NFL Player News
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Brian Robinson Jr. RB | SF
49ers' Brian Robinson: Solid backup effort Monday
Robinson rushed seven times for 40 yards while catching one of two targets for four yards in Monday's 20-9 win over Carolina.
Robinson provided a nice change of pace to starter Christian McCaffrey's 24-89-1 rushing line as the duo helped contribute to a dominant 147-yard effort on the ground against the Panthers. The 26-year-old Robinson has been experiencing greater success in recent weeks, averaging 39.5 rushing yards over his last four contests with both of his touchdowns coming over that span. The bruising runner has yet to reach double-digit carries in any game this season while topping 50 yards just once, so his fantasy value remains tied to deeper formats. Expect Robinson to receive his allotted handful of carries behind CMC when the 49ers face the Browns on Sunday.
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Chuba Hubbard RB | CAR
Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Logs seven total touches Monday
Hubbard rushed three times for 16 yards and secured all four targets for 27 yards in the Panthers' 20-9 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
Hubbard saw half the amount of carries of backfield mate Rico Dowdle, remaining in a clear No. 2 role behind the latter. Hubbard did draw even with Dowdle in receptions and targets due to a game script that saw the Panthers have to rely heavily on the pass as the game went on. Hubbard should handle a similar workload in a Week 13 home matchup against the Rams on Sunday.
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Christian McCaffrey RB | SF
49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Shines against former club on MNF
McCaffrey rushed 24 times for 89 yards and a touchdown while corralling all seven of his targets for 53 yards in Monday's 20-9 win over Carolina.
McCaffrey showed no mercy to the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft after finishing Monday Night Football as the star of the game while earning his current club its eighth victory in the process. The dual-threat workhorse accounted for 42 percent of the 49ers' 340 yards of offense in his fifth game garnering 30 or more touches this season. McCaffrey continues to carry fantasy squads with 1,581 combined yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns scored in as many starts, showing no ill effects from his injury-plagued 2024 campaign. CMC will face a stiffer test Week 13 against the Browns' vaunted defense, but there is little reason to believe that he won't command as many touches as he can handle Sunday.
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Rico Dowdle RB | CAR
Panthers' Rico Dowdle: Efficient with 10 touches
Dowdle rushed six times for 38 yards and brought in all four targets for 36 yards in the Panthers' 20-9 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
Game script significantly limited Dowdle's opportunities on the ground, but the talented back still found his way to a highly efficient performance that saw him pace the Panthers in both rushing and receiving yards. Dowdle's carry total was his lowest since Week 1 when he opened the season stuck in a complementary role behind Chuba Hubbard, but his modest volume Monday was strictly an outlier Dowdle should have a chance to bounce back from to some degree in a Week 13 home matchup against the Rams on Sunday.
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Isiah Pacheco RB | KC
Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Hopeful for Week 13 return
Pacheco (knee) is optimistic that he'll be able to play Thursday against the Cowboys, though the Chiefs have yet to make a final decision regarding his status, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Pacheco has been sidelined since Week 8 with a sprained MCL but returned to practice ahead of Kansas City's Week 12 matchup against the Colts. He logged an additional estimated full practice Monday, which seemingly sets him up to return on Thanksgiving afternoon against the Cowboys. However, a short week complicates his outlook a bit. Even if he is active, Pacheco would likely still be in a split backfield with Kareem Hunt, who has operated as the primary back in Pacheco's absence.
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Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB | KC
Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Reverts to practice squad
Edwards-Helaire reverted to the Chiefs' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's official transaction log.
Edwards-Helaire was elevated to the active roster to operate as a third option at running back behind Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith in Sunday's 23-20 overtime win against the Colts. Edwards-Helaire logged 17 snaps on offense, compiling eight yards on five carries while catching both of his targets for nine yards. He finished third at his position in offensive snaps behind Hunt (68) and Smith (18), while Isiah Pacheco (knee) and Elijah Mitchell (coach's decision) were unavailable. Pacheco was estimated to be a full participant at the team's walkthrough Monday, so he may be set to make his return to action following a three-game absence. If Pacheco can't go Thursday against the Cowboys, there's a good chance that Edwards-Helaire would garner another elevation in Week 13.
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Pierre Strong Jr. RB | GB
Pierre Strong: Back to practice squad
Strong reverted to the Packers' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Strong was elevated to the active roster for the second time this season ahead of Sunday's game against the Vikings, and he was active for the contest after the Packers ruled out Josh Jacobs (knee). Despite Jacobs' absence, Strong didn't up seeing the field during Sunday's win, as Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks handled all of the offensive snaps out of the backfield. Strong could be elevated to the active roster for a third and final time ahead of Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions if Jacobs is not cleared to play.
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George Holani RB | SEA
Seahawks' George Holani: Candidate for injured reserve
Head coach Mike Macdonald said Monday that Holani (hamstring) could be placed on injured reserve, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.
Holani was forced to leave during the first half of Sunday's game against the Titans due to a hamstring injury, which prevented him from returning. The injury appears to be severe enough to warrant an extended absence, and he could be placed on injured reserve ahead of the Seahawks' Week 13 clash against the Vikings. With Kenny McIntosh (knee, IR) done for the year, Seattle may call up Velus Jones from the practice squad to serve as the RB3 behind Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet moving forward.
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Gary Brightwell RB | CIN
Gary Brightwell: Back with practice squad
Brightwell reverted to the Bengals' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's official transaction log.
Brightwell was elevated to the active roster ahead of Sunday's 26-20 loss to the Patriots, playing six snaps on special teams, including a 24-yard kickoff return. Fellow running back Tahj Brooks (concussion) has been ruled out for Week 13 already, while Samaje Perine (ankle) was estimated to be a full participant at the team's walkthrough Monday. Brightwell can be elevated two more times before the team would have to officially sign him to the active roster.
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Jordan James RB | SF
49ers' Jordan James: Won't play Week 12
James (coach's decision) is inactive for Monday's game against the Panthers, Briana Jeannel of the 49ers' official site reports.
The rookie fifth-rounder has yet to make his NFL regular-season debut, with all of his missed games coming as a healthy scratch. James' next opportunity to make his debut is Sunday against Cleveland, though he's unlikely to play in that game unless Christian McCaffrey, Brian Robinson or Isaac Guerendo were to miss time.