some low-end QB1 value going forward.

Cowboys Inactives
Lavar Edwards DE
Donald Hawkins T
Terrell McClain DT
Tyler Patmon DB
Korey Toomer LB
Dustin Vaughan QB

Saints Inactives
Marcus Ball DB
David Hawthorne LB
Mark Ingram RB
John Jenkins NT
Erik Lorig FB
Joe Morgan WR
Patrick Robinson CB

Khiry Robinson will fill in for an injured Mark Ingram.

Eagles Inactives
Matt Barkley QB
Kevin Graf T
Taylor Hart DE
Josh Huff WR
Jason Kelce C
Mychal Kendricks ILB
Jaylen Watkins CB

Vikings Inactives
Scott Crichton DE
Chad Greenway OLB
Charles Johnson WR
Kyle Rudolph TE
Rodney Smith WR
Brandon Watts OLB
David Yankey G

Chargers Inactives
Jeremiah Attaochu OLB
David Johnson TE
Ryan Mathews RB
Rich Ohrnberger C
Manti Te'o ILB
Jason Verrett CB
Reggie Walker OLB

Donald Brown will carry the load for the Chargers.

Jaguars Inactives
Clay Harbor TE
Jeremy Harris CB
Storm Johnson RB
Tavarres King WR
Marqise Lee WR
Austin Pasztor T
Tyler Shatley G

After catching three passes for 16 yards in Week 1, Pats WR Danny Amendola hasn’t caught a pass in two games in a row for the first time in his career. On Saturday, the wide out said he was only looking ahead and trying to fill his role on the team as best he could.

“I’m not really focused on the past couple of games. I’m looking forward to this next game,” Amendola said. “With that said, everybody has a role. Whatever role that is, you have to produce in that role. Whatever they ask you do in the play, you have to get your job done. That’s really all I’m focused on.”

The state sheet hasn’t been kind to Amendola in the early portion of this season and part of the reason is due to penalties. Technically, Amendola has only been targeted once in each of the past two games. That hasn’t happened since the first two games of his 2009 rookie season.

Amendola has had three decent-sized gains called back because of penalties the story says, but even with those plays his total yards would be 76 instead of 16. No one on the Pats is really lighting it up though, and QB Tom Brady recently said only WR Julian Edelman is playing well enough among the group. Someone will need to step up but until then no one other than Edelman among WRs is fantasy lineup worthy.

With Giants TE Larry Donnell quickly establishing himself as a legitimate receiving threat and WR Odell Beckham eyeing a return this week, WR Victor Cruz is going to have more open space than ever.

"I love it," Cruz said. "I love the opportunity; I got the ball twice from the backfield already. Just the chance to give me the ball and operate in some space, and do some good things in that area. It is just another way that coach (Ben) McAdoo has been able to give me the ball and be positive."

For Cruz, who currently leads the Giants in targets (32), receiving yards (299) and yards per reception (16.6), the development is obviously welcome. He will start seeing some of the same looks as he did in 2012, back when he wasn't the most important receiver for the defense to key on.

The Giants are trying to find different way to get Cruz the ball but especially free in space, and Cruz coming out of the backfield is the latest wrinkle. Perhaps this whole Giant offense is starting to find its way. The Giants have a couple of nice passing matchups in the next two weeks which will certainly help: Atlanta in Week 5 and then the Eagles in Week 6.

In Thursday night’s debacle against the New York Giants, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins reverted to the turnover-prone form that he displayed in limited action during the first two seasons of his career.

Cousins posted a career-worst five turnovers (four interceptions, one fumble lost) while throwing for just one touchdown. In 11 game appearances since his rookie year in 2012 – six of them starts – Cousins has recorded 15 interceptions and three lost fumbles to go with 14 touchdown passes. He has thrown multiple interceptions in four of those games.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden called Cousins’ penchant for turning the ball over worrisome, but said the young quarterback was hardly the sole problem in Thursday’s game.

“It’s worrisome, [but] you have to take the game for what it is. We lost the game, he didn’t play very well, he threw four picks, we understand that, and a fumble, but he didn’t have a lot of help, either,” Gruden said. “There weren’t a lot of people – the defense didn’t help him out, the offensive line didn’t help him out, the receivers didn’t help him out. There’s a lot of other factors that we could have had better game, a better outing, if other people were helping more. It’s not just Kirk. Kirk, his mistakes are magnified obviously, but there are other guys who had mistakes that were equally important and devastating to the football game. We just have to continue to work to get better, and we will, but we’re not going to hold Kirk’s head under the water right now. We’re going to keep him composed and getting better, and he’s going to be fine next week.”

Cousins lit up the Eagles defense but coming into a short week had completely different results against an equally bad Giants defense. Things don't get much easier in terms of matchups outside of the Cowboys in Week 8 - the Skins will face four top-half defenses in terms of allowing fantasy points to QBs: Seahawks Week 5, Cardinals Week 6, Titans Week 7 and Vikings Week 9 leading up to the Week 10 bye.

Through three games in this young season Colts RB Trent Richardson is in a comfort zone that allows him to play freely and have fun again, something he hasn’t experienced in a few years.

After averaging only 2.9 yards a carry last season, Richardson has increased his average to 3.8 yards this season while basically sharing the backfield load with Ahmad Bradshaw. Richardson had long runs of 15 and 27 yards in each of the past two games.

Too often Richardson was met by multiple defenders behind the line of scrimmage and went down on initial contact last season. He has improved on that. Ninety of his 156 yards rushing have come after initial contact.

And when teams have put eight players in the box? Richardson has rushed for 45 yards on 11 attempts for a 4.1 average when that has happened this season.

Richardson credits the improved offensive line and playing with Bradshaw, who is averaging 6.0 yards a carry.

Tight end Vance McDonald came off the practice field after all of his teammates to go through a workout with position coach Eric Mangini. "You can see how much I'm sweating," McDonald told reporters before adding that he "absolutely" would play on Sunday after missing Week 3 with a bum knee.

Vernon Davis is questionable, but if he can't play, it sounds like McDonald would be the player to get the biggest bump in snaps. McDonald was playing ahead of third-string TE Derek Carrier prior to the knee injury.

Titans QB Jake Locker (right wrist, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. Locker has a very sore wrist which doesn’t bode well for his Week 4 availability. HC Ken Whisenhunt said he was encouraged by Locker’s progress this week, but The Tennessean believes that he is closer to out or doubtful than he is to questionable. Charlie Whitehurst would likely trade his clipboard for a football if Locker can’t go.

Bills QB E.J. Manuel (abdomen, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Manuel will be fine to face the Texans in Week 4.

Buccaneers QB Josh McCown (right thumb, doubtful) missed practice all week and is doubtful for Week 4. Mike Glennon is very likely to start against the Steelers in Week 4. He may improve the fantasy prospects of Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (not injury related, probable) was limited Friday after taking full reps earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4. Roethlisberger will be fine to face the Bucs.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo (back, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Romo should be able to post good numbers against the Saints.

Raiders QB Matt Schaub (not injury related, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Steelers RB Dri Archer (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Lions RB Joique Bell (knee, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Bell will play against the Jets, but is not a good start given the very tough matchup. The Jets are yielding just 2.8 YPC and the Lions’ ground game has not been strong.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw (not injury related) took full practice reps again Friday. Bradshaw will play against the Colts.

Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (ankle) took limited practice reps again Friday. Andy Reid said he thinks Charles will play on Monday night, and it certainly is trending that way. If he can’t go Knile Davis would get another start. Unfortunately, those owners who don’t have Davis as a fallback option will be put in a tough spot. The injury report for Monday Night Football will be released on Saturday.

Texans RB Arian Foster (hamstring, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. HC Bill O’Brien said the team will make a decision on Sunday morning before the game. Alfred Blue would get the lion’s share of the carries if Foster misses Week 4. Beat writer John McClain said that he thinks Foster will play, though it’s very much up in the air at this point.

Jaguars RB Toby Gerhart (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. We’re recommending holding onto Gerhart to see what kind of impact QB Blake Bortles has on the offense.

49ers RB Frank Gore (back, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Gore should be fine for a good matchup with the Eagles.

Saints RB Mark Ingram (hand, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Khiry Robinson is expected to work as the lead back once again in Week 4, though Pierre Thomas will continue to be heavily involved. The matchup against the Cowboys is a good one.

Jets RB Chris Johnson (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Johnson is likely to lose snaps and touches to Chris Ivory, who is outplaying him right now.

Raiders RB Maurice Jones-Drew (hand, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Jones-Drew was running ahead of McFadden prior to the injury, but may be in a full-blown committee upon his return. The Raiders running game isn't strong enough to support one running back, much less two. MJD's only game thus far was against the impossible-to-run-on New York Jets, so there's still a chance he becomes fantasy relevant this season.

Buccaneers RB Doug Martin (knee, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Martin is practicing fully this week (and declared himself ‘100 percent’ healthy) so he looks like a go for a Week 4 matchup with the Steelers. We’re expecting him to get the start after Bobby Rainey’s fumblitis in Week 3. Rainey has otherwise ran well, however, and may see a larger than usual role for a change-of-pace back.

Chargers RB Ryan Mathews (knee, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. With Danny Woodhead also out, Donald Brown should see a big workload as the team’s featured back. The diminutive Branden Oliver may work some in the Woodhead role.

Chiefs RB Joe McKnight (achilles) has been ruled out for Week 4.

Dolphins RB Knowshon Moreno (elbow, out) has been ruled out for Week 4. Moreno is reportedly targeting Week 6 for his return. Lamar Miller should see another big workload in a good matchup against the Raiders.

Ravens RB Bernard Pierce (thigh, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Pierce will play, though his place in the pecking order is unclear after a nice game from rookie runner Lorenzo Taliaferro. Even the Baltimore running backs don’t know how the touches will be divvied up, as OC Gary Kubiak indicated that he was going to take a “hot hand” approach.

Lions RB Theo Riddick (hamstring, probable) was limited Friday after taking full reps earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4.

Falcons RB Antone Smith (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller (chest, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Spiller was a midweek addition to the injury report, but the probable tag indicates it’s not serious.

Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart (knee, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. Stewart practiced on Friday but did not look as good as the team was hoping. We don’t think he plays this week, so DeAngelo Williams is expected to get a big workload.

Chiefs RB De'Anthony Thomas (hamstring) took limited practice reps again Friday.

Panthers RB Fozzy Whittaker (thigh, doubtful) missed practice all week and is doubtful for Week 4. Rookie Darrin Reaves is likely to back up DeAngelo Williams.

Dolphins RB Damien Williams (ankle, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4.

Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams (thigh, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Williams is expected to start and play big snaps with both Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert expected to be out due to injury. (Stewart practiced on Friday and is listed as questionable, but we doubt he plays.) Williams is a nice pickup for teams in need of short-term (2-3 week) help at running back.

Chargers WR Keenan Allen (groin, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Hopefully, Allen is putting the groin injury behind him. We’re expecting him to bounce back sooner rather than later.

Packers WR Jarrett Boykin (knee, questionable) missed practice Friday after taking full reps Thursday and is questionable for Week 4. Boykin will be a game-time decision for an early game against the Bears. He is trying to hold off Davante Adams, who will see starter’s snaps in Week 4 if Boykin can’t play.

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant (shoulder, probable) took limited practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Bryant will be fine to face the Saints. He’s a must-start at this point.

Panthers WR Jerricho Cotchery (thigh, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Cotchery should be back in the starting lineup to face the Ravens.

49ers WR Michael Crabtree (quadricep, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Crabtree has a nice matchup with the Eagles, so we’re expecting good production, especially with Vernon Davis iffy.

Jets WR Eric Decker (hamstring, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. Here’s what Decker said today about the chances that he’ll play: “I’m planning on getting out there. I can’t promise anything. Obviously, I’m leaning on the positive side that I’m definitely going to be out there.” This about sums up the clarity here, though the eternally optimistic Rex Ryan thinks Decker will play. Jeremy Kerley would continue to see extra targets if Decker can’t go. His absence would make it tough on QB Geno Smith.

Falcons WR Harry Douglas (foot, questionable) was limited Friday after taking full reps earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. Douglas looks iffy to face the Vikings in Week 4. He has been targeted a total of 17 times on the season despite missing most of the game against the Bucs in Week 3.

Bills WR Marcus Easley (knee, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Dolphins WR Brandon Gibson (groin, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4.

Bills WR Marquise Goodwin (illness, doubtful) missed practice again Friday and is doubtful for Week 4.

Falcons WR Devin Hester (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Steelers WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (illness, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4.

Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (ankle, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Hilton will play against the Titans. The game is in Indianapolis, and Hilton tends to play better at home.

Eagles WR Josh Huff (shoulder, questionable) took full practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4.

Jaguars WR Allen Hurns (ankle, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Hurns continues to nurse the ankle, but he should be able to play through the injury in Week 4.

Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (wrist, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Jackson’s prospects should be better with Mike Glennon under center. He was the #13 WR in the league while Glennon started last season.

Texans WR Andre Johnson (ankle, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. No worries here.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson (ankle, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. The practice is encouraging, but Johnson is not out of the woods yet. The Lions play early on Sunday, which helps. Golden Tate and Eric Ebron would get a big boost if Megatron can’t play. Matthew Stafford’s upside would take a huge hit if he is without his top receiver.

Jaguars WR Marqise Lee (hamstring, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Lee’s hamstring troubles continue. His absence is a boost for the other wideouts in Jacksonville.

Bears WR Brandon Marshall (ankle, questionable) missed practice all week and is questionable for Week 4. Marshall has frustrated owners by blowing up as a surprise active in Week 2 and flopping in an expected start in Week 3. The ankle is obviously still bothering him, but we’d be surprised if he missed a key divisional matchup against the Packers. The Bears play early on Sunday.

Eagles WR Jordan Matthews (oblique, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. The probable tag indicates that Matthews should be fine to face the 49ers. The Eagles may have trouble running on San Francisco, which could mean extra attempts in the passing game.

Jets WR David Nelson (illness, probable) took full practice reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4.

Eagles WR Brad Smith (groin, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Vikings WR Rodney Smith (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Ravens WR Steve L Smith (not injury related, probable) returned to take full practice reps Friday after missing practice Thursday and is probable for Week 4. We would definitely find a way to get Smith in the lineup in a revenge matchup with his old team.

Raiders WR Rod Streater (foot, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Streater is expected to miss 4-5 weeks with a foot injury that will require minor surgery. James Jones continues to be the team’s de facto WR1, with Denarius Moore and Andre Holmes competing for snaps at the WR2 spot.

Dolphins WR Mike Wallace (hamstring, probable) took limited practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. The probable tag means that Wallace is virtually certain to face the Raiders in London.

Bills WR Sammy Watkins (ribs, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Watkins will continue to play through the injury, but he has been pretty hit or miss so far this season.

Colts WR Reggie Wayne (not injury related) took full practice reps again Friday. No worries here.

Falcons WR Roddy White (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4. White said he would play this week after missing the Thursday night game in Week 3 and the probable tag is encouraging. He’s a low-end WR2, though re-injury is always a concern with older players.

Bills WR Robert Woods (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Woods should be fine to face the Texans.

Eagles TE James Casey (knee, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Dolphins TE Charles Clay (knee, probable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Clay should be fine to face the Raiders. He hasn’t been as effective this season, but is 10th in TE targets through three weeks.

Ravens TE Owen Daniels (not injury related, probable) returned to take full practice reps Friday after missing practice Thursday and is probable for Week 4. He’s expected to play heavy snaps with Dennis Pitta sidelined.

49ers TE Vernon Davis (ankle, knee, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. Davis was expected to play earlier in the week, but now the team is saying the he’s a game-time decision. The 49ers play late on Sunday, so owners should have a Plan B in place. Travis Kelce and Levine Toilolo play at the same time (or later) than Davis. Derek Carrier is Davis’s direct backup at this point, though Vance McDonald is also questionable and could start if Davis is out.

Cowboys TE Gavin Escobar (knee, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Lions TE Joseph Fauria (ankle, out) missed practice again Friday and is out for Week 4. Fauria’s injury opens the door for Eric Ebron to see heavy snaps against the Jets. Fauria has played 79 snaps to Ebron’s 69. Ebron could see his playing time double in Week 4 if Fauria is out.

Chargers TE Antonio Gates (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Gates will likely play heavy snaps if Ladarius Green (hamstring, questionable) is sidelined. Gates has only played 65% of the snaps this season, so there’s upside here.

Chargers TE Ladarius Green (hamstring, questionable) missed practice Friday after taking limited reps Thursday and is questionable for Week 4. Green apparently injured himself this week and the missed practice on Friday is not a good sign. If he can’t play, Antonio Gates would likely see heavy snaps. (He has only played 65% of the snaps this season.) Green’s absence could also help Eddie Royal and Malcom Floyd, who may see more playing time in three-WR sets.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (knee) took limited practice reps again Friday. Gronk says he’s ready for a larger workload. He’s been serviceable so far, but his owners were expecting more when they drafted him in 2nd or 3rd round.

Jaguars TE Clay Harbor (calf, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Harbor may start with Marcedes Lewis sidelined.

Chargers TE David Johnson (shoulder, questionable) missed practice all week and is questionable for Week 4.

49ers TE Vance McDonald (knee, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4. McDonald could start if he’s active and Vernon Davis isn’t.

Steelers TE Heath Miller (not injury related, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Miller will be fine to face the Bucs.

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph (abdomen, groin, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Rhett Ellison likely starts in Rudolph’s place while he recovers from a sports hernia injury. MarQueis Gray is also in the mix, and is more of a “move” TE than Ellison.

Buccaneers TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (ankle, probable) took limited practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Seferian-Jenkins appears to be on track to play in Week 4. We’ll pencil him in as the starter, but Brandon Myers is a capable backup.

Jaguars TE Mickey Shuler (illness, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Titans TE Taylor Thompson (knee, doubtful) missed practice all week and is doubtful for Week 4.

Titans TE Delanie Walker (shoulder, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4. Walker said that he has a “great chance” to play, though we’re always wary of starting players who are limited this late in the week.

Saints TE Ben Watson (groin, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4.

Chargers TE Antonio Gates proved against Seattle that if you single-cover him with a linebacker or a safety, he can still win, particularly in the red zone. Gates finished with seven catches for 96 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over the Super Bowl champs, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He was doubled most of the time the following week against Buffalo, finishing with just one catch for 8 yards. But with Buffalo choosing to take away Gates, the Chargers used him as a decoy to free up slot receiver Eddie Royal and emerging talented tight end Ladarius Green.

The Panthers hope DeAngelo Williams (hamstring) is back after missing the past two games. Besides being a threat as a runner, he's extremely effective in picking up the pass rush as a blocker. If he's not ready, the running game could fall into the lap of an undrafted rookie, Darrin Reaves, signed off the practice squad Saturday.

Cleveland Browns receivers coach Mike McDaniel is in touch with Josh Gordon "often," McDaniel said.

"Right now, my role is to be a supporter, because one thing that jumped off the map for me once I started working with him in the spring is he does want to be great," McDaniel said. "He truly does."

Giants Inactives
Jon Beason MLB
Odell Beckham WR
James Brewer G
Jay Bromley DT
Charles Brown T
Devon Kennard OLB
Kerry Wynn DE

Titans QB Jake Locker (right wrist) missed practice again Thursday. Locker has a very sore wrist which doesn’t bode well for his Week 4 availability. Charlie Whitehurst would likely trade his clipboard for a football if Locker can’t go.

Bills QB E.J. Manuel (abdomen) took full practice reps again Thursday. Manuel should be fine to face the Texans in Week 4.

Buccaneers QB Josh McCown (right thumb) missed practice again Thursday. Mike Glennon is very likely to start against the Steelers in Week 4. He may improve the fantasy prospects of Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo (back) returned to full practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday. Romo will be fine to face the Saints.

Raiders QB Matt Schaub (not injury related) missed practice again Thursday.

Steelers RB Dri Archer (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Lions RB Joique Bell (knee) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Bell should play against the Jets, but is not a good start given the very tough matchup.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw (not injury related) returned to full practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday. Bradshaw was just getting a veteran’s day off.

Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (ankle) took limited practice reps Thursday. Andy Reid said he thinks Charles will play on Monday night, and it certainly is trending that way. If he can’t go Knile Davis would get another start.

Texans RB Arian Foster (hamstring) took limited practice reps again Thursday. HC Bill O’Brien said the team will make a decision before the game. Alfred Blue would get the lion’s share of the carries if Foster misses Week 4. Beat writer John McClain said that he thinks Foster will play.

Jaguars RB Toby Gerhart (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. We’re recommending holding onto Gerhart to see what kind of impact QB Blake Bortles has on the offense.

49ers RB Frank Gore (back) practiced fully Wednesday. Gore should be fine for a good matchup with the Eagles.

Saints RB Mark Ingram (hand) missed practice again Thursday. Khiry Robinson is expected to work as the lead back once again in Week 4, though Pierre Thomas will continue to be involved. The matchup against the Cowboys is a good one.

Jets RB Chris Johnson (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. Johnson is likely to lose snaps and touches to Chris Ivory, who is outplaying him right now.

Raiders RB Maurice Jones-Drew (hand) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Jones-Drew was running ahead of McFadden prior to the injury, but may be in a full-blown committee upon his return. The Raiders running game isn't strong enough to support one running back, much less two. MJD's only game thus far was against the impossible-to-run-on New York Jets, so there's still a chance he becomes fantasy relevant this season.

Buccaneers RB Doug Martin (knee) took full practice reps again Thursday. Martin is practicing fully this week (and declared himself ‘100 percent’ healthy) so he looks like a go for a Week 4 matchup with the Steelers. We’re expecting him to get the start after Bobby Rainey’s fumblitis in Week 3. Rainey has otherwise ran well, however, and may see a larger than usual role for a change-of-pace back.

Chargers RB Ryan Mathews (knee) missed practice again Thursday. With Danny Woodhead out, Donald Brown should see a big workload as the team’s featured back. The diminutive Branden Oliver may work some in the Woodhead role.

Chiefs RB Joe McKnight (achilles) took limited practice reps Thursday.

Dolphins RB Knowshon Moreno (elbow) was ruled out for Week 4. Moreno is reportedly targeting Week 6 for his return. Lamar Miller should see another big workload in a good matchup against the Raiders.

Ravens RB Bernard Pierce (thigh) took full practice reps again Thursday. Pierce is likely to play, though his place in the pecking order is unclear after a nice game from rookie runner Lorenzo Taliaferro.

Falcons RB Antone Smith (hamstring) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller (chest) was added to the injury report Thursday after taking full practice reps. Spiller was a midweek addition to the injury report, but the full practice indicates it’s not serious. We’ll monitor his activity on Friday.

Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart (knee) missed practice again Thursday. Stewart is out this week, so DeAngelo Williams is expected to get the start. On average, Williams has posted RB2-type numbers when Stewart is sidelined.

Chiefs RB De'Anthony Thomas (hamstring) took limited practice reps Thursday.

Panthers RB Fozzy Whittaker (thigh) missed practice again Thursday.

Dolphins RB Damien Williams (ankle) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams (thigh) took full practice reps again Thursday. Williams is expected to start and play big snaps with both Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert out due to injury. He’s a nice pickup for teams in need of short-term (2-4 week) help at running back.

Chargers WR Keenan Allen (groin) took full practice reps again Thursday. Hopefully, Allen is putting the groin injury behind him. We’re expecting him to bounce back sooner rather than later.

Packers WR Jarrett Boykin (knee) took full practice reps again Thursday. This is a new injury for Boykin, who is trying to hold off Davante Adams. The rookie may see more snaps in Week 4, but it looks like Boykin is trending the right way.

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant (shoulder) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Bryant played through the injury last week, so he should be fine to do so again.

Panthers WR Jerricho Cotchery (thigh) took full practice reps again Thursday. Cotchery should resume his role starting opposite Kelvin Benjamin, but Philly Brown played well in Week 3.

Jets WR Eric Decker (hamstring) missed practice again Thursday. Decker looks like another game-time decision this week, though the eternally optimistic Rex Ryan thinks he’ll play. Jeremy Kerley would continue to see extra targets if Decker can’t play. His absence would make it tough on QB Geno Smith.

Falcons WR Harry Douglas (foot) took full practice reps again Thursday. It looks like Douglas is on track to face the Vikings in Week 4. He has been targeted a total of 17 times on the season despite missing most of the game against the Bucs in Week 3.

Bills WR Marcus Easley (knee) missed practice again Thursday.

Dolphins WR Brandon Gibson (groin) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Bills WR Marquise Goodwin (illness) missed practice Thursday after taking limited reps Wednesday.

Falcons WR Devin Hester (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Steelers WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (illness) returned to full practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday.

Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (ankle) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Hilton should be able to play against the Titans. The game is in Indianapolis, and Hilton tends to play better at home.

Eagles WR Josh Huff (shoulder) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Jaguars WR Allen Hurns (ankle) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Hurns continues to nurse the ankle, but he should be able to play through the injury in Week 4.

Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (wrist) took full practice reps again Thursday. Jackson’s prospects should be better with Mike Glennon under center. He was the #13 WR in the league while Glennon started last season.

Texans WR Andre Johnson (ankle) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday. He should be fine to face the Bills this week.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson (ankle) missed practice again Thursday. Johnson’s ankle was injured in Week 3. He should be fine to face a shaky Jets secondary in Week 4, though we’d feel far better if he gets a practice in on Friday. The Lions play early on Sunday.

Jaguars WR Marqise Lee (hamstring) missed practice again Thursday. Lee’s hamstring troubles continue. If he’s out, it’s a boost for the other wideouts in Jacksonville.

Bears WR Brandon Marshall (ankle) missed practice again Thursday. Marshall has killed most of his owners by blowing up as a surprise active in Week 2 and flopping in an expected start in Week 3. The ankle is obviously still bothering him, but we’d be surprised if he missed a key divisional matchup against the Packers.

Eagles WR Jordan Matthews (oblique) took full practice reps again Thursday. The full practice indicates that Matthews should be fine to face the 49ers. The Eagles may have trouble running on San Francisco, which could mean extra attempts in the passing game.

Jets WR David Nelson (illness) missed practice again Thursday. The Jets may need Nelson to play big snaps again if Eric Decker can’t play.

Eagles WR Brad Smith (groin) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Ravens WR Steve L Smith (not injury related) was added to the injury report Thursday after missing practice. Smith will be fine to face his old team. It will be especially tough to bench him in a revenge game. He has had this game circled on his calendar since signing with the Ravens.

Raiders WR Rod Streater (foot) missed practice again Thursday. Streater is expected to miss 4-5 weeks with a foot injury that will require minor surgery. James Jones continues to be the team’s de facto WR1, with Denarius Moore and Andre Holmes competing for snaps at the WR2 spot.

Dolphins WR Mike Wallace (hamstring) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Wallace is expected to play through the injury, but we’ll keep an eye on it.

Bills WR Sammy Watkins (ribs) took full practice reps again Thursday. Watkins will continue to play through the injury, but he has been pretty hit or miss so far this season.

Colts WR Reggie Wayne (not injury related) returned to full practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday. No worries here, Wayne was just getting a day off.

Falcons WR Roddy White (hamstring) took limited practice reps again Thursday. White said he would play this week after missing the Thursday night game in Week 3. He’s a low-end WR2, though re-injury is always a concern with older players.

Bills WR Robert Woods (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. Woods should be fine to face the Texans.

Dolphins TE Charles Clay (knee) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. Clay is on track to play, but he isn’t quite the weapon that he was last year.

Ravens TE Owen Daniels (not injury related) was added to the injury report Thursday after missing practice. Daniels may just be getting a day off. He’s expected to play heavy snaps with Dennis Pitta sidelined.

49ers TE Vernon Davis (ankle, knee) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Davis is on track to play against the Eagles.

Cowboys TE Gavin Escobar (knee) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Lions TE Joseph Fauria (ankle) was added to the injury report Thursday after missing practice. Fauria’s injury opens the door for Eric Ebron to see heavy snaps against the Jets. Fauria has played 79 snaps to Ebron’s 69. Ebron could see his playing time double in Week 4 if Fauria is out.

Chargers TE Antonio Gates (hamstring) took full practice reps again Thursday. Gates could play major snaps if Ladarius Green (hamstring) can’t play.

Chargers TE Ladarius Green (hamstring) was added to the injury report Thursday after taking limited practice reps. This is a new injury for Green, and midweek downgrades are never good. If he can’t play, Antonio Gates would likely see heavy snaps. Green’s absence could also help Eddie Royal and Malcom Floyd, who may see more playing time in three-WR sets.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (knee) took limited practice reps Thursday. Gronk says he’s ready for a bigger workload. We’ll see if Bill Belichick agrees.

Jaguars TE Clay Harbor (calf) took full practice reps again Thursday. Harbor may start for the Jaguars, though he has never gained more than 55 yards in a single game.

49ers TE Vance McDonald (knee) did not practice Wednesday.

Steelers TE Heath Miller (not injury related) returned to full practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday.

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph (abdomen, groin) missed practice again Thursday. Rhett Ellison likely starts in Rudolph’s place while he recovers from a sports hernia injury. MarQueis Gray is also in the mix, and is more of a “move” TE than Ellison.

Buccaneers TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (ankle) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Seferian-Jenkins appears to be on track to play in Week 4. We’ll pencil him in as the starter, but Brandon Myers is a capable backup.

Jaguars TE Mickey Shuler (illness) missed practice again Thursday.

Titans TE Taylor Thompson (knee) missed practice again Thursday.

Titans TE Delanie Walker (shoulder) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. It’s an upgrade, so he is trending the right way.

Saints TE Ben Watson (groin) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice.

Bills beat writer Mike Rodak on WR Sammy Watkins: Watkins has been up and down through the first three games. He had a quiet opener, broke out for eight catches and a touchdown in Week 2 and went quiet again in Week 3. After making a few highlight-reel catches in training camp and generally impressing anybody who watched those practices, Watkins took a hit in the preseason that bruised his ribs. Last week, more than a month after that initial hit, he called it a "nagging" injury but downplayed its effect on his performance. While I think Watkins is still very much bothered by his ribs -- there was a play at the end of last Sunday's game where he clearly looked to be avoiding contact -- it's not the entire story to his slower-than-expected start. Part of the blame has to fall on E.J. Manuel, whose inaccuracy has made life more difficult for Watkins.

On his radio show on show on Tuesday, Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt pointed out a couple of areas where QB Jake Locker has fallen off since an impressive opening-week performance against Kansas City.

"The two things that are important with Jake is his footwork, and then working on his reads and staying in his progression," Whisenhunt said on the radio show on 104.5-FM. "One of the things we've struggled with the last two weeks is because we've had some pressure, and we've gotten off our read progression. So we're working on getting back and making that a more comfortable operation."

Although Eric Decker didn't practice Wednesday, Rex Ryan believes his top receiver will be healthy enough to play against the Lions.

"He's a durable guy and I think he's going to do whatever it takes to play," Ryan said of Decker, who was forced to leave Monday night's loss to the Bears because of tightness in his right hamstring. "I'm confident, I'm hopeful that he'll play. But again we'll see as it goes during the week."

What Rex Ryan does or doesn't believe really doesn't matter if Decker can't play a full game on his hamstring. He'd be better off resting until he's fully healthy, but the Jets are 1-2 and don't want to fall to 1-3.

Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (ankle, out) was ruled out for Week 4. Kirk Cousins will once again be a Sneaky Start in a good matchup against the Giants.

Titans QB Jake Locker (right wrist) did not practice Wednesday. Locker has a very sore wrist which doesn’t bode well for his Week 4 availability. Charlie Whitehurst would likely trade his clipboard for a football if Locker can’t go.

Bills QB E.J. Manuel (abdomen) practiced fully Wednesday. Manuel should be fine to face the Texans in Week 4.

Buccaneers QB Josh McCown (right thumb) did not practice Wednesday. Mike Glennon is very likely to start against the Steelers in Week 4.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo (back) did not practice Wednesday. The Cowboys are just managing Romo’s back.

Steelers RB Dri Archer (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. Archer may make his return this week.

Lions RB Joique Bell (knee) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Bell should play against the Jets, but is not a good start given the very tough matchup.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw (not injury related) did not practice Wednesday. Bradshaw is just getting a veteran’s day off. He’s earned it.

Texans RB Arian Foster (hamstring) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Alfred Blue would get the lion’s share of the carries if Foster misses Week 4.

Jaguars RB Toby Gerhart (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. We’re recommending holding onto Gerhart to see what kind of impact QB Blake Bortles has on the offense.

Saints RB Mark Ingram (hand) did not practice Wednesday. Khiry Robinson is expected to work as the lead back once again in Week 4, though Pierre Thomas will continue to be involved. The matchup against the Cowboys is a good one.

Jets RB Chris Johnson (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. Johnson is likely to lose snaps and touches to Chris Ivory, who is outplaying him right now.

Raiders RB Maurice Jones-Drew (hand) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Jones-Drew was running ahead of McFadden prior to the injury, but may be in a full-blown committee upon his return. The Raiders running game isn't strong enough to support one running back, much less two. MJD's only game thus far was against the impossible-to-run-on New York Jets, so there's still a chance he becomes fantasy relevant this season.

Buccaneers RB Doug Martin (knee) practiced fully Wednesday. Martin is practicing fully this week so he looks like a go for a Week 4 matchup with the Steelers. We’re expecting him to get the start after Bobby Rainey’s fumblitis in Week 3. Rainey has otherwise ran well, however, and may see a larger than usual role for a change-of-pace back.

Chargers RB Ryan Mathews (knee) did not practice Wednesday. With Danny Woodhead out, Donald Brown should see a big workload as the team’s featured back. The diminutive Branden Oliver may work some in the Woodhead role.

Dolphins RB Knowshon Moreno (elbow) was ruled out for Week 4. Lamar Miller should see another big workload in a good matchup against the Raiders.

Redskins RB Alfred Morris (knee, probable) practiced fully Wednesday. No worries here. Morris should once again be a safe start in Week 4.

Ravens RB Bernard Pierce (thigh) practiced fully Wednesday. Pierce seems likely to play, though his place in the pecking order is unclear after a nice game from rookie runner Lorenzo Taliaferro.

Falcons RB Antone Smith (hamstring) practiced fully Wednesday.

Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart (knee) did not practice Wednesday. Stewart is out this week, so DeAngelo Williams is expected to get the start.

Dolphins RB Daniel Thomas (shoulder) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Thomas was the primary backup to Lamar Miller in Week 3.

Panthers RB Fozzy Whittaker (thigh) did not practice Wednesday. Whittaker is penciled in to back up DeAngelo Williams, but if he can’t it might be rookie Darrin Reaves. Expect a big workload for Williams.

Dolphins RB Damien Williams (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams (thigh) practiced fully Wednesday. Williams is expected to start and play big snaps with both Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert out due to injury. He’s a nice pickup for teams in need of short-term (2-4 week) help at running back.

Chargers WR Keenan Allen (groin) practiced fully Wednesday. Hopefully, Allen is putting the groin injury behind him. We’re expecting him to bounce back sooner rather than later.

Giants WR Odell Beckham (hamstring, out) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Packers WR Jarrett Boykin (knee) practiced fully Wednesday. This is a new injury for Boykin, who is trying to hold off Davante Adams. The rookie may see more snaps in Week 4.

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant (shoulder) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Bryant played through the injury last week, so he should be fine to do so again.

Panthers WR Jerricho Cotchery (thigh) practiced fully Wednesday. Cotchery should resume his role starting opposite Kelvin Benjamin, but Philly Brown played well in Week 3.

Jets WR Eric Decker (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Decker looks like he’ll be another game-time decision this week. Jeremy Kerley would continue to see extra targets if Decker can’t play. His absence would make it tough on QB Geno Smith.

Falcons WR Harry Douglas (foot) practiced fully Wednesday. It looks like Douglas is on track to face the Vikings in Week 4. He has been targeted a total of 17 times on the season despite missing most of the game against the Bucs in Week 3.

Bills WR Marcus Easley (knee) did not practice Wednesday.

Dolphins WR Brandon Gibson (groin) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Bills WR Marquise Goodwin (illness) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Falcons WR Devin Hester (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday.

Steelers WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (illness) did not practice Wednesday.

Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Hilton should be able to play against the Titans. The game is in Indianapolis, and Hilton tends to play better at home.

Eagles WR Josh Huff (shoulder) practiced fully Wednesday.

Jaguars WR Allen Hurns (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Hurns continues to nurse the ankle, but he should be able to play through the injury in Week 4.

Redskins WR DeSean Jackson (shoulder, questionable) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Jackson should play on Thursday night, but it’s a short week. Andre Roberts would be a Sneaky Start if D-Jax can’t play.

Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (wrist) practiced fully Wednesday. Jackson’s prospects should be better with Mike Glennon under center. He was the #13 WR in the league while Glennon started last season.

Texans WR Andre Johnson (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday. He should be fine to face the Bills this week. It’s a good sign that he’s even limited on a Wednesday.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. Johnson’s ankle was injured in Week 3. He should be fine to face a shaky Jets secondary in Week 4.

Jaguars WR Marqise Lee (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Lee’s hamstring troubles continue. If he’s out, it’s a boost for the other wideouts in Jacksonville.

Bears WR Brandon Marshall (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. Marshall has killed owners by blowing up as a surprise active in Week 2 and flopping in an expected start in Week 3.

Eagles WR Jordan Matthews (oblique) practiced fully Wednesday. Matthews should be fine to face the 49ers.

Jets WR David Nelson (illness) did not practice Wednesday. The Jets may need Nelson to play big snaps again if Eric Decker can’t play.

Raiders WR Rod Streater (foot) did not practice Wednesday. Streater is expected to miss 4-5 weeks with a foot injury that will require minor surgery. James Jones continues to be the team’s de facto WR1, with Denarius Moore and Andre Holmes competing for snaps at the WR2 spot.

Dolphins WR Mike Wallace (hamstring) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Wallace is expected to play through the injury, but we’ll keep an eye on it.

Bills WR Sammy Watkins (ribs) practiced fully Wednesday. Watkins will continue to play through the injury, but he has been pretty hit or miss so far this season.

Colts WR Reggie Wayne (not injury related) did not practice Wednesday. It’s a veteran’s day off for Wayne.

Falcons WR Roddy White (hamstring) took limited practice reps Wednesday. White said he would play this week after missing the Thursday night game in Week 3.

Bills WR Robert Woods (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. Woods should be fine to face the Texans.

Dolphins TE Charles Clay (knee) did not practice Wednesday. Clay’s knee continues to force him to miss practice. He’s not as effective as he was last season.

Cowboys TE Gavin Escobar (knee) practiced fully Wednesday.

Chargers TE Antonio Gates (hamstring) practiced fully Wednesday. Gates was curiously uninvolved in Week 3 after a huge Week 2 performance. He has a nice matchup against the Jaguars in Week 4.

Jaguars TE Clay Harbor (calf) practiced fully Wednesday.

Steelers TE Heath Miller (not injury related) did not practice Wednesday. It’s probably just a veteran’s day off for Miller.

Redskins TE Jordan Reed (hamstring, out) did not practice Wednesday. Niles Paul has been great in Reed’s place and is a safe start this week against the Giants.

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph (abdomen, groin) did not practice Wednesday. Rhett Ellison likely starts in Rudolph’s place while he recovers from a sports hernia injury. MarQueis Gray is also in the mix, and is more of a “move” TE than Ellison.

Buccaneers TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Seferian-Jenkins appears to be on track to play in Week 4. We’ll pencil him in as the starter, but Brandon Myers is a capable backup.

Jaguars TE Mickey Shuler (illness) did not practice Wednesday.

Titans TE Delanie Walker (shoulder) did not practice Wednesday. This is a new injury for Walker. We’ll monitor his practice activity this week.

Saints TE Ben Watson (groin) did not practice Wednesday.

Redskins K Kai Forbath (right groin, probable) practiced fully Wednesday.

Coach Reid has always been really creative with how he utilizes tight ends in his offense. TE Travis Kelce has a unique skillset for a player of his size, and the Chiefs have lined him up on the outside as a receiver already this season.

He’s a mismatch for most defensive players because of his size at 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, and the Chiefs do move him around to take advantage of his abilities.

Kelce's snap percentage has increased from 32% to 37% to 65% in the first three weeks. He is the #12 TE in both standard and PPR formats. If he's available on the waiver wire, owners should pick him up.

The San Diego Chargers made a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday in order to get ready for Week 4 contest at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Down to only two healthy running backs, the Chargers worked out Shaun Draughn and D.J. Adams at Chargers Park on Tuesday. Draughn signed a one-year deal joining the active roster, while Adams was added to San Diego’s practice squad.

This season, Draughn signed a one-year contract with the Bears and played in Chicago’s first two games before being waived Sept. 16. Draughn also has experience as a kickoff returner. Between Kansas City and Baltimore, he has a combined 25 returns for 590 yards (23.6 avg.).

Jets HC Rex Ryan made it clear Tuesday afternoon he still believes Geno Smith and is not thinking of replacing him with Michael Vick, despite Smith’s five turnovers through three games this season.

”I think everybody’s behind Geno,” Ryan said in a conference call with reporters. “He’s our quarterback and our football team believes in him, so that’s it.”

Smith had a terrible outing Monday night in a 27-19 loss to the Bears and has five turnovers through three games this season. Still, Ryan is sticking with his second-year signal-caller. Ryan added he believes Smith will improve and that he's seen him improve since last season. Smith shows flashes but is constantly hurt by turnovers and is a very risky option if your league gives negative points for turnovers.

The Buccaneers are bringing back a wide receiver whom they released just before the start of the regular season.

The club has re-signed receiver Louis Murphy, a sixth-year pro from Florida, the team’s website said Tuesday. Murphy, 27, spent the preseason with the Bucs, but the club released him one day before the opener vs. Carolina.

Midway through training camp, Brandon Bostick looked like the Green Bay Packers' best chance to replicate what Jermichael Finley offered them at the tight end position.

Even if he did not win the starting job, Bostick had put himself in position to play a major role in an offense that thrives when it has an athletic player who can operate down the seam like Finley did before his neck injury last season.

So why hasn't Bostick played a single snap on offense yet when he seemingly offers an antidote to the ills of the Packers' passing game?

The leg injury he sustained Aug. 16 kept him out through Week 1 of the regular season, but that is no longer an issue. Bostick has taken his full workload on special teams in each of the last two games, and special-teams coach Shawn Slocum said there's nothing wrong with the way Bostick has run down the field on the coverage teams.

Packers offensive coordinator Tom Clements made it sound Monday that Bostick's practice habits also have not warranted playing time. When asked whether Bostick can elevate his play to match what it was in training camp, Clements said: "Sure, he can. It's just a matter of being consistent and getting back into the groove." The Packers could use him and right now is a sleeper candidate, especially in deeper leagues as roster sports are getting more valuable during the start of bye weeks. He's at least a player to monitor.

The play happened at 1:36 of the second quarter. It was simple, really. Rob Gronkowski lined up on the left side of the line, next to Michael Hoomanawanui. When the ball was snapped, Gronkowski ran a short slant route and caught Tom Brady’s pass at the 26-yard line.

What proceeded from there was Gronkowski looking like the All-Pro tight end of old.

As the 25-year-old stomped down the sideline, he gained an additional 13 yards after his catch. The last five of those yards were the most impressive. Gronkowski plowed over any defender in sight. It took four defensive players — Charles Woodson, Carlos Rodgers, Kaluka Maiava and Khalil Mack — to bring him down.

Coming back from knee surgery isn’t easy, and Gronkowski has shown plenty of rust during the first three weeks of the season. But against the Raiders, the tight end showed that he’s trending upward.

“I think that Rob has definitely made some plays for us, and we certainly think that will continue, and hope that will continue,” offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “We’ve tried to work him back into the game plan and to an overall level where he can contribute the most. I think each week, we’ve done a little bit more, and hopefully we can continue to do that. I think that anytime you’re talking about a player who is coming off of a situation like Gronk was, you just have to be smart and you do what you can do. I’ve been happy with the things that he’s done so far and hope to continue to add more as we go through the year.”

We reported Monday that Gronk's snaps were up in Week 3 from the previous two weeks, a pattern similar to last season when Gronk was coming back. He's still gets a high ranking every week on our TE list, and is worth starting due to his presence in the red zone, which seems to be part of his limited workload through the first three weeks. He seems to be trending up which is great news for owners.

Last week after saying that Robert Griffin III would miss a significant amount of time with a dislocated ankle, Jay Gruden said that Griffin’s starting quarterback job wasn’t necessarily going to be waiting for him when he was ready to play.

“We’ll cross that bridge when that comes,” he said.

On Tuesday, after backup QB Kirk Cousins completed 30 of 48 passes for 427 yards and three touchdowns in his first start of the season against the Eagles, Gruden had not changed his tune.

During a conference call with the New York media, Gruden was asked if he could see Cousins taking over as the starter on a permanent basis.

"Crazy things have happened in NFL," Jay Gruden said via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. "I'm not going to discount anything.”

Cousins will have a few weeks to earn the job and is off to a good start. The Skins have some tougher defenses coming up, though, so this stretch could go a long way in determining Cousins' status if/when RGIII returns.

For the second consecutive day, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin chose not to address his quarterback plans ahead of Miami's Week 4 matchup against the Oakland Raiders.

"At the end of the week, we're going to pick the 46 guys that give us the best chance to win the game in London," Philbin said Tuesday.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday there is legitimate talk the Dolphins might bench Ryan Tannehill for Matt Moore. Tannehill has struggled through three weeks and was unable to move the offense in Sunday's home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Philbin said Monday he wanted to have a QB in place by the time the team leaves for London.

Philbin was asked if he felt it necessary to sit down with Tannehill after the coach was publicly noncommittal about his plans.

"I talk to him all the time. So we have multiple conversations," he said. "So again, I communicate with him frequently. And yeah, any kind of -- I don't usually get into personal conversations that we have."

Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham was a limited participant in practice, which usually isn’t a cause for smiles unless the player has only taken part in two practices since being drafted in the first round four months ago. That’s the case for Beckham, who has been out with a hamstring injury for almost all of his brief Giants career.

As the story sums up, the Giants are playing Thursday, so Beckham is not going to be making his debut in Week Four. Getting in a little practice time now and ramping things up next week could put him in play for the game against the Falcons, but it’s wait and see for a player who has yet to practice two days in a row as a professional.

Current offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was the quarterback coach for the Eagles back when Andy Reid was head coach.

That was a time when, as former running back Dorsey Levens once put it, the Eagles ran the ball "just give the wide receivers a rest.''

After stops in St. Louis, as offensive coordinator, and Cleveland, as head coach, Shurmur is back with the Eagles as Chip Kelly's offensive coordinator where the running game has become a staple of the offense.

Even when it's not working.

"We believe in the running game,'' Shurmur said before Tuesday's practice. "We're going to run the football.''

LeSean McCoy has struggled this year, but especially last week where he averaged 1.1 yard a carry against the Redskins. Even the Eagles passing attack isn't opening up holes. The line is really banged up, too, with Lane Johnson suspended and Evan Mathis and now Jason Kelce expected to miss several weeks.

The question is not going to go away anytime soon and with the St. Louis Rams on bye week, it will almost certainly persist for at least the next two weeks.

But Rams coach Jeff Fisher was asked once again Monday whether Austin Davis had done enough to supplant Shaun Hill as the starting quarterback. His response was familiar.

"We'll see how things go this week," Fisher said. "We'll see how Shaun is, but as I've maintained Shaun is our starter and Austin is our backup.”

Hill, of course, is still recovering from a thigh injury. But it's interesting to note that Hill's thigh was healthy enough for the Rams to keep him active as the No. 2 quarterback against the Dallas Cowboys last week. What's more, the Rams named third quarterback Case Keenum a pregame inactive, meaning had something happened to Davis, Hill would've been the only option.

Fisher offered an explanation for that Monday also. Well, sort of.

"We kept him up as the two because I felt like he could finish a game out of the shotgun," Fisher said. "But he's not ready to go under center yet.”

Ravens TE Owen Daniels will become the starter with Dennis Pitta out, and he has shown in the past that he can handle the job. He started all but four games he played in during his eight years with Ravens Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak in Houston, and had two Pro Bowl seasons (2008, 2012).

Daniels has proven he can be relied on this season as well. He’s been targeted 12 times and caught 10 of those passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns through three games. Only running back Justin Forsett (15 targets, 13 receptions) has a better reception percentage on the Ravens.

The question with Daniels is how well his body will hold up over the course of a long season. He sat out two weeks of practice and missed three preseason games due to fatigued legs. Now those legs will have to carry a heavier load, the story points out. Crockett Gillmore and fullback Kyle Juszczyk could also see time but Daniels is the most experienced and as long as he can stay healthy should be the fantasy option to target if you're looking for a TE. The hope for owners would be Daniel at least used as the main red zone target among the options available.

Broncos Montee Ball has been met in the backfield on 20 of his 49 carries this year.

His average of 3.4 yards per carry is not what he had hoped, but he has averaged 2.08 yards per carry after contact.

According to ProFootballFocus.com, just two of 15 running backs with more than 40 attempts have a higher percentage of their yards coming after contact than Ball. There's nothing wrong with that -- if the contact comes as Ball approaches the second level. But on 20 carries this year and seven in Seattle, that was not the case.

The story goes on to point out that defenders have poured into the backfield from all angles: outside the tackles, inside against the guards, and through the A-gap. If the Broncos can't find a way to prevent this, their ground game will continue to struggle, and effective offensive balance will remain an elusive goal. We've had a lot of questions from owners of Ball on our Discuss Your Team Forum wondering what to do with him. His slow start could also be from time missed in camp but clearly the line in front of him isn't helping either. The potential is still there for him, and as good as Peyton Manning is, no offense can be one-dimensional.

Jets beat writer Rich Cimini sees RB Chris Johnson's stock falling:

Let's call it like it is: After three games, Chris Ivory looks a lot better than Johnson, who was held to 34 yards on 10 carries by a suspect Chicago run defense.

Johnson, a former 2,000-yard runner, hasn't demonstrated any of the explosiveness that once made him the most feared back in the sport. It's a new system, and he's coming off knee surgery, so it's too soon to panic. But his average after three games (3.5 per carry) is 2 yards less than Ivory.

The two have essentially split carries and while Ivory has looked better, he's also produced more. The Jets have some tough matchups coming up and Johnson is no longer looking like an attractive lineup option.

Falcons wide receiver Devin Hester and running back Antone Smith, who have undisclosed injuries, were not suited up with for practice on Monday.

Wide receivers Roddy White (hamstring) and Harry Douglas (foot) were also not practicing on Monday.

“We’ll give (an update) on Wednesday at 4 o’clock, there will be an injury report,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said after practice on Monday. “It will happen at 4 on Wednesday.”

Smith believes revealing injuries before he’s required to by the league office somehow gives the opposition an competitive advantage.

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't expect rookie receiver Marqise Lee to play Sunday at San Diego.

The team says Lee won't practice this week, and barring significant improvement, won't make the trip to the West Coast.

Lee caught eight passes for 73 yards in the first two games. He missed Sunday's 44-17 loss to Indianapolis with a right hamstring injury.

WRs Cecil Shorts III, Mike Brown, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns will look to be reliable targets for rookie QB Blake Bortles in his starting debut this week. Anyone on the Jags offense is a little too risky for fantasy plays right now, but the hope is Bortles provides some stability to the offense.

The 49ers are hopeful tight end Vernon Davis‘ absence will span just one game.

According to the club’s Twitter feed, head coach John Harbaugh said he was “optimistic” Davis would be able to suit up for Sunday’s matchup against 3-0 Philadelphia.

Davis exited the Week Two loss to Chicago with knee and ankle injuries. He was inactive for Sunday’s defeat at Arizona, as was second-string tight end Vance McDonald (knee).

He will make for a great play against an Eagles defense that gave up 500-plus yards to the Redskins in Week 3. The Birds will also likely be without LB Mychal Kendricks.

It would be a stunner if Matt Moore, not Ryan Tannehill, is the Dolphins starting quarterback Sunday against the Raiders.

But today — a day after the Dolphins lost 34-15 to Kansas City — Philbin publicly wouldn’t say for certain if Tannehill will be his starting quarterback against the Raiders.

Philbin said repeatedly at today’s press conference he will bring the best 46 players to London to play the Raiders. Philbin is rarely specific about who’s going to play but this is different. This is the confidence of his starting quarterback.

Phiblin was specifically asked if it hurts Tannehill but not saying for sure that he will start against the Raiders.

“That’s my answer I’m sticking to it,” Philbin said.

The last question to Philbin couldn’t have been more clear:

Will Tannehill start Sunday against the Raiders?

“We’ll decide our game plan before we leave to play Oakland,” Philbin said.

It sounds as if many of the beat writers would be shocked if there is a switch heading into this week's game, but the team is coming off a very bad loss to the Jamaal Charles-less Chiefs at home. It very well could be a final wake-up call in what should be a winable game for Tannehill and the Dolphins this week as they take on the Raiders.

Giants rookie WR Odell Beckham is making progress.

Maybe he gets to work in a few individual drills this week, as short as it is (Giants play Thursday night). Then he gets more extensive time in practice next week, actually getting in for some full-team drills. Most likely, however, that still would not be enough time for him to make his debut Oct. 5 against the Falcons. Maybe, but probably not.

If there are no setbacks, Beckham gets in another full week of work and – drumroll, please – finally gets to wear a uniform Oct. 12 for a Sunday night showdown with the Eagles in Philadelphia.

It's just one opinion, but it sounds as if the short week this week will push Beckham back at least another week. The Giants rode their starting WRs hard this past week as guys like Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle saw a majority of the snaps, so they could really use some depth at the position.

Panthers HC Ron Rivera says RBs Mike Tolbert (leg) and Jonathan Stewart (leg) will be getting an MRI.

Both are believed to be knee injuries but both are considered not serious, but it could leave the team thin at RB if either misses time. Fozzy Whittaker was inactive with a quad injury. That left Darrin Reaves, signed from the practice squad, to finish the game. DeAngelo Williams could return in Week 4 against the Ravens.

So much for easing Jags WR Cecil Shorts back into things.

Shorts missed the first two games of the season with tightness in his left hamstring, but he played all 60 offensive snaps in the Jacksonville Jaguars' 44-17 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday. Coach Gus Bradley said before Week 2 that if Shorts did play against Washington they would monitor his reps. That apparently wasn’t the case on Sunday.

Shorts was targeted 10 times and caught five passes for 35 yards and a touchdown. After the game he said he had no issues with his hamstring.

"I felt good," Shorts said. "I tell you what, our training staff and our strength staff does a great job. They got me back real fast. It felt good to be back out there with the guys."

Now the question for Shorts is whether he can stay healthy for the rest of the season. He has missed 13 games with various injuries since being drafted in 2011, and he finished the last two years on IR. He has had hamstring problems, two concussions, a shoulder sprain (which he played through last season), and a sports hernia during the regular season. Rookie QB Blake Bortles takes over as the starter and Shorts may get a small bump in fantasy value as a result. But owners should probably take a wait-and-see approach in terms of what kind of connection Bortles makes with his young WR group, including Shorts.

RB Reggie Bush figured to be a bigger part of the Detroit Lions' game plan Sunday.

Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi had stressed during the week he wanted to have more patience with the Lions' running game after two weeks of ineffectiveness. He also wanted to find a way for Bush, who has game-breaking speed, to be more involved.

Bush had 12 carries and 61 yards on Sunday, more yards than he gained in the first two weeks of the season combined on almost as many carries. He had 15 total carries the first two weeks combined.

Bush was also targeted eight times by quarterback Matthew Stafford, the most Bush has been targeted this season as a receiver. He caught six of those passes for 38 yards. The Lions' rushing game is still struggling -- a 3.0 yards per carry average is not going to please Lombardi or Jim Caldwell -- but Bush showed signs of life late Sunday with a 26-yard TD run. Heading into this week, Joique Bell was considered the team's RB1, at least based on his snaps. Bell still had 15 carries but for only 33 and did not catch a pass. It seems like the team made it a point to get Bush more involved. Both will continue to have low-end RB2 and flex values but depending on game plan, one could be more involved than the other.

Credit to the Chiefs for keeping RB Joe McKnight. They pledged to keep their best 53 players regardless of position and, in McKnight’s case at least, followed through.

Even the Chiefs didn’t know they would need McKnight so much and so early in the season. They went exclusively with a short passing game against the Dolphins. All of quarterback Alex Smith's 25 attempts went less than 10 yards, eight yards being his longest throw of the day.

The Chiefs were looking for receivers who could run and make yards after the catch, and they correctly identified McKnight to be in that category. He played mainly on passing downs and was a prominent part of the game plan.

McKnight could still have a role when Jamaal Charles returns, especially after coming off this performance and even with Charles an excellent pass catcher himself. After all, the Chiefs don't have a ton of throwing options. McKnight may have some value in deeper leagues for those who can't afford to wait things out, but is still very questionable for those in typical leagues.

Patriots WR Julian Edelman remains QB Tom Brady’s most reliable target. He gets open, reads coverage with an understanding of where the open space will be, and senses where Brady wants to go with the ball. That is why of Brady’s 36 completions to wide receivers, 22 have gone to Edelman. The next closest is Thompkins . . . with six. That means Edelman has 61.1 percent of the completions to wideouts.

Some have tried to argue that’s because Brady has too quickly abandoned open receivers. Go study some tape and find them.

Why the rest of the WRs so seldom create separation, and too often end up in spots other than where the play directs them is difficult to fathom, but its truth is clear. Brady doesn’t throw almost exclusively to Edelman and Rob Gronkowski (49.2 percent of the offense’s 67 receptions) because he thinks that’s how best to play offense, nor does he do it because he thinks Edelman is his most dangerous target. He does it because they are where they should be when they should be.

The story points out that the execution of a mix-and-match offensive line that got Brady sacked twice Week 3, officially hit six times and unofficially hit several other times, also isn't helping matters. What it all means for fantasy purposes is Brady is a tough play for lineups at this point because his receivers still don't seem to be on the same page. Also, outside of Edelman and Gronk, no one else in the passing game is safe for fantasy lineups.

Titans quarterback Jake Locker played poorly for the second straight week as the Titans fell to the Bengals, leading to postgame questions for coach Ken Whisenhunt about whether or not he contemplated making a move to Charlie Whitehurst in an attempt to rally a struggling offense.

Locker was 17-of-34 for 185 yards and two interceptions. He also fumbled twice, although the Titans didn’t lose either of them, and has generally displayed little growth over the early part of this season.

Whisenhunt said after the game that such a move was never on the table. He also cited his own history running a quarterback carousel in Arizona as part of the reason why his focus is on fixing things rather than finding a new starter.

“Jake is still our quarterback. … One of the things that you asked me when I first go here was what would I do differently,” Whisenhunt said, via 247Sports.com. “One of the things was patience with the quarterback. Jake has to play better. Once again, we all have to play better.”

Locker’s set to be a free agent after this season and the Titans owe it to themselves to find out about rookie Zach Mettenberger if they know Locker’s not going to be back next season, the story points out. Mettenberger showed flashes during the preseason so of course becomes a popular name. The Titan offense isn't showing a whole lot for fantasy owners right now.

Panthers QB Cam Newton didn’t play poorly last night, he just didn’t have much of a chance.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said he pulled his hobbling quarterback for his own good during last night’s loss to the Steelers.

“I just took Cam out mostly because I was trying to protect him,” Rivera said, via Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review. I just didn’t want to see him get hit anymore.

“But, we can’t do anything unless we protect the quarterback,” Rivera said. “That’s the first thing we have to do.”

The line allowed three sacks but a lot of the time Newton was under pressure. Part of it was on Newton, forced to hold the ball too long because receivers weren’t getting open, the story said. But most of it was on a patchwork and inexperienced line, which is one of the problems they knew about this offseason. Until the line gets better, Newton owners may want to keep this in mind when it comes time to fill out lineups...

49ers RB Frank Gore carried the ball just six times for 10 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, as the 49ers went to more and more multiple-receiver formations.

“We did what the defense gave us,” Gore said, via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, saying he didn’t know that would be the plan.

Gore became frustrated and ended the interview the story said. After drafting young backs to eventually replace him for years, the 49ers showed what could be a sign that Gore’s role might not be what it used to be. It wasn't a great matchup to begin with. Carlos Hyde only had three carries for 13 yards but did score a TD. With Gore getting up there in age for what is considered the prime of an NFL running back, owners want to keep an eye on this situation.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano didn’t think injury to T.Y. Hilton (ankle) was “too severe” this afternoon.

Hilton didn't return to the game and perhaps the hope is they really didn't need his services any more in what was a blowout victory. We'll continue to update you during the week.

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph said he is having an MRI tomorrow. Suffered a groin injury in the game.

Steelers Inactives
Dri Archer RB
Martavis Bryant WR
Ramon Foster G
Wesley Johnson C
Landry Jones QB
Dan McCullers DT
B.W. Webb CB

Seahawks Inactives
Bruce Irvin DE
Tharold Simon CB
Christine Michael RB
Andrew McDonald OT
Gary Gilliam OT
Kevin Norwood WR
Greg Scruggs DE

Broncos Inactives
Tony Carter CB
Ben Garland G
Cody Latimer WR
Lerentee McCray OLB
Michael Schofield OT
Danny Trevathan OLB
Mitch Unrein DT

Wes Welker returns to the active lineup for the Broncos. Welker is expected to be eased back in.

Dolphins Inactives
Terrence Fede DE
Koa Misi OLB
Knowshon Moreno RB
Mike Pouncey C
Shelley Smith G
Jordie Tripp OLB
Billy Turner OT

Lamar Miller will see a heavy workload with Moreno sidelined.

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said he'd like to see more from second-year pro WR Justin Hunter, per The Tennessean. The coaching staff has challenged Hunter several times this year -- most notably placing "JAG" (Just Another Guy) on his jersey.

"Justin is a talented, young receiver, and I think that is part of it, being young,'' Whisenhunt said. "He has made strides since he has been with us and I think he'll continue to do that. I think that is part of the process of growing up in the NFL."

The Titans will need to create big plays against one of the NFL's stingiest secondaries if they have designs on keeping up with the Bengals on the road.

The Tennessee passing game has struggled and Hunter was supposed to be a guy who took snaps away from Nate Washington while being a deep ball threat.

With Ryan Mathews expected to miss some time with an MCL sprain, many are looking toward Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown to pick up the slack with extra touches. However, there is another running back on the active roster that the Bolts.

Undrafted rookie Branden Oliver earned a spot on the team with a standout offseason, training camp as well as his preseason performances. Averaging a team-high 4.6 yards per carry, Oliver ran for 161 yards on 35 carries for one touchdown in four games. While inactive up until this point, the team has full faith in him should his number be called.

“He’ll be ready to go,” Head Coach Mike McCoy said. “He had a great offseason program with us. He had a good training camp and he’s ready to go.”

With three talented backs ahead of him on the depth chart, Oliver was a healthy scratch the first two weeks of the season but will make his Chargers debut in Week 3. With Woodhead and Brown capable of splitting carries, Oliver's workload is a big question mark and probably isn't worth a roster spot in typical leagues. But, he's now just an injury away from perhaps playing a huge role...

Broncos beat writer Andrew Mason answer a question about Montee Ball slow start:

Montee Ball is doing all right, given that he missed two weeks of training camp and this offensive line combination has played just two full games together.

He hit the holes well Sunday, much better than he did against Indianapolis, and did well reading the flow of the play and his blocks. If he has more games like Week 2's -- when he averaged 8.9 yards every time he touched the football -- he'll be fine.

He spoke Thursday of needing to make sure he gains three or four yards on first down. One problem in recent weeks was how many times he was met in the backfield and had to struggle just to minimize the damage; with better play up front, and perhaps more use of Virgil Green as an H-back or fullback, this might go better Sunday.

It's a tough matchup this week against the Seahawks, but the missed time in training camp seems to be contributing to the slow start this season. Owners should probably still with Ball as his potential is still very high.

Jets beat writer Rich Cimini answered a question TE Jace Amaro getting more work in the near future.

RichCimini: Thought he'd be more of a factor last week, figuring the wide receivers would have a tough time against the Green Bay Packers' cornerbacks, who are pretty good. Jace Amaro was prominent in the game plan, but he ended up with only one target. Clearly, the Jets have to diversify the passing attack, and that could happen Monday night, especially with Eric Decker (hamstring) a question mark. Amaro has played only 30 percent of the offensive snaps. There could be two reasons for that: He still doesn't know the offense and/or Marty Mornhinweg still is trying to find a niche for him.

Owners are probably going to have to watch a big game for Amaro either on the wire or on their bench before he's safe to put in fantasy lineups. But it sounds like he may be worth a stash if you can afford a roster spot for a second TE. His bust out day could be coming soon...

Ravens QB Joe Flacco (illness, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 3. Flacco got a day off due to a cold, that’s all.

Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (ankle, out) has been ruled out for Week 3. Kirk Cousins gets the start. In four previous starts, he averaged 269 yards with 1.5 TD and 1.5 INT, which equates to QB17-type numbers. He’s a Sneaky Start this week against a shaky Eagles defense.

Rams QB Shaun Hill (thigh, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 3. Hill is supposedly the starter when healthy, but Austin Davis is expected to get the start against the Cowboys.

49ers QB Colin Kaepernick (back, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 3. This is a new injury, but the “probable” tag indicates that he’s good to go for a tough matchup with the Cardinals.

Cardinals QB Carson Palmer (right shoulder, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 3. With Palmer out, Drew Stanton gets another start. The 49ers are pretty stingy against the pass, so don’t expect much from the Arizona passing game this week. Stanton favored Larry Fitzgerald (10) over Michael Floyd (6) in Week 2.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo (back, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 3. Romo is ready to face the Rams, though the Cowboys have been more run-heavy so far this season.

Steelers RB Dri Archer (ankle, doubtful) took limited practice reps all week and is doubtful for Week 3.

Lions RB Joique Bell (knee, probable) took limited practice reps all week and is probable for Week 3. Bell is good to go for a tasty matchup against a porous Packer defense that has given up 4.8 YPC through two weeks.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw (not injury related) took full practice reps again Friday. Bradshaw is ready to go for a nice matchup with the Jaguars.

Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (ankle, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 3. Charles is looking like a game-time decision for Sunday. Complicating matters, the Chiefs play in the late round of games. Owners will have to be on their toes if we don’t know something definitive by Sunday morning.

Cardinals RB Jonathan Dwyer (not injury related) was removed from the injury report Friday. With Dwyer out, Jalen Parmale will apparently get the short-yardage/goal-line touches for the Cardinals.

Cardinals RB Andre Ellington (foot, probable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 3. Ellington is good to go for a tough matchup with the 49ers.

Texans RB Arian Foster (hamstring, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 3. Foster is expected to play, but Alfred Blue ran ahead of Jonathan Grimes in Week 2, so he would presumably take over as the Texans' RB2 if Foster is unable to play. The Texans play early on Sunday.

Jaguars RB Toby Gerhart (foot, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 3. Gerhart will play, but he needs to be on the bench until the offense shows a pulse.

Chiefs RB Cyrus Gray (foot, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 3.

Redskins RB Roy Helu (quadricep, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 3. Helu will resume his role as Alfred Morris’ primary backup.

49ers RB Carlos Hyde (calf, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 3.

Saints RB Mark Ingram (hand, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 3. Ingram suffered the injury in the 1st half and played the rest of the game. He had surgery on his hand to put two screws above his thumb. Khiry Robinson gets a big bump, but Pierre Thomas and Brandin Cooks could also see a few extra touches to replace Ingram.