NFL Player News
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Zack Moss RB | CIN
Colts' Zack Moss: Sticks in even split
Moss rushed the ball 18 times for 57 yards in Sunday's 39-38 loss to the Browns. He added one reception for five yards.
Moss remained in a near-even split, as Jonathan Taylor out-touched him only due to work in the receiving game. However, for the second consecutive week, Moss's efficiency lagged as he's combined to pick up only 78 rushing yards on 25 carries in that span. That could convince the Colts to push more work to Taylor in future weeks, but for now, Moss remains heavily involved heading into a Week 8 matchup against New Orleans.
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Austin Ekeler RB | WAS
Chargers' Austin Ekeler: Kept in check during loss
Ekeler carried the ball 14 times for 45 yards in the 31-17 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday. He also caught one of his two targets for one yard.
Ekeler appeared to sustain some sort of ankle injury in the first half, but he managed to play through it. It was an ineffective day overall for the Chargers offense, particularly in the second half as the team failed to score a single point in the final 30 minutes. While Ekeler's status will likely need to be monitored throughout the week, the workload (14 carries for Ekeler compared to seven for Joshua Kelley) would seem to suggest this won't be a significant issue moving forward.
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Rachaad White RB | WAS
Buccaneers' Rachaad White: Works well as pass catcher
White rushed the ball 13 times for 34 yards in Sunday's 16-13 loss to the Falcons. He added six receptions on six targets for 65 yards.
Despite being shut down on the ground, this was primarily a positive performance for White. After slipping into an apparent timeshare with Ke'Shawn Vaughn in the last two weeks, he accounted for 13 rushing attempts as opposed to only four for Vaughn. In addition, White was excellent catching passes out of the backfield, highlighted by a 22-yard gain midway through the second quarter. White is tough to trust given that he's topped 50 rushing yards only twice in six games this season, but he has at least 13 carries and multiple catches in all but one contest.
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Jaleel McLaughlin RB | DEN
Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Another efficient showing
McLaughlin rushed five times for 45 yards and caught one of two targets for one yard in Sunday's 19-17 win over the Packers.
McLaughlin's performance was highlighted by a game-long rush of 23 yards. While that contribution made for another ultra-efficient outing, as McLaughlin is now averaging 6.9 yards per carry, teammate Javonte Williams turned in a second straight promising showing, totaling 96 yards on 18 touches. Even though Williams is seemingly getting back to his best form as Denver's starter, McLaughlin's playmaking should keep him involved from a backup capacity within Sean Payton's offense.
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Emari Demercado RB | KC
Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Surprising leader in touches Sunday
Demercado rushed 13 times for 58 yards while catching four of five targets for 17 yards in Sunday's 20-10 loss to the Seahawks.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon threw the fantasy world a curveball when he flipped his RB depth chart and made Demercado his feature back Sunday after he got just three touches in Week 6. The undrafted rookie responded well to the opportunity by averaging a healthy 4.5 yards per tote in a losing effort. Projected starter Keaontay Ingram was a healthy scratch while veteran backup Damien Williams wound up receiving just one touch compared to last week's nine. While Demercado's name will certainly come up as a waiver target this week, there is no guarantee that he will see this many touches against Baltimore next Sunday.
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AJ Dillon RB | CAR
Packers' AJ Dillon: Performs well in defeat
Dillon rushed 15 times for 61 yards and caught both his targets for 34 yards in Sunday's 19-17 loss to the Broncos.
Dillon led the Packers in carries despite teammate Aaron Jones returning to the lineup. Seemingly on a snap count, though, Jones finished with 11 touches for 57 yards. Meanwhile, Dillon paced Green Bay in both rushing and receiving yards, also snapping a nine-game streak with under 4.0 yards per carry dating back to last season. Although Jones' workload could increase in Week 8 versus the Vikings, Dillon's consecutive contests with 75-plus scrimmage yards should keep him firmly in the backfield rotation.
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Isiah Pacheco RB | DET
Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Salvages day with late TD
Pacheco rushed 13 times for 32 yards and brought in all four targets for 28 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs' 31-17 win over the Chargers on Sunday.
Pacheco was completely stymied on the ground as his final line indicates, but he was able to salvage his fantasy day with his eight-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring on the day. The touchdown marked Pacheco's first through the air as a pro, and despite the non-productive day on the ground, he encouragingly logged double-digit carries for the sixth straight contest. Pacheco faces a much more palatable positional matchup against the Broncos' suspect run defense on the road in Week 8.
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Cordarrelle Patterson RB | PIT
Falcons' Cordarrelle Patterson: Tops 50 yards with Robinson unwell
Patterson rushed 10 times for 56 yards and wasn't targeted in Sunday's 16-13 win over the Buccaneers. He also returned one kickoff for 25 yards.
Patterson came into the game with just three touches on the season after producing 1,983 scrimmage yards and 19 offensive touchdowns over the previous two campaigns. Rookie lead back Bijan Robinson didn't feel well, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports, and with Robinson limited to just one touch, both Tyler Allgeier (21 carries for 59 yards) and Patterson set season highs in rushing attempts. Patterson was far more efficient than Allgeier, and it's possible that this strong outing could earn the 32-year-old playmaker a larger role in Week 8 against the Titans and beyond.
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Kenneth Walker III RB | KC
Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Cracks century mark Sunday
Walker rushed 26 times for 105 yards while catching two of three targets for six yards in Sunday's 20-10 win over Arizona.
Walker averaged an even four yards per carry en route to his first 100-yard game of the season. The 26 carries were the bruising back's most through six games as the Seahawks leaned on the run game sans star wideout DK Metcalf (ribs/hip). Walker couldn't extend his touchdown streak to five games Sunday, but his status as a must-start fantasy option remains intact heading into next Sunday's tilt against Cleveland.
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Javonte Williams RB | DAL
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Approaches 100 yards
Williams rushed 15 times for 82 yards and caught three of four targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 19-17 win over the Packers.
Williams posted season highs in carries and yards on the ground. His 5.5 yards per rush was also his best this term, giving him consecutive games with over 5.0 per attempt. Coming off last year's knee injury, Williams appears to be getting back to his best form. However, with no touchdowns through six contests, his ceiling is limited going into Week 8 versus the Chiefs.