NFL Player News

Williams rushed twice for two yards during Sunday's 27-26 loss to the Saints.

With rookie fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier (coach's decision) inactive, Williams opened the game as the top backup behind Cordarrelle Patterson. However, the veteran running back left the contest on the first play of the Falcons' second offensive drive due to an injury to his ribs and eventually went to the locker room. He returned to the sideline after halftime, but he didn't get back into the game until the fourth quarter. Due to the injury, it's unclear what his role would have been behind Patterson, who dominated in Week 1, but as long as Allgeier is deemed not ready for game days, Williams -- barring a more serious injury -- figures to have the backup role locked down.

Williams rushed twice for seven yards and caught his only target for eight yards during Sunday's 27-26 loss to the Saints.

Williams, a 2021 fifth-round pick, was converted from defensive back to running back this offseason and stood out during training camp. Rookie Tyler Allgeier was a healthy scratch for Week 1, leaving Damien Williams and Avery as the backups behind Cordarrelle Patterson. Damien left the game briefly due to a rib injury, which allowed Avery to finish with 23 offensive snaps -- second most among running backs behind Patterson. Avery's offensive production wasn't head-turning, but it's an encouraging sign to see him involved early on. He also returned three punts for 42 yards, including a 18-yard return in the third quarter, and his role on special teams should keep him on the gameday roster even if Allgeier works his way into the mix.

Hubbard rushed one time for three yards in Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Browns.

Hubbard played just three offensive snaps, having little chance to make an impact. While fellow tailback D'Onta Foreman's seven plays weren't many more than Hubbard's tally, neither was deployed often behind star Christian McCaffrey, muting their respective stocks ahead of Week 2's matchup versus the Giants.

Foreman rushed two times for five yards in Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Browns.

Foreman barely saw the field in his first game as a Panther, featuring for seven snaps. On the bright side, he played more than teammate Chuba Hubbard, who logged three plays. Based on Sunday, though, both players seem destined for small roles as long as star Christian McCaffrey is healthy.

Houston head coach Lovie Smith suggested Rex Burkhead played more than Pierce in Week 1 because the rookie is not the top option in passing situations, the Texans' official site reports. "As we look at the plays now, Rex got a chance to carry the ball more. Passing plays, passing situations, Rex was our lead back in that situation, so that's kind of what happened," the coach said.

The comments suggest Pierce has to work at becoming a more complete back and improve his ability to pass protect to avoid falling victim to unfavorable game scripts. Smith indicated that it would be a different case if the Texans were playing with a lead, but even then, Burkhead could still win out over the rookie. Houston held a 20-3 after three quarters, but the ground game was stalled by a stingy Colts defense. That meant more passing formations and more Burkhead.

Pollard rushed six times for eight yards and caught both of his targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 19-3 loss to Tampa Bay.

Pollard was bottled up by Tampa Bay's ferocious defensive front, as was nearly every offensive player for the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. A trendy upside pick in draft circles this year, the explosive back fell flat and was outshined by the supposedly declining Ezekiel Elliott. For now, it appears to still be the veteran's show in Dallas, but Pollard will likely put together better performances than what we saw in Week 1. The Cowboys will be forced to rely on their rushing attack while Dak Prescott (thumb) recovers from surgery, so both backs could see a big uptick in touches against the Bengals next Sunday.

Elliott rushed 10 times for 52 yards and caught one pass for a loss of three yards in Sunday's 19-3 loss to Tampa Bay.

Elliott looked to be running well with the opportunities he got, but none of his teammates decided to show up in this primetime matchup. To make matters worse, the Cowboys lost Dak Prescott (thumb) late in the contest, and he has already been ruled out for several weeks at a minimum. Zeke and the rest of Dallas' talented positional talent will likely suffer until the star quarterback returns from surgery. On the plus side, there should be plenty of work for the veteran tailback heading into a matchup against the Bengals next Sunday.

Breida rushed five times for 24 yards in Sunday's 21-20 victory versus Tennessee.

Saquon Barkley took on a bell-cow role with 18 carries and six receptions, so Breida was limited in his opportunities. When he was in the game, the veteran tallied an efficient 24 yards on just five carries, with his longest rush going for nine yards. Breida's fantasy value is almost entirely tied to Barkley's ability to stay healthy, so the former should be rostered in fantasy only as an injury stash or insurance policy to New York's clear lead back.

White rushed six times for 14 yards and brought in both targets for seven yards in the Buccaneers' 19-3 win over the Cowboys on Sunday night.

White played a clear complementary role to Leonard Fournette in the rookie's NFL debut, but he was notably the only other running back to log a carry on the night despite veteran Giovani Bernard being active. White got the nod over the back he engaged in a job battle with throughout the summer, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, who was a healthy scratch, but there may be scenarios this season in which both players garner active status. White's next opportunity to showcase his skills comes in a Week 2 divisional clash with the Saints, although he still projects to play second fiddle to Fournette for the foreseeable future.

Wilson took over for the injured Elijah Mitchell (knee) in the second half of Sunday's 19-10 loss to the Bears.

Wilson finished the contest with nine carries for 22 yards and caught both targets for eight yards. The severity of Mitchell's injury will be revealed after Monday's MRI, but the breakout star from 2021 was seen in a brace after the game, which is an ominous sign. It is somewhat peculiar that head coach Kyle Shanahan did not give any carries to fellow backup and preseason standout Jordan Mason (zero touches). It was also a curious move by the 49ers' front office to leave third-round pick Tyrion Davis-Price as a healthy scratch in a game with monsoon-like conditions. Whatever the reasons may be, Wilson is the obvious first add if Mitchell is forced to miss extended time. Davis-Price theoretically should have the most fantasy upside should Shanahan decide to remove him from his unexplained doghouse, but it's hard to say what Shanahan will do against the Seahawks next Sunday.