September 2015 4for4 Player News Articles

Baltimore Ravens

OUT
DE Chris Canty (calf), TE Crockett Gillmore (calf), T Eugene Monroe (concussion), WR Breshad Perriman (knee)

Pittsburgh Steelers

OUT
DT Daniel McCullers (knee), QB Ben Roethlisberger (knee), LB Ryan Shazier (shoulder), TE Matt Spaeth (hand)

QUESTIONABLE
CB Cortez Allen (knee)

PROBABLE
LB James Harrison (thumb), C Cody Wallace (illness)

The Ravens will be without Crockett Gillmore, so Maxx Williams is a Sneaky Start against the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger and Breshad Perriman are out, as expected.

Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, who was limited all week after leaving last week's win over the Seahawks with a left ankle sprain, tweaked the same ankle Monday night after being targeted on each of Aaron Rodgers' first two pass attempts.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Adams aggravated the sprain and will "miss some time."

Adams tried to make an adjustment on a sideline pass, which was Green Bay's third play from scrimmage against the Chiefs, and came up lame. He limped to the Packers' sideline, where he remained for the team's second series with an ice pack around his ankle.

Ty Montgomery and James Jones should benefit the most with Adams out of action. Jones had a huge game on Monday night with seven catches for 139 yards and a TD. Montgomery also had a TD but hauled in just two catches for 14 yards. Jeff Janis could also see some snaps in four receiver sets.

Aaron Rodgers will be without another target for at least a month.

Tight end Andrew Quarless has an MCL sprain in his left knee, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, per a source. Quarless, who was injured on Monday night in the second quarter against the Chiefs, is expected to miss four to six weeks.

The second-string tight end is the latest Packer to get hit by the injury bug. Green Bay is already without the services of top wide receiver Jordy Nelson for the season, Eddie Lacy has been slowed down by an ankle injury and Davante Adams aggravated his high-ankle sprain on the first series versus Kansas City on Monday night.

Drew Brees is expected to take some practice reps for the first time Wednesday after his Tuesday throwing session went well during the Saints' off day, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Ed Werder.

This is the latest encouraging step for Brees, who told Werder on Monday that he received positive reviews from Dr. James Andrews after a comprehensive shoulder evaluation in Birmingham, Ala.

Brees has not thrown during a practice since he suffered a bruised rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was ruled out of this past Sunday's game at the Carolina Panthers because he and coach Sean Payton agreed that he didn't have enough strength or velocity yet. It was the first game Brees missed due to injury since high school.

Both Brees and Payton have said they are optimistic he will be able to return for Sunday night's home date with the Dallas Cowboys. But they have both described Brees' status as "day to day." Brees has stressed that the decision will be based on how much strength and "functionality" he feels he has in his arm rather than an issue of pain tolerance or risk of re-injury, the story said.

According to ESPN Texans reporter Tania Ganguli, former San Diego Chargers kicker Nick Novak will sign with Houston.

Novak won a tryout that included fellow kickers Giorgio Tavecchio, Kai Forbath, Chris Boswell and Connor Barth according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

The Texans waived Randy Bullock on Tuesday. Bullock missed two extra points in Houston’s first three games, and missed a 43-yard field goal on Sunday against Tampa Bay. The offense could soon get a lift with the return of Arian Foster at RB

Two days after Julio Jones was targeted 20 times during a 39-28 win over the Cowboys, Jerry Jones was still talking about one of the game's best wide receivers.

The Cowboys owner and general manager was particularly discussing how the Falcons moved around the two-time Pro Bowler and frequently used him in the slot.

"I think our early defensive success gave us a certain confidence in what we were doing, and the when we relied on that later ... I think that betrayed us," Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan's Shan and RJ show [KRLD-FM]. "I'm not criticizing here at all. I'm just saying that it's pretty obvious to me that every down is almost a new day with a Julio Jones. He was no surprise. His first two games have been almost lay-downs to what he did against us."

"When you cover him the way we did in the slot and you don't have a sideline to work with, then it's really very difficult for him not to get the plays," Jerry Jones said. "My observation, though, my coaching observation - and I'm holding two fingers up on each side - I want to see the way they do Julio, and does anybody want to see us do Dez [Bryant] that way? Is that too elementary?"

Julio Jones caught 12 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns Sunday. Through Atlanta's first three games, he has 34 catches - an NFL record to start a season - for 440 yards and four touchdowns. The story went on to say the Cowboys have gradually moved Bryant around more and used him in the slot. But Bryant has never been targeted 20 times in a game. He was targeted 17 times twice in 2013. He was targeted 14 times in two games last season.

Once thought to be a frontrunner for the third-down back job, Travaris Cadet has been released by the New England Patriots.

The team made the move in order to fit linebacker Jon Bostic onto the roster. Bostic, a third-year pro, was acquired in a trade with Chicago Monday.

Cadet suffered a hamstring strain during practice on Aug. 8 and missed virtually the entire month. Still, he made the initial 53-man roster, but was inactive in two of the Patriots' first three games.

He signed a two-year deal this past offseason after spending three years with the New Orleans Saints.

We just posted a news story Monday from a beat writer who said not to count out Cadet for a potential bigger, future role with the team. The Pats could still bring him back if he doesn't find work, but for now this is great news for Dion Lewis owners. James White is still a similar back on the NE roster but Lewis looks like he'll keep his role for a while.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped to 1-2 on the season after a tough 19-9 loss to the Houston Texans last week. While there were obviously multiple things that need to be fixed offensively, head coach Lovie Smith was quick to point out on specifically, according to JoeBucsFan.com.

For Smith, he wants to get the ball into the hands of veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson more.

“I think Vincent was maybe targeted about four times [Sunday]. Yes, we acknowledge that we need to get him involved more,” Lovie told JoeBucsFan.com. “That’s, you know, a great player. But some games you have a favorable matchup with a certain guy. And before you know it you look and it’s not exactly, it’s not spread out to the way you would like to, as far as to all of your receivers.”

As the site explains, Jackson was targeted four times during the loss, while second-year receiver Mike Evans received a whopping 17 targets. It's safe to say that things should change a bit moving forward, especially when the head coach stands up a makes a statement like this one.

Just days before Brandon Weeden's first start in 2015 as the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback, the team traded for veteran quarterback Matt Cassel. Weeden remains the starter for now, but if he continues to struggle like he did in the second half of Week 3, Cassel could emerge as the starter.

In Week 3, Cassel was behind quarterback Kellen Moore on the depth chart and he was inactive. Cassel's first task is to learn the Cowboys' offensive scheme and terminology under offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. He has had no issues with that so far.

"He's working hard at it," Garrett said Monday of Cassel, per Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. "He's a smart guy. He's an experienced guy. It comes to him quickly."

The Cowboys haven't made a decision yet on whether or not Cassel will be active in Week 4 as the backup quarterback to Weeden, but things are certainly trending in that direction. Many seem to think it could be Cassel who eventually takes over for Weeden at some point this season.

Eagles' running back DeMarco Murray, who missed Sunday's game against the Jets with a hamstring injury, was back at practice Tuesday as the team began preparations for the Washington Redskins.

Murray ran with the offense and did drills in the limited amount of practice open to the media.

Murray looks to be on track to play in Week 4 against Washington, but owners can probably expect Ryan Mathews to get a share of the touches after a nice performance in Week 3 against the Jets.

Drew Brees plans to test his injured shoulder Tuesday by throwing for the first time since Friday, according to ESPN NFL Insider Ed Werder.

Brees told Werder that he flew to Birmingham, Alabama on Monday for a comprehensive shoulder evaluation with Dr. James Andrews and that the results of the exam were even more positive than he expected.

Brees and coach Sean Payton have both continued to describe Brees as “day to day,” and he aims to return at home this Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Werder seems to be on top of the Brees injury.

The Chicago Bears traded outside linebacker Jared Allen to the Carolina Panthers on Monday. According to an ESPN report, the Bears also traded inside linebacker Jonathan Bostic to the New England Patriots.

The Bears appear to be stocking up on future draft picks at the expense of players acquired by former general manager Phil Emery. ESPN's Dianna Marie Russini reports that more trades are on the way.

Running back Matt Forte is a prime candidate for a trade, since he's 29 years old and looking for a new contract. Martellus Bennett, a 28-year-old tight end who's unhappy with his contract situation, is another player who could conceivably end up on the trade block. This backs up a similar report we had in the news yesterday and it seems like it could impact some big-name fantasy players.

The last time the Eagles' secondary faced a true No. 1 receiver, in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, they allowed Julio Jones to catch nine passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Which is why even though the status of Washington Redskins receiver, and former Eagles' playmaker, DeSean Jackson is very much up in the air, defensive coordinator Billy Davis said Tuesday the team will be ready this Sunday.

"Yes we will," Davis said. "We'll prepare for DeSean."

Jackson has been sidelined since he suffered a hamstring injury in the Redskins' Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

"He is probably right on the verge of coming back," Davis said. "I know DeSean will want to come back for this game to get back out there and help the team."

According to the Washington Post, Jackson did not practice Monday, the story said. The original diagnosis for his injury was three-to-four weeks. Jackson likely wants to play in this one against his former team, a team he also had tremendous success against in two games last year.

Calvin Johnson is getting the same attention he's always seen. The difference is, the Detroit Lions don't seem to be taking as many chances going to their best offensive playmaker.

Teams have been double teaming Johnson for years, bringing cornerbacks inside and safeties over the top. Yet with coaching staffs past, the Lions had no problems tossing the ball to the 6-foot-5 receiver in jump ball situations. It helped lead him to the single-season NFL receiving record in 2012.

Things have changed. Johnson turns 30 on Tuesday and while the attention is similar -- his utilization has been altered, changing his game and in some ways eliminating the mismatch wide receiver from making as many game-changing plays.

After an opening week where Johnson saw four targets, the Lions used him heavily the past two weeks. But it has been on primarily short and intermediate routes instead of the downfield patterns he used to be targeted on.

Re-introduce yourself to the Bengals’ latest X-Factor because they’ve got a lot of them on offense.

Since 2013, here are Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton’s numbers when wide receiver Marvin Jones is paired opposite Pro Bowler A.J Green:
A 62.6 completion percentage at 7.6 yards per attempts for 41 TDs and 21 picks and a passer rating of 93.2. That’s compared to career numbers of 61.8 percent, 7.1 yards per attempts and an 86.7 rating.

And in games they combine for a TD since 2013, like they did in Sunday’s 28-24 victory in Baltimore, the Bengals are 8-1.

Jones is fast, tough, has great hands and defenses have to treat him almost as delicately as Green. On Sunday’s first drive he made a nice leaping catch on third-and-six when Dalton let him come back for it on the left sideline for a 32-yard play. And his one-handed catch on the last drive down the right sideline when he fried cornerback Kyle Arrington for 31 yards is now a part of Bengals lore.

Cards HC Bruce Arians expects both left guard Mike Iupati and running back Andre Ellington back from knee issues this week and that he’ll have to see how both are able to practice this week before knowing if they have a decent shot at playing this Sunday against the visiting Rams.

It will be interesting to see if Ellington is able to play. He would certainly add a dimension to the passing game but it would essentially create a three-headed monster at RB with Chris Johnson and David Johnson. Chris Johnson had a huge game in Week 3, so it's possible rookie David Johnson is the odd man out for now.

w Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees met with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham on Monday and got "very positive" feedback after an "extensive evaluation," according to ESPN's Ed Werder.

Brees was on the sidelines for the Saints' loss Sunday at the Carolina Panthers. He told CSTV that his ability to return this week would be based on arm strength and movement, not a pain threshold.

Saints coach Sean Payton said Monday that Brees was showing progress daily.

The Saints (0-3) play the Dallas Cowboys (2-1) on Sunday at home. Werder, who has reported statements from Brees and information that appears to be coming from Brees since last week, also added that Brees found the evaluation with Andrews "very positive" and "beyond expectations," the story said. Werder was in our news last last week saying Brees' injury wasn't as long term as some other outlets reported, so it appears this can be taken seriously.

The pistol revived the Broncos' offense, but ineffectiveness and injuries remained the double-barreled theme of the ground game. Denver ranks last in yards per carry (2.6) and 31st in overall yards with 171.

Coach Gary Kubiak promised to run what the Broncos do best, following through by placing Peyton Manning under center for three snaps against the Lions. However, Kubiak's teams have averaged a 10th place rushing attack in his two decades as a coordinator and head coach. The Broncos offense is tweaked, using one-back sets, but Kubiak has no plans to abandon the run. C.J. Anderson remains the starter, and the Broncos would like to get him on track against Minnesota.

"We have to keep C.J. on the field. C.J. has been coming off the field the past three games because he's been nicked up," Kubiak said. "Things are going on, and we need to keep him on the field consistently."

Anderson missed time the first three weeks with ankle, toe and head injuries. He cleared the concussion protocol during the game at Detroit on Sunday and returned, but his abbreviated outing left him with 18 yards on eight carries. For the season, he sits at 74 yards on 32 attempts, admittedly struggling to have fun as he has tried too hard to make the perfect runs, the story said. It sounds like the Broncos want to continue to use Anderson as their RB1 despite Ronnie Hillman playing better most week. Hillman and Juwan Thompson remain the backups, with Thompson expected to be available this week after suffering a neck injury against the Lions. If Thompson can't go, the Broncos could activate Kapri Bibbs from the practice squad. This is at least some potentially encouraging news for Anderson owners.

Already dealing with a sore back and neck, and a calf injury that limited him in practice last week, Marshawn Lynch suffered a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the second half of Sunday's victory. The hamstring problem capped a strange day for Lynch, who struggled getting himself ready for the game to begin with and didn't come out of the locker room until midway through the first half.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Lynch underwent an MRI last week on his sore calf, but was scheduled to have another MRI on Monday after the hamstring problem popped up during Sunday's game. Lynch felt his hamstring after catching a 9-yard pass to convert a fourth-and-1 on the final drive of the first half. He did not play the rest of the game.

Carroll said the extra day this week, with Seattle not playing until next Monday night against Detroit, could be beneficial in Lynch's recovery. If Lynch can't play against Detroit, it would be just the second game he's missed since joining the Seahawks early in the 2010 season. Lynch missed a 2011 game at Cleveland when his back stiffened up just before kickoff. While he may not have started every game in his Seattle tenure, Lynch has played in every other one.

Packers Inactives
Kennard Backman TE
Bryan Bulaga T
Morgan Burnett SS
Demetri Goodson CB
Brett Hundley QB
Sean Richardson CB
Lane Taylor G

Davante Adams and Eddie Lacy were questionable early Sunday but the team announced later in the day they were upgraded to probable. Adams and Lacy are battling ankle injuries while Randall Cobb has a shoulder issue. It's possible James Starks gets a little extra work tonight behind Lacy as well as Ty Montgomery in the passing game.

A source close to the situation confirmed a report from the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that the Eagles will place kicker Cody Parkey on injured reserve and sign former Dolphins kicker Caleb Sturgis.

Earlier, Eagles coach Chip Kelly said tests on Parkey and kicker auditions Monday were "precautionary" after Parkey "got hurt in warmup a little bit yesterday."

Asked if a roster move for a kicker was imminent, Kelly said: "No. Everything's precautionary, just to make sure."

Parkey struggled a bit this year after struggling late very last season. He started 2014 on fire after coming over in a trade with the Colts. He did hit his only attempt in Week 3 but missed an attempt in both Weeks 1 and 2. Sturgis certainly has some fantasy potential if the Eagles offense can get back to form.

He doesn’t view fumbling as a problem, even if he’s lost two in the past two games. But Matt Jones wants to make sure it doesn’t become a bigger one, which is why he worked on it in practice Monday.

Jones fumbled in the Week 2 win over St. Louis and again against the New York Giants as he was trying to dive into the end zone. That’s why he spent part of practice working on holding the ball tighter as he dove over bags and onto a dummy bag.

“Everyone would say it’s a ball security issue now,” Jones said. “Nah, I’m not worried about that. I feel I’m getting way better with that. I feel I can be even better with the ball .... Fumbling is not an issue for me.”

Jones did not have fumbling issues at Florida, with three lost fumbles (and five overall) in 26 games. But his past doesn’t matter quite as much now, not after the last two games. The fumble against St. Louis was poked out in part because he needed to hold it tighter and because he was too upright going through the hole, leading to an easy jab by the defender, the story said. It's clear the team wants to give him work, but fumbling is something that can't continue in what now seems like a wide-open Washington backfield.

n his first start with his new team, Eagles running back Ryan Mathews certainly looked the part of a starting running back.

Now it's time to figure out if he will remain in the lead role, or go back to being a part of DeMarco Murray's supporting cast.

"I have no idea," Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said Monday. "That's not a concern for any of us."

Mathews rushed for 108 yards on 25 carries in the team's win Sunday over the New York Jets, taking over Murray's job while the starting running back was on the sideline due to a hamstring injury.

With Mathews as the lead back, the Eagles offense had their best game of the season on the ground, rushing for 123 yards. Between Mathews and backup Darren Sproles, the Eagles ran the ball 36 times.

"We ran the ball a little bit more," Kelly said. "That was what we were trying to do against (the Jets)."

Part of the reason the Eagles were able to run the ball so effectively against the Jets was improved play from their offensive line, a unit that had struggled the first two weeks of the season.

The story went on to say Mathews looks far more decisive with his reads and cuts than Murray has this season. The backup-turned-starter also looked quicker getting to the edge. Which is why based on the stat sheet, and to anyone watching the game, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that Mathews might be a better fit for the Eagles' offense than Murray, the running back they paid $40 million to this offseason. Kelly denied that Murray isn't a good fit but his hamstring issue will be a question heading into Week 4.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien was noncommittal on whether Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster will return Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, but acknowledged he’s nearing being back after undergoing groin surgery in August.

“I think we’re close,” O’Brien said Monday without offering a prediction on whether Foster will or won’t play.

Houston travels to Atlanta for an early game so owners will have plenty of notice to adjust lineups if Foster plays, but beware of a reduced workload if he does. Hopefully we have a better idea as the week goes on.

New England Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears met with the media Monday, or, in other words, Fears spent eight minutes speaking about Dion Lewis and Dion Lewis only.

Surely, Lewis is one of the best stories in the NFL this season. He entered the NFL in 2011, and he has nearly twice as many yards from scrimmage in three games with the Patriots (325) than in 24 games with the Eagles (192).

When discussing Lewis, Fears mentioned another running back, Travaris Cadet, who missed virtually the entire month of August with a hamstring injury but still made the 53-man roster.

Fears first brought up Cadet when he was asked why Lewis didn't have success elsewhere before coming to New England.

"He might not have gotten a shot, or he could have been just like Cadet, pulled a hammy early and just missed too much of practices and all of a sudden you don't know," Fears said. "(Lewis) may have never really gotten a shot. It's just hard to get a shot once you get going into the season."

Three weeks in, Cadet has been inactive twice and has logged just one touch -- a receiver screen that went for two yards against the Bills. Given the way Lewis has played and the presence of LeGarrette Blount, it may be hard for Cadet to get a shot. As Fears said, "he's just got to take advantage of his opportunity when it comes."

The story pointed out: running backs are often injured, and opportunities come up for backups frequently. Look at Lewis' path: Cadet suffered his hamstring injury on Aug. 8, and Lewis returned from a hamstring injury of his own on Aug. 15. Blount, meanwhile, missed practice from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11 with a knee tweak. This isn't to say that Cadet needs an injury to occur for him to get on the field, the story added. His skill set is unique, and the Pats may very well see him as more of a receiver than a running back. In certain gameplans, Cadet's route-running ability could earn him significant snaps. One just never knows what the Pats will do, but they have a couple of options behind Lewis when it comes to pass-catching RBs.

New Orleans Saints running back C.J. Spiller caught a pass for 3 yards on the first play from scrimmage Sunday, and he did not touch the ball again until the fourth quarter. The scarcity of touches for Spiller was something coach Sean Payton said Monday he wanted to fix.

"I got to get him more opportunities," Payton said. "He's healthy, and shoot, he needs more than anybody to stay actively warm as opposed to one play every 12 of 14 plays."

Spiller played 16 snaps against the Panthers, one week after he went in for seven snaps at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Spiller missed the preseason and the season opener at Arizona to recover from an arthroscopic knee surgery.

Fantasy owners need to see more from Spiller, too. Spiller was supposed to be a PPR stud however so far it's been a slow start which has caused Spiller to pop up on the waiver wire. It seems the team is aware the need to give him the ball more but we'll see if that translates into more touches. If you're hurting at the position and Spiller is out there on the wire in a PPR league, he may be worth a shot.

The Buffalo Bills got some positive news to start Week 4.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports that after tests Monday morning, Sammy Watkins was diagnosed with a mild calf strain and will be day-to-day, per a source informed of the injury.

Bills coach Rex Ryan said it is a possibility that Watkins won't be able to play in Week 4 versus the Giants.

Watkins left Sunday's 41-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins early with the calf injury. He had one catch for 39 yards before exiting.

The first-round pick has struggled to start the season. After putting up a goose egg in Week 1, he has just seven grabs for 99 yards and a touchdown through three weeks. Despite the lackluster numbers, the attention Watkins draws helps open up the rest of the Bills offense and has aided Percy Harvin's hot start to the season, although that's not what fantasy owners want to hear.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery expects to return from his hamstring injury for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

He still has the most receiving yards among Bears wide receivers despite missing two straight games. Tight end Martellus Bennett leads the team overall in that category with 118 yards on 13 receptions. Veteran receiver Eddie Royal is second on the team in receptions with 11 for just 66 yards.

He would be a welcome addition back to the offense that wasn't able to show much in Week 3 at Seattle posting zero points. Jeffery has missed two consecutive games with his hamstring injury. He missed the entire preseason schedule with a severe left calf strain but played in the regular-season opener, catching five passes for 78 yards on 60 snaps.

The Bills rolled to an easy win over a listless Dolphins team on Sunday afternoon thanks to a strong performance by their defense and another good game for starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

The good defense was an expected part of the equation heading into the season, but the offense was projected to be a run-first unit led by LeSean McCoy. Taylor’s polished play has been part of the reason for the change and McCoy’s lingering hamstring injury has also been a factor.

“I was never really effective today like I wanted to be … Just trying to go. I can’t really go like I want to,” McCoy said, via ESPN.com.

McCoy gained just 16 yards on 11 carries and said that he and the team need to look at everything when asked about possibly sitting for a week in hopes of getting closer to 100 percent. Coach Rex Ryan was more resistant to that idea, saying he thought McCoy is “still a heck of a player” at his current level of play. But, Karlos Williams had another nice game running for 110 yards on 12 carries, including a 41-yard TD. McCoy owners many want to back themselves if Williams is still on waiver wires.

On Thursday night against Washington, the Giants finally got their first win.

On Monday, they were finally getting healthy.

During the portion of practice open to the media, the Giants had a host of injured players back on the field, including Victor Cruz. The wide receiver, out since mid-August with a calf injury, is still trying to make his return from last year's torn left patellar knee tendon.

The Cruz sighting came just a day after he announced in an Internet video that he would be making his season debut against the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday. It's another weapon in the Giants offense and it could even help Odell Beckham Jr. find more space in the field while helping Eli Manning's fantasy value at the same time. Cruz might be a risk to play in fantasy lineups his first game back. It's hard to tell just how much he'll be involved in the offense on top of it being a tough matchup.

Like Mike McCoy likes to say, the San Diego Chargers drafted Melvin Gordon in the first round for a reason.

Give Gordon the football.

“The running game was not good enough for anybody,” McCoy said after Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. “When you get beat like that, it is not good enough and we will evaluate the film. When looking at a running back you do not want to just look at the numbers.”

Well, coach, when looking at the numbers through three games, Gordon is No. 10 in the NFL in rushing, running for 190 yards on 44 carries for a respectable 4.32 yards per carry. He has yet to get into the end zone.

Gordon’s three rushes of at least 20 yards ties him for second in the NFL.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Gordon has 104 yard after contact, which is No. 6 in the NFL.

That’s pretty impressive considering the University of Wisconsin product seems to get hit more times than not before he reaches the line of scrimmage.

He’s carried the ball an average of 15 times a game. Gordon averaged 25 carries a game in college. But the 15 rushes is about what Ryan Mathews received at times before they started giving him upwards of 20 and he got hurt. But the key stat is Gordon has one carry on third down and none in the red zone, so the Chargers remain unwilling to use him in crucial moments in the game, seemingly trusting Danny Woodhead more in that role.

After much anticipation, No. 10 overall pick Todd Gurley played his first football game since blowing an ACL Nov. 15, 2014.

The St. Louis Rams' running back entered the 12-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers early in the second quarter and took his first carry for two yards.

"I knew I was going to be fine after that," Gurley said of getting hit, via ESPN. "It definitely felt good to just be back out there on the field again."

The Rams predictably kept the rookie's carries to a minimum. Gurley toted the ball just nine times for six yards as St. Louis' offense could get nothing going on the ground or otherwise. Despite the lackluster start to his career, Gurley said he didn't feel rusty. However the back admitted it'll take time before he's back to full speed. We knew it was going to take time and as a result Gurley probably isn't safe for lineups as owners should continue to wait-and-see.

Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch got a late start to Sunday’s game and he made an early exit after hurting his hamstring, but coach Pete Carroll doesn’t sound terribly concerned about Lynch’s status for the future.

Lynch was listed as questionable for the game against the Bears because of a calf issue and coach Pete Carroll said he made a delayed entry to the game because he was “still going through the process of getting comfortable and getting ready to go” at the outset. Lynch eventually appeared with three minutes to go in the first quarter and ran the ball five times before exiting for good because of his hamstring.

“We’ve checked it all out, and there is nothing to be alarmed by, so we’ll just have to wait and see,” Carroll said, via the Seattle Times. “He tried to get out there and did a little bit of running and all but couldn’t answer it in the second half.”

Lynch owners are probably tired of this already. Thomas Rawls ran for 104 yards on 16 carries in the 26-0 win to ease any pain that might have been caused by Lynch’s early departure from the proceedings. Lynch, who hasn’t missed a game since 2011, will get an extra day to rest before the Seahawks host the Lions on Monday night in Week 4. Lynch owners may want to try and add Rawls as a backup plan.

Ben Roethlisberger’s return from a left knee injury sets the stage for a heroic second-half performance, assuming the offense under Michael Vick stands firm.

Roethlisberger’s anterior cruciate ligament is still intact. He’ll likely miss four to six weeks with an MCL sprain and a bone bruise, with a return as early as Nov. 1 against the Bengals in Heinz Field. CBS Sports first reported the MCL injury.

Ben Roethlisberger has said this is the best supporting cast he has ever had, which should mean they can stand on their own without him. Now it’s time to test them, see if they can carry Big Ben while he’s out.

The offensive fireworks won’t light up the sky like they do when Roethlisberger leads the charge, the story said. That could mean a bit of a downgrade for Antonio Brown and the WRs. The writer said the team just wants to "hold on" until Ben returns. That could mean more emphasis on the running game with LeVeon Bell and even DeAngelo Williams. Vick can turn the ball over but has been part of big passing offenses when he was with the Eagles. The Steelers probably want to play things safe if at all possible, especially this week heading into short week with a Thursday night game against the Ravens. Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said via the team's website: "There is no timetable for his return, but Ben is a competitor and we are confident he will do everything in his power to return at the appropriate time."

Drew Brees will head into Week 4 the same way he went into Week 3 – optimistic but uncertain about whether he will be able to play with a bruised rotator cuff.

“I’m day-to-day. Obviously I plan to and expect to start on Sunday,” the New Orleans Saints quarterback said in his weekly postgame interview with Cox Sports Television following the Saints’ 27-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. “But if I don’t, we’re in good hands with Luke [McCown].”

Brees reiterated that his ability to play against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday night will be a matter of “functionality.”

A report we had Sunday night said Brees is a long shot to play in Week 4. Brees may just be preparing in case, but owners should probably plan on being without him again.

Bengals RB Jeremy Hill knows his play from the first three games this season has been largely uninspiring. He doesn't need to consult his fantasy football roster to see that.

To this point, part of the Cincinnati Bengals' second-year rusher's stat line reads more like the first half of a Leonard Fournette outing -- 123 yards, two touchdowns.

But, oh yeah, that's 123 yards on 41 carries, an average of 3.0 yards per rush. Not to mention, there are the two lost fumbles from the Week 2 win over San Diego. Put it all that together, and you have the kind of start that could be deemed a nightmare for a solid Bengals offense trying to make sure it's as balanced as possible now as the season hits its stride.

Fret not, though, Bengals fans and fantasy owners. Hill believes these early dark days will soon subside.

"It's coming," Hill said, referencing a conversation he had with offensive coordinator Hue Jackson walking off the field following Sunday's 28-24 win at Baltimore. "I talked to Hue after and he knows it's coming. We can feel it. There are certain plays, certain situations where we can feel it."

Against the Ravens, Hill averaged a whopping 1.8 yards, carrying 12 times for 21 yards. He also barely touched the ball in the second half after he had difficulty getting anything established. Giovani Bernard didn't have a significantly better day, but Bernard's 13 carries for 49 yards and three catches for 34 yards helped move the ball downfield and set up key scores. The team said last week they will continue to use Hill as the lead back even after he fumbled, liking the way they can mix Bernard into the offense, but Bernard has sure had more of a hot hand.

The New York Jets' running game crashed Sunday at MetLife Stadium, and one of the eyewitnesses was Chris Ivory.

The Jets' leading rusher was active for the 24-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but he spent the entire afternoon on the sideline, looking spiffy in the team's all-white uniforms. He never got into the game, not a single play, a curious decision by coach Todd Bowles.

"Early on, I didn't feel like I'd be well enough to be productive, but the more I got going and the warmer I got, I felt good," Ivory said. "I felt really good. But the decision was made. I was happy with it. I was happy with it [because] I don't want something lingering around most of the year. I was able to sit back and be the emergency back and get ready for next week."

Ivory, who missed two days of practice with a strained quadriceps, said he could've played. After pregame warmups, he was deemed well enough to dress as the No. 3 running back, but not well enough to play. Bowles added it was to make sure he was a full go next week. With no power back to operate their power scheme, the Jets' backs -- Bilal Powell and Zac Stacy -- were held to 33 yards on 10 carries. They had to abandon the running game after falling behind, 24-0.

The way the Patriots split the workload between LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis was notable Sunday.

The Patriots loosened up the Jaguars by primarily using Lewis in the first half, playing him on 28 of 36 offensive snaps. Blount wasn't much of a factor in the first half, on for just eight snaps, as the initial plan called for more spread passing formations and a sprinkling of runs from Lewis that included a dynamic 6-yard stop-and-start touchdown.

The Patriots took a 20-3 lead into halftime and then called on Blount as the closer. He played 21 snaps in the second half, compared to just seven for Lewis, powering in for three touchdowns and making plenty of fantasy football owners happy in the process.

By the end of the day, Lewis led all Patriots running backs with 35 snaps played. He finished with eight rushes for 37 yards and one touchdown, to go along with five catches for 30 yards. Blount wasn't far behind, totaling 29 snaps and 18 carries for 78 yards and three touchdowns, while adding one reception for 14 yards. It doesn't look like this combo is going away any time soon, but you just never know with the Patriots running game.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, it doesn't look promising for Saints QB Drew Brees.

"QB Drew Brees: I’m told he’s viewed as a long shot for next week vs. #Cowboys. He’s working hard it, but has a steep climb," Rapoport said via Twitter.

It's going to just be a wait-and-see type of approach heading into the week, the story said, and that will apply to fantasy owners, too. The Saints host Dallas, but it's the Sunday night game so owners are going to need a backup plan if they want to wait for Brees' availability. Luke McCown played well, completed 31 of 38 passes for 310 yards and one interception, but the offense takes a hit with Brees out of the lineup.

Rex Ryan says that LeSean McCoy is playing on "one and a half legs," and fighting through a lot of pain with the hamstring.

It's not what fantasy owners want to heard as Karlos Williams again had a big day scoring a TD for the third straight week. McCoy did add a receiving TD to help save what would have been a terrible fantasy day. The hammy is going to make McCoy a risky start until it's healed.

Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee had a tight hamstring and didn't return.

We can only assume it was the same hamstring issue that had Lee questionable to play most of the week before being activated against the Pats.

Vikings WR Charles Johnson is questionable with rib injury.

Johnson ended up not coming back to the game. A report said he returned to the field for one series, but he reportedly had his helmet taken away from him after that, according to the Vikings Radio Network.

Vernon Davis (knee), return is questionable.

Davis did not return but there was no more information about his knee injury. It's very possible with the game out of hand early the team kept him off the field even if it was a minor issue. We'll keep you posted.

Ben Roethlisberger is the latest big name quarterback to suffer an injury.

The Steelers quarterback left Sunday's 12-6 victory over the Rams in the third quarter with a left knee injury. He was hit low while getting sacked by Rams safety Mark Barron, who stumbled on the play and crawled to sack Roethlisberger.

The Steelers quickly announced that Roethlisberger would not return and coach Mike Tomlin said after the game Roethlisberger "will be evaluated and have an MRI."

Roethlisberger was carted to the locker room after being helped off the field, and it was plain to see the anguish on his face. He was not able to put weight on his leg as he was helped off. He was seen leaving the stadium on crutches.

Michael Vick took over and could be in line for work the next several weeks. Adam Schefter reported Big Ben will miss at least the next four weeks with the hope the ACL is still intact. That's the hope for fantasy owners, too. Vick is a solid add just based on the talent around him. Martavis Bryant is due back Week 5 which will help. But, it's not out of the question the team leans a bit more on the run with LeVeon Bell returning and DeAngelo Williams putting together two very good weeks. Vick is certainly capable of putting up passing numbers in this offense. However, he's known to turn the ball over and his reckless style of running has also got him hurt in the past. The Steelers will have to put this all together fairly fast as they play at home Thursday night in Week 4 against the Ravens who are really struggling on defense, so it's a good first matchup for Vick. Pittsburgh then plays Monday night Week 5 vs. San Diego, hosts Arizona Week 6 and visits Kansas City Week 7 for their next four contests.

Seahwaks RB Marshawn Lynch ruled out for the remainder of the game with a hamstring injury.

Lynch was questionable for Week 3 with a calf injury and actually needed extra time to warm up, getting in the game late and missing Seattle's first offensive series. The broadcast crew also mentioned he was possibly trying to get his back loose too. He didn't make it back on the field after a hamstring issue and wasn't really needed as this contest wasn't much in doubt for Seattle. Thomas Rawls had a big day filling in collecting 16 carries for 104 yards and a TD. Fred Jackson only had two carries. If Lynch can't go in Week 4, Rawls is going to be a popular waiver wire add.

Bills WR Sammy Watkins was ruled out for the game with a calf injury.

TE Charles Clay led the way in receiving yards and added a TD while Percy Harvin caught a team-high seven balls. Chris Hogan had a 3-42-1 line and Rober Woods a 4-38-0 line.

The Green Bay Packers got some good news for their offense on Sunday, but bad news for their defense.

The day before Monday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Packers upgraded the status of running back Eddie Lacy and receiver Davante Adams, both with ankle injuries, to probable.

They were originally listed as questionable Sunday. Great news for owners who were struggling with starting either player on Monday night. Both appear to be good to go against the Chiefs.

Dolphins Inactives
Branden Albert OT
Matt Hazel WR
Tony Lippett DB
Raheem Mostert RB
Jordan Phillips DT
Dion Sims TE
Billy Turner G

Lamar Miller (ankle) is a go in Week 3 but it's a tough matchup against the Bills. Expect backup Damien Williams to get some work in this contest too. Neither is really a great play.

Seahawks Inactives
B.J. Daniels WR
Mark Glowinski OG
David King DE
Tharold Simon CB
Kristjan Sokoli G
Steven Terrell FS
Luke Willson TE

As expected, Marshawn Lynch is active for Week 3 in a real nice matchup against the Bears. The worry here is Seattle gets up big and decides to keep Lynch on the sidelines, but aside from that Lynch appears safe for lineups.

Fortunately for the Giants, the offense is clicking and might be getting some help, as Tom Coughlin said Friday the team expects Victor Cruz back for Week 4.

"That's what we've been told," Coughlin said.

The Giants have a 10-day break between the win over the Redskins and their trip to Buffalo for a matchup with Rex Ryan's Bills. The short week likely cost Cruz a shot at playing Week 3. Cruz suffered a torn patellar tendon last year and was expected back by the start of the season. But a calf injury kept him out through the first three weeks.

CHIEFS at PACKERS
CHIEFS
PROBABLE
G Jeff Allen (knee), T Eric Fisher (ankle), TE Demetrius Harris (foot), LB Joshua Mauga (achilles), T Donald Stephenson (ankle), WR De'Anthony Thomas (calf), RB Charcandrick West (achilles), WR Albert Wilson (shoulder)

PACKERS (Green Bay did not practice on Saturday. The Saturday practice report is an estimation.)
OUT
T Bryan Bulaga (knee), CB Demetri Goodson (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE
WR Davante Adams (ankle), S Morgan Burnett (calf), RB Eddie Lacy (ankle), LB Mike Neal (groin), S Sean Richardson (ankle), RB Aaron Ripkowski (shoulder)

PROBABLE
WR Randall Cobb (shoulder)

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said via NFL.com: "I thought Eddie did some good things in his limited reps. Monday night game, so we have a lot of time left. I feel good about treatment today, light practice tomorrow and obviously all day Monday. I think Eddie and Davante are both progressing."

James Starks carried 20 times for 95 rushing yards and earned four receptions for 11 receiving yards. Starks will get the bulk of the workload if Lacy can't go. The ideal situation is if owners have both backs and can make a last-minute switch.

Adams played through his injury during last Sunday's victory. If the second-year player is hindered at all it should open up the door for rookie Ty Montgomery to play an even larger roll in the Packers' offense after catching four balls for 37 yards in Week 2. Montgomery could be in line for the bevy of receiver screens that generally would go Adams' way, NFL.com said.

Reggie Bush hasn’t done much in two weeks, and the 49ers made his absence for Sunday’s game at Arizona official Saturday when the team announced that Bush did not make the trip with his teammates and will instead stay in Santa Clara to continue rehab on his calf injury.

Bush had been listed as doubtful on the team’s Friday injury report. Bush was injured early in the season opener and hasn’t practiced since. Earlier this week, 49ers coach Jim Tomsula said Bush was “looking really good” but is probably only up to 80 percent speed.

With No. 3 wide receiver Chris Owusu (knee scope) out and Eric Decker (sprained knee) listed as questionable/game-time decision, I would expect Jeremy Kerley to see a bunch of action.

Remember, Decker has mostly worked in the slot this year. That is Kerley's area of specialty.

Devin Smith will do some things in this game, but it's his NFL debut. Hard to expect a lot out of him. And I don't think the Jets' coaches really are. In terms of the tight ends, the Jets lost a potentially big asset when Jace Amaro suffered that season-ending shoulder injury. Jeff Cumberland just isn't a great receiving threat.

Todd Bowles mentioned Thursday that he's asked Cumberland and blocking tight end Kellen Davis "to do a lot of blocking thus far." With Brandon Marshall and Decker catching passes, the Jets haven't needed Cumberland in the passing game. That could definitely change this week, but I don't think you'll see a lot of targets for him.

It looks like Kerley will benefit the most if Decker misses the game, and it looks like a good matchup on paper, but the Eagles defense hasn't been horrible the first couple weeks. Still, Kerley would be a bit of a risky play, but perhaps a better choice than Smith who looks like he'll make his debut but won't be a huge factor.

The Frank Gore that Colts fans saw fumble on the goal line on Monday night wasn’t the one who came to Indy this offseason with five Pro Bowls.

That wasn’t the player who has rushed for 1,000 yards in eight of his 10 NFL seasons.

That wasn’t the player who looked like the Colts lead back, they so desired this offseason, in the first half on Monday.

“I can’t do that. I put that on me. I hurt the team there,” Gore said of his third-quarter fumble on Monday that would have cut the Jets lead to 10-7.

Gore was concise with his answers but the words were clear. What he plans to do about it also followed a similar line.

“I will get better. I will go out there and fight each and every Sunday and try to make it right,” Gore said in a nearly empty Colts locker room.

One play doesn’t tell the entire story to Gore’s home debut with the Colts. A touchdown there likely changes the outcome of the game, but what he showed for the bulk of Monday night leaves plenty of promise. Gore had seven first-half carries for 41 yards (nearly six yards per carry). That also doesn’t include 12 and 11-yard scampers by Gore that were called back because of holding. It was close to nice fantasy performance - for what that is worth. While it doesn't help owners, it's perhaps at least a sign of good things to come. This is a big week for Gore owners as he goes against Tennessee.

The length of Dez Bryant's recovery from a broken foot is a bit of contention, but the Dallas Cowboys are optimistic he'll only miss four games.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told KRLD-FM that it's "fair" to think that Bryant will be healthy enough to return after the team's Week 6 bye.

"Our prognosis has never changed," Jones said, via The Dallas Morning News. "I know there have been a lot of people who have doctors on their media staff and like to speculate on these things, but we've been pretty consistent from Day One. At first we thought maybe four to six (weeks) and that changed to six to eight. By the next day we were pretty much thinking six to eight.

"We really feel like it's a very fair goal to think that Dez will be back after the bye."

The Cowboys travel to New York to face the Giants on October 25, for their Week 7 matchup after the bye. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported last weekend that Bryant faces a 10-12 week timeframe to recover from the bone graft that took place during surgery, the story said. Reports of his timetable have actually been all over the place, between 4-12 weeks as well as missing the season. Those thinking about cutting ties with Bryant may want to hold on a little longer, and those looking at getting him on the cheap, may want to strike soon.

Redskins RB Alfred Morris received just 12 snaps despite receiving the start.

Chris Thompson had 39 snaps while Jones played 26 snaps in the game. Morris had six carries for 19 yards with his last rush occurring with 6 minutes 54 seconds left in the third quarter. Gruden said Morris’s snaps were limited due to the substitution pattern with Jones and the lack of possessions in the second half playing from behind.

“It was nothing against Alfred, it was just it was Matt Jones’s turn on a couple of those reps and we gave him some carries,” Jay Gruden said. “We intend on splitting the reps up pretty good. Alfred should be the lead dog though. It just didn’t work out that way.”

Jones led the team in carries for a second straight game. He had 11 rushes for 38 yards, but Gruden said Morris should remain as the lead back. Thompson was also a favorite of the coaching staff going back to camp last season when some beat writers thought Roy Helu would lose the job to Thompson. But Thompson got hurt allowing Helu to remain with the team. It will be hard to trust Morris as the solid RB2 he once used to be. He may get the start but it's clear the team is using some other options and are high on both Jones and Thompson.

Drew Brees has been declared OUT for Sunday's game by Saints coach Sean Payton.

Luke McCown will get the start in a bad matchup against the Panthers. The Carolina defense is the biggest beneficiary of this news, as the entire Saints offense is likely to take a step back without Brees under center. Even Mark Ingram is looking like a dicey play now that the Panthers can load up and stop the run.

Texans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins returned to practice Friday after being under the mandatory NFL concussion testing protocol this week.

Under NFL rules governing concussions, players are required to pass a baseline neurological exam before they’re allowed to be medically cleared to return to practice.

Hopkins got hurt Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but didn’t report feeling any symptoms until Monday, when his community event at NRG Stadium scheduled for that night was postponed.

The article doesn't state if Hopkins has been completely cleared, but his return to practice is a very good sign for his Week 3 availability. The matchup against the Buccaneers is favorable.

The Jets could turn to Jeremy Kerley and Devin Smith. The 5’9”, 188-pound Kerley has caught 166 balls and 7 TDs throughout the course of his career. While not a big presence, he possess good feet and sticky hands. He could definitely see an increased role on Sunday. Meanwhile Smith has a couple of weeks of practice under his belt and it’s possible the rookie vertical threat could make his pro debut on Sunday.

Quincy Enunwa has been playing ahead of both Kerley and Smith and is first in line for targets after Brandon Marshall.

Jaguars RB T.J. Yeldon got 28 touches in last Sunday’s victory over the Dolphins, a number buoyed by the loss of Denard Robinson to a knee injury but one that Jags offensive coordinator Greg Olson is fine with in the weeks to come.

“We thought as the game went on, he became more productive,” Olson said, via ESPN.com. “We’ll wait and see how the game [against New England] plays out. I think every game plays out differently. We talked before [the Miami game] with Gus [Bradley] and the offensive staff. Gus asked what we were thinking. We said if he got 20 carries or more, we think that would be a good day. We felt like, yeah, he’s ready for that right now.”

One key to feeding Yeldon will be the scoreboard, because the Jags aren’t going to be run-heavy if they have to come from behind as they did in the opening weekend against the Panthers.

Robinson is likely out, but Toby Gerhart should be available to spell Yeldon. As the article notes, Yeldon's carries will depend on how competitive the game is, but he's also able to help in the passing game.

Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss:

The Patriots are still high on shifty running back Dion Lewis despite his fumbling in each of the first two games of the season. At the same time, word is that we should see a bit more of LeGarrette Blount than we did Sunday against the Bills, when he played just seven snaps.

Lewis is on pace for 256 touches, and he's going to have a tough time holding up to that type of workload. We expect the Patriots will deploy Blount in favorable matchups, and Week 2's matchup against the Bills was not favorable. The Jaguars are only giving up 2.9 YPC, including 3.1 YPC to Jonathan Stewart and 1.4 YPC to Lamar Miller. So this week's matchup may not be as favorable as it might seem, given the competition.

Falcons beat writer Vaughn McClure:

Something tells me Roddy White will be targeted more than once this week. Sure, Matt Ryan found himself a couple of nice new targets in Leonard Hankerson and Jacob Tamme, but the veteran White won’t be squeezed out of the equation. White might not be productive every week, but I expect him to bounce back in a big way after seeing his streak of consecutive games with a catch end at 128. White has 16 catches for 272 yards and a touchdown in three career matchups with the Cowboys, including two 100-yard receiving games.

We expect White to have a good game, especially since he was largely ignored in the offense against the Giants. The presence of Leonard Hankerson means that White may not produce every week, but he posted solid WR2 numbers when healthy last season and had a good Week 1.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher has repeatedly said Brian Quick's absence isn't related to his shoulder but is more a function of making the game-day numbers work with special teams.

Fisher said earlier this week that Quick hasn't been ruled out for this week's game against Pittsburgh, but chances are Quick will have to remain patient for at least another week.

“It’s like anybody that’s missed a significant part of the offseason program and was limited in training camp, you’re going to be a little bit behind," Fisher said. "That’s his only issue. So I’d like to think he’s caught up by this point.”

Quick's case is curious since he was far and away the team's best receiver for the first part of the season in 2014 and according to everyone involved, he's completely healthy. He's worth a stash in larger formats, but it may be a while before he works his way into the starting lineup.

Tevin Coleman, a rookie third-round pick and the Falcons' starting running back, can play with his cracked rib because it’s not displaced and a threat to puncturing his lung or affected his respiratory system.

The story goes on to describe the different ways to manage the pain associated with a cracked rib. At this point, it's not clear if the team is considering playing Coleman this week or if Devonta Freeman will take the reins, as expected.

Washington Redskins

OUT
WR DeSean Jackson (hamstring), CB Justin Rogers (foot)

QUESTIONABLE
T Tom Compton (calf), LB Perry Riley (calf)

PROBABLE
CB DeAngelo Hall (rib), DT Terrance Knighton (rib), G Shawn Lauvao (calf), C Kory Lichtensteiger (finger), T Morgan Moses (knee)

New York Giants

OUT
WR Victor Cruz (calf), TE Jerome Cunningham (knee), DT Markus Kuhn (knee), DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (foot), CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (concussion)

DOUBTFUL
T Ereck Flowers (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE
DE Robert Ayers (hamstring)

PROBABLE
LB Jon Beason (knee), DT Jay Bromley (knee), TE Daniel Fells (foot), DE Cullen Jenkins (hamstring), G Geoff Schwartz (illness)

Eagles RB DeMarco Murray will have an MRI on his injured hamstring, league source tells Adam Caplan

Murray injured the hamstring in Wednesday's practice. Remember, this was one of the concerns with him coming into the season. Running backs don't usually hold up the season following a massive workload, but there was some optimism since he's playing for Chip Kelly, who is known to have a great training staff. If Murray can't play in Week 3, Ryan Mathews is a good bet for 12-15 touches as the Eagles' RB1, but the role of Darren Sproles would expand as well. The Jets aren't a favorable matchup.

Amid whispers that Jimmy Graham is unhappy with his role in Seattle, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll acknowledged this week that his playmaking tight end needs to see the ball more.

"I'm disappointed," Carroll said, per ESPN Seattle. "Because we really have had the intent, just like you would think, exactly like you guys think, like everybody thinks. We want him to be a big part of the offense."

There's no reason to panic about Graham. He had a quiet Week 2, but he had quiet weeks in New Orleans as well. He caught six passes for 51 yards and a TD in Week 1, and after complaining about his role in Week 2, he's likely to produce against a very shaky Bears defense.

Duke Johnson, who missed most of the preseason with a hamstring injury and concussion, saw his snaps decrease from Week 1 to Week 2, but that’s misleading. The Browns ran just 49 plays against the Titans compared to 71 against the Jets. His percentage of snaps went up, and a big reason for that likely has something to do with the Browns being able to run the ball in the fourth quarter against Tennessee. He picked up a key first down on the Browns’ final offensive possession. Clearly, he’s getting worked more and more into Cleveland’s offensive plans.

When Johnson was drafted, he was pegged as a change-of-pace kind of player who would be just as dangerous out of the backfield as a pass-catcher as he would be as a runner. Now that Terrance West is gone, Johnson is simply the No. 2 option who can beat you as a runner and receiver in what Browns coach Mike Pettine mentioned Tuesday as a “committee” with Isaiah Crowell.

“I’d probably lean a little bit toward saying it’s a committee,” Pettine said on an interview with NFL Network.

“Everything will be game-planned, who is a better matchup for who we’re playing.”

One good thing about Josh McCown being back under center is that he's more likely to check down to Johnson in the flat than Manziel, who tends to scramble around to try to make a big play in the passing game. Johnson has yet to catch a pass, which is surprising since that's his wheelhouse.

Speaking Wednesday prior to practice, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly defended Sam Bradford's poor play and his five turnovers through two games, explaining the majority of them away.

"We look at every interception individually," Kelly said. "I know two of them are tipped (passes) that went through our hands. Those aren't the quarterback's fault."

"Sam is making the right reads and progressions," Kelly said.

After the Jets, Bradford has the Redskins, Saints and Giants, so his production should improve over the next month.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and HC Mike Tomlin discussed the return of LeVeon Bell and what it might mean for DeAngelo Williams.

“Le'Veon doesn’t like to come out of the game. That’s no secret and that’s because he’s in phenomenal shape. But I think it’s still beneficial not just to him [or] to this team in the short term, but in the long term. You’re talking about a long season. If every third series, every fourth series, whatever it is, let DeAngelo come in.”

Might having the accomplished Williams sub for Bell on occasion save their All-Pro for later in the season and maybe even extend his career?

“We all feel confident in DeAngelo,” Roethlisberger said. “The other thing I think we can do is we can put them both on the field at the same time. I think Le'Veon is so dangerous out of the backfield, you know, put them both on the field and use one as a screen, the other as a runner, who knows? I think the possibilities could be endless.”

Tomlin was not offering any specifics Tuesday about how he will use Williams.

“We will figure that out as we go. However, if Bell is available, we will use him.”

Last year, Tomlin said that they were going to use LeGarrette Blount in a significant role, and Bell absolutely dominated the touches. But Williams seems to be a better fit for the Steelers offense than Blount ever was, and is running with confidence. We project Bell for 21.3 touches in Week 3. He averaged 23.3 last season. Williams is in the RB3/flex conversation, but his usage is up in the air.

Browns quarterback Josh McCown will start Sunday against the Raiders, moving back into the lineup ahead of Johnny Manziel after passing the NFL's concussion protocol.

This news throws cold water on the Travis Benjamin's Sneaky Start appeal in a nice matchup against the Raiders.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins is on the shelf.

NFL Media's Jeff Darlington reported Tuesday that Tampa Bay's second-year tight end is expected to miss four to six weeks with the strained shoulder he suffered in Sunday's win over the New Orleans Saints, per a source aware of injury.

It's a rough situation for Seferian-Jenkins, who was showing promise after a quiet rookie season. He was already shaping up as a favorite target for rookie passer Jameis Winston, who will miss his playmaking tight end.

The given timetable would keep Seferian-Jenkins out for Sunday's game against the Texans along with upcoming tilts against the Panthers and Jaguars. Tampa's bye lands in Week 6, making their Week 7 showdown with the Redskins a logical target for ASJ's earliest possible return. In his place, Brandon Myers and Luke Stocker will take the majority of snaps, with Myers operating as the more reliable pass-catcher. Stocker is a blocker. Tampa also elevated Cameron Brate off the practice squad to pad the position.

Giants wideout Victor Cruz ran on the practice field grass for the first time since suffering a calf injury during training camp, and maintained that he was pain free afterward. He noted swelling was down and he felt closer to a return.

“The short week leaves us a little handicapped,” he said.

Cruz and the team’s training staff will monitor how he reacts Wednesday morning. The Giants square off against Washington Thursday night at MetLife Stadium. The Giants have lost their first two games as Cruz missed both with the injury.

Cruz didn't have much of a chance to play in Week 3 because of the short week, but he may have a shot in Week 4 if he continues to progress. The team released Preston Parker because of his drops, but it could be another sign Cruz is closer to returning.

New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick won't be returning to the bench anytime soon, if ever.

If there was any doubt about the Jets' immediate future at quarterback, it was erased Tuesday by Todd Bowles, who indicated that Fitzpatrick will remain the starter when Smith returns from his fractured jaw.

"Ryan is the starting quarterback right now," said the first-year coach, whose team is a surprising 2-0. "I mean, we're going good. We have good chemistry and everything else. Geno understands that. As we go, Ryan is our starting quarterback, and we'll go forward from there."

Essentially, Bowles reiterated what he said Aug. 11, the day Smith's jaw was broken by then-teammate IK Enemkpali. At the time, Bowles described it as Fitzpatrick's job to lose, saying it wouldn't make any sense to bench a hot quarterback. Six weeks later, Bowles' words carry more weight. The Jets are off to their best start since 2011, and Fitzpatrick is a big reason for the success, the story said. It also pointed out Smith hasn't been cleared yet.

Once considered a given to again be among the most stable and feared units in the NFL, the Ravens rushing offense has been successful only in a formation that a year ago it shied away from.

Through two games this season, running backs Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro are averaging seven yards per carry (12 rushes, 84 yards) out of the shotgun formation — all of those carries coming in Sunday's 37-33 loss to the Oakland Raiders. But that duo, and rookie Buck Allen, averaged 2.82 yards per carry (34 rushes for 96 yards) when quarterback Joe Flacco was under center.

It's a unique problem for the Ravens, and one likely exacerbated by the game situations Sunday in Oakland — the Ravens twice trailed by two scores, and found a rhythm in the shotgun that had eluded them through the first game against the Denver Broncos.

But their 12 carries on draw plays out of the shotgun were more than Ravens running backs had during all of the 2014 season (nine), and through two games was the only way the offense substantially moved the ball on the ground. No NFL team used the shotgun formation less than the Ravens last season.

However small the sample size, it brings into question how the pair of top backs will be utilized going forward, and whether the zone scheme that Forsett found success in last year will yield similar results this year. Fantasy owners probably don't care what formation Forsett is in at this point, but perhaps it's at least good news the Ravens have found something to build off in the run game.

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Cowboys have acquired quarterback Matt Cassel from Buffalo with Tony Romo sidelined at least seven games because of a broken left collarbone.

Other terms of the trade Tuesday weren't immediately available. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn't been announced.

Cassell has 71 starts in 90 games over 11 seasons, not counting the opener this year when he took the first snap for the Bills with Tyrod Taylor lined up at receiver.

Brandon Weeden is expected to start Sunday at home against Arizona, but Cassel is a veteran with far more experience than the fourth-year pro. Before the trade, owner Jerry Jones said on his radio show that Weeden was his starter. The Cowboys appear to be all-in despite being banged up on the offensive side of the ball. The NFC East is looking weak and Dallas' two wins at this point in the season look pretty big.

New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker avoided a season-ending knee injury, an MRI confirmed, but his status for Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles is uncertain.

Decker is day-to-day with a sprained knee, coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday. About 16 hours earlier, in the Jets' locker room at Lucas Oil Stadium, Decker indicated the preliminary diagnosis was a PCL injury to his left knee.

It happened early in the fourth quarter of the Jets' 20-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Decker said postgame tests indicated he wouldn't require surgery. Bowles refused to tip his hand on whether he expects Decker to play this week.

"I don't know; I'm going to have to see how he's doing later in the week," Bowles said. "If he's not moving well, obviously he's not going to play. But time will tell. He's got a little bit of time. I'm hopeful, but it's not out of the realm of possibility he won't play."

Decker played one of his best games as a Jet, finishing with eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown -- all in the first half. He and Brandon Marshall have formed a formidable tandem, combining for four touchdowns in the Jets' 2-0 start. Decker has a potential juicy matchup against the Eagles in Week 3. Chris Owusu and Devin Smith could see more work if Decker is indeed out.

The next game Tony Romo can start is Nov. 22 against the Miami Dolphins.

The Dallas Cowboys will place their starting quarterback on the injured reserve/designated to return list on Tuesday, according to a source, which will keep him out for the next eight weeks as he recovers from a broken left collarbone. Romo will not have surgery to repair the collarbone.

Romo will miss seven games because of the Cowboys' Oct. 18 bye week.

Brandon Weeden will be the starter in Romo's absence and the team is working out Christian Ponder, Josh Johnson, Matt Flynn and McLeod Bethel-Thompson but could also look to call up Kellen Moore from the practice squad.

The move to short-term injured reserve opens up a roster spot for the Cowboys. Last year the Cowboys placed defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence on the list at the start of the season because of a foot injury and he missed the first eight games of his rookie season. Had the Cowboys placed wide receiver Dez Bryant, who is recovering from foot surgery, on the list, then they would have had to have kept Romo on the 53-man roster. A team can use the designation on only one player.

What do you call a wide receiver who can’t catch? An ex-Giant.

Preston Parker, plagued by a miserable bout of the drops through two weeks, was released Tuesday by the Giants.

With Victor Cruz sidelined by a calf injury, Parker was the de facto No. 3 wideout on the roster, but had a whopping five combined dropped passes in season-opening losses to the Cowboys and Falcons. The Giants curiously chose to keep Parker on the roster over James Jones before the season. Jones was last seen burning Richard Sherman for a 29-yard touchdown in the Packers’ 27-17 Sunday night win over the Seahawks.

Cruz is nearing his return, but is not expected to be available for Thursday night’s quick-turnaround game against the Redskins. Special teams ace Dwayne Harris and rookie Geremy Davis are the options to take Parker’s snaps alongside Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle.

The Packers are dealing with ankle injuries to two of their top playmakers, but not playing until next Monday night could help the team have running back Eddie Lacy and Davante Adams available against the Chiefs.

On Monday, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the team won’t practice again until Thursday because of the extra day, and only when he sees Adams and Lacy try to give it a go will he know more about their status for the next game. That’s an indication the team doesn’t believe either suffered a serious injury, as was reported Monday by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“I think any time you have ankle injuries, particularly with the perimeter players, until they get out there and hit the practice field, we really won’t know,” McCarthy said.

Adams returned to the game against the Seahawks Sunday night but Lacy was injured in the first half and didn't return. Lacy couldn't put pressure on his retaped ankle, but news Monday indicated there's a chance he can go for Week 3. While the extra rest could do both players good, for fantasy owners, they will need to have a backup plan heading into this week if they plan on using either Adams or Lacy. James Starks would make a great add for any Lacy owner.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is receiving treatment for two sprained ankles and a sprained knee, and it is not certain he will be available for Sunday's home game against the Atlanta Falcons, league sources told ESPN.

"[Witten] will be day-to-day all week, but he's not a lock [to play] at this point," a source said.

Witten said he was fine after the Week 2 game against the Eagles and added it was just typical football stuff. Witten, who is known for his high pain tolerance, missed one game early in his career with a broken jaw. He also insisted on playing in this year's season opener against the New York Giants after rupturing his spleen in the preseason.

A 12-yard scramble by Tony Romo is the Dallas Cowboys' second-longest run this season, which pretty much tells you all you need to know about their running game so far.

The Cowboys have just two runs of 10 yards or more this season. No team has fewer.

Joseph Randle is averaging 3.4 yards on 34 carries and has yet to gain more than 65 yards in a game, while Darren McFadden is averaging 2.9 yards on 16 carries.

“We have to do a better job running the football. We were behind the chains way too much in this ballgame and kind of digging out,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "You have procedure penalties and holding penalties and you see a lot second-and-12, second-and-16 and first-and-20, and those are hard drives to overcome.

"We’re at our best when we’re balanced. We’re at our best when we control the line of scrimmage and run the football because it gives us great looks down the field to throw it and make the big plays down the field that we've made in this offense over a number of years."

The Cowboys will need to get more from their running game over the next 8-10 weeks while Romo recovers from a broken left collarbone. The best way to make backup quarterback Brandon Weeden comfortable is to create manageable third-down situations for him, and the way to do that is to have success running the ball on first and second down. It's potentially good news for Randle owners but at the same time expect defense to perhaps focus on the Cowboys run game even more and make Weeden beat them.

Eric Decker assured reporters his knee injury isn't serious. At least, he doesn't think so.

His presence in the visitor's locker room was a welcome sight for worried teammates, after he was forced to leave early in the fourth quarter of the Jets' 20-7 win over the Colts on Monday Night Football.
Latest Jets stories

"I don't think it's surgical though, so I don't think it's too serious," Decker said of his injury, which occurred after Colts cornerback Jalil Brown fell on top of him on a deep-ball incompletion thrown by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick with 14:20 left in the game.

Decker said team doctors "think' he injured the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. But he'll undergo an MRI on Tuesday, according to Jets coach Todd Bowles.

The rookie running back looked very good with limited touches, and even with the talent easy to see – and the fans clamoring for more – Bruce Arians was simply not going to increase the back’s workload too far, too fast. Eventually, in 2013, Andre Ellington was allowed to do more.

David Johnson, the Cardinals’ current rookie running back, has been spectacular in his brief and sheltered NFL career. In two games – and with only nine touches – Johnson has three touchdowns, including a franchise-record 108-yard kickoff return and a 55-yard
reception. The small sample size has produced 8.4 yards a carry, and 75.5 yards per kickoff return.

But like Ellington – and Arians acknowledged his handling of Johnson and Ellington is “very similar” – Johnson’s role will likely continue to be limited. In 2013, Ellington played behind veteran Rashard Mendenhall. In 2015, Johnson is behind veteran Chris Johnson – and when Ellington returns from his knee injury, he too will jump ahead of the rookie.

None of this is a surprise.

“I definitely talked to Andre a lot about what he did his rookie year,” David Johnson said. “He said the same thing: Be patient and it will come to me. B.A. knows exactly what he wants out of the team.”

Arians said last week he wants his rookies to earn their playing time. Then someone like David Johnson comes up with multiple explosive plays, and it seems counterintuitive to leave such ability on the bench, the story said. The story went on to say the reasoning isn’t about rookie versus veteran, necessarily. It’s a very real concern that too much responsibility would slow Johnson down – especially after Johnson missed a chunk of training camp with a hamstring injury. Pass protection was specifically mentioned, and always seems to come up with rookie RBs. Like Johnson, fantasy owners will have to be patient, too.

Devonta Freeman wanted to be "the man" in the Atlanta Falcons' backfield heading into the season. Now, he'll have chance to show he's capable of maintaining the starting role.

Rookie running back Tevin Coleman, who started the first two games of the season, is expected to miss a couple games after suffering a fractured rib in this past Sunday's 24-20 win against the New York Giants. That means Freeman is preparing to start against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.

"I always prepare hard," Freeman said. "Whatever coaches ask me to do, I'm going to do."

Freeman was in the lead for the starting role going into training camp, but suffered a more serious hamstring strain than Coleman did during the first week of camp, which kept Freeman out of all four preseason games. Coleman showed an explosive burst upon returning from his hamstring strain and carried that through into the first game of the season, when he rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries in a win against the Philadelphia Eagles. Freeman was pain-free from the hamstring strain going into the Eagles game, but had to settle for a reserve role. Freeman specializes in the passing game but should provide usable fantasy numbers with Coleman out of the lineup.

When a guy suffers a high ankle sprain, he usually moves from “day-to-day” to “week-to-week.”

But for Panthers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, the diagnosis might not be as dire as it generally sounds.

Via Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review, Panthers coach Ron Rivera is hopeful Cotchery might play this week after suffering the injury early in their win over the Texans.

“The high ankle sprain does tend to linger,” Rivera said. “But just the fact that he was able to come back and play on it like he did before it got stiff, the doctors feel that hopefully he’ll be ready to go this weekend.”

Cotchery was hurt when teammate Ed Dickson fell across the back of his legs while he was blocking, and couldn’t put any weight on his ankle as he left the field. He returned briefly in the second quarter, but couldn’t continue. Rivera said in an emergency situation, he might have been able to return. The Panthers need all the help at WR they can get, but this could open the door for rookie Devin Funchess who hasn't had much to show through the first two weeks.

Matthew Stafford keeps getting hit. And he keeps getting right back up.

The Detroit Lions quarterback was hit at least 10 times in Sunday's 26-16 loss against the Minnesota Vikings, including twice as he was running defenselessly out of bounds. He suffered a rib injury in the beating, and underwent X-rays after the game.

His status for the home opener on Sunday night against the Denver Broncos is unclear. But if Monday was any indication, he stands a pretty good chance of being in the lineup.

Stafford led Detroit's walk-through on Monday, and multiple players said he was moving much better.

He refused to take any questions in the locker room afterward, but he looked and sounded much better than he did after the game, when he had to wheeze his way through a 4-minute press conference, the story said. While is status is in doubt, this is at least a good sign he has a chance to play in Week 3. The story also added that Stafford said he was feeling "all right" in a radio interview Monday.

On Sept. 27, 2009, St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger grimaced in pain as medical staff examined his shoulder on the sidelines. The diagnosis came a day later: Bulger had bruised -- but not torn -- the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder.

That's the same diagnosis reportedly given to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, according to the latest of a flurry of reports that emerged Monday after Brees appeared to injure his right shoulder in Sunday's loss.

The good news for Brees and the Saints is that Bulger missed only one game. He returned to action two weeks after suffering the injury and played the rest of the season.

The story said Bulger was the only NFL quarterback who could be found in media reports over the last 15 years to have suffered what was described as a bruised rotator cuff. The story also added Brees could be back quick but these injuries often vary a lot. The reports on Brees continue to come in and all vary seriousness. Owners of Brees may want to put a backup plan in place just in case.

Despite Jeremy Hill's two turnovers in Sunday's win over the San Diego Chargers, the Cincinnati Bengals have no plans of making a switch at the running back position.

Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson confirmed that Monday when he indicated Hill's benching in favor of Giovani Bernard in the third quarter of the 24-19 victory was only temporary.

"Yeah, I'll put him back in. It's a new game," Jackson said. "That one's over and done with. We're 2-0, so we're moving on. We're moving on to the next game."

This means when the Bengals travel to Baltimore (0-2) on Sunday, Hill will open the game at his familiar spot on the field, lined up behind quarterback Andy Dalton.

"Jeremy will be fine," head coach Marvin Lewis said. "He will get back at it and earn our trust as it goes. But we can't have the ball on the ground."

Twice in last weekend's game, Hill lost his grip on the football during two separate drives. The first time, about halfway through the first quarter, Hill had the football ripped from him as he was being tackled after crossing midfield. With his leg being twisted by the pile that had formed around him, Hill was going down at an awkward angle when linebacker Donald Butler yanked the ball out of his hands. This is at least good news for owners of Hill. It may be worth it to swing a deal for Bernard if at all possible as he proved to be a capable handcuff should Hill's fumbling problems continue, or he gets hurt.

Jets Inactives
Jarvis Harrison OG
Ben Ijalana T
Deon Simon DT
Devin Smith WR
Geno Smith QB
Darrin Walls CB
Lorenzo Mauldin LB

Chris Ivory tweaked his groin earlier this week but as the week went on his status became a little safer. Still, he's officially active and should have a pretty good matchup as long as the Jets defense can keep the Colts in reach.

Colts Inactives
Darius Butler CB
Denzelle Good OT
Nate Iriving LB
Zach Kerr NT
T.Y. McGill DT
Jonathan Newsome LB
Greg Toler CB

T.Y. Hilton will play in Week 2 despite suffering a knee injury against the Bills in Week 1. Perhaps the extra day helped to make Hilton available in what could be a tough matchup against the Jets. Darrelle Revis is expected to matchup with Andre Johnson.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees playing status for Sunday's game against the Panthers is suddenly up in the air.

ESPN's Ed Werder said that Brees underwent an MRI on Monday afternoon following pain and weakness in his passing shoulder. Brees admitted on Sunday afternoon that his shoulder was bothering him after he was sacked and hit against Tampa Bay.

It was one of several hits Brees would experience throughout the 26-19 loss.

"Source: #Drew Brees experienced pain, weakness in passing shoulder from TB hit. Had MRI. Response to treatment to determine playing status," Werder tweeted.

We have conflicting stories about Brees' status for Week 3. Ian Rapoport said Brees could miss several games with his injury, but Werder's report is obviously more optimistic. The Saints are not commenting, according to the story. We'll continue to keep you posted.

Arian Foster is day-to-day, according to head coach Bill O’Brien.

"Arian Foster same thing, day-to-day, so we'll kind of see how that goes and try to keep you updated on that throughout the week," O'Brien said Monday.

Foster returned to practice last week, but was limited in action after his return from groin surgery. It was the first time the All-Pro back practiced since suffering the Aug. 3 groin injury. Foster is ahead of schedule in his recovery but has not given an official timetable of his return. This is something for owners to monitor all week and we'll be sure to keep you updated on the injury report. Foster and the Bucs play Tampa Bay in Week 3. It's an early game so owners will have plenty of notice concerning Foster's status.