NFL Player News

Conner ran for 53 yards on 16 carries at Tennessee on Sunday.

It was a fairly heavy workload for the offseason pickup from Pittsburgh, but it was also an unusual scenario given that it was a blowout upset on the road with the Titans falling far behind early. Conner had zero targets to starter Chase Edmonds' four Sunday, so Conner would likely see less work In closer games and especially in contests where the Cardinals fall behind. Still, if the team's offense stays hot, then Conner might be able to offer occasional flex utility in some formats. The Cardinals have a home game against the Vikings in Week 2.

Mixon rushed 29 times for 127 times and a touchdown while catching all four of his targets for 23 yards in Sunday's 27-24 overtime win over the Vikings.

Mixon needed some attention at the training table in the first half, per Charlie Goldsmith of The Cinicnnati Enquirer, but he was able to make his return and find the end zone from two yards out in the third quarter. With game flow working in his favor and the Bengals protecting a lead for the entire second half, Mixon was used as a workhorse on the ground. He's productive when he plays, but injuries remain a concern for the 25-year-old running back, who was limited to six appearances last season by a foot injury. Mixon will look to build on this effort in Week 2 against the Bears.

Edmonds ran for 63 yards on 12 carries at Tennessee on Sunday while catching four receptions for 43 yards on four targets.

The Cardinals theorized a balanced backfield split between Edmonds and James Conner, with Edmonds the starter and in-space back and Conner an off-the-bench bruiser, and that scenario played out perfectly against the Titans on Sunday. Edmonds was efficient both as a runner and pass catcher, and there were still 16 carries left for Conner to run out the clock with late. The difference is that Conner didn't draw a single target, so the former Pittsburgh runner might disappear from the box score in games where the Cardinals need to throw more often. Edmonds, by contrast, should remain the lead Arizona running back regardless of the game scenario. His Week 2 matchup with Eric Kendricks and the Vikings might not be ideal, but Edmonds is an unconditional part of a Cardinals offense that looked impressive Sunday.

Ekeler (hamstring) carried the ball 15 times for 57 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 20-16 win over Washington.

Notably, Ekeler wasn't even targeted in this contest as quarterback Justin Herbert rarely saw enough pressure to force any checkdowns. Considering the running back was listed as questionable heading into Sunday's contest after a mid-week hamstring injury, fantasy managers still have to be happy with Ekeler's explosiveness, particularly after contact. The Chargers notably used a plethora of two-back sets with Larry Rountree mixing into the rotation, so any hopes of Ekeler having a monopoly on the backfield opportunities predictably were dashed. However, it seemed incredibly unlikely such a situation would occur under new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi anyhow. Expect more production next week against a Cowboys defense that was picked apart Week 1.

Cook rushed 20 times for 61 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals. He added six catches for 43 yards on seven targets but also lost a costly fumble.

The Bengals did a good job of containing Cook for most of the game, but he still managed to find the end zone from one yard out with 10:07 remaining in the fourth quarter to pull his team within three. That touchdown was unfortunately overshadowed by a costly fumble on Cincinnati's 38-yard line late in overtime. With Minnesota getting in range for a game-winning field-goal attempt, the Bengals instead capitalized on Cook's turnover to set up a game-winner of their own. The star running back will be motivated to make amends for his ill-timed mistake in Week 2 against the Cardinals.

Mitchell rushed 19 times for 104 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 41-33 win over Detroit.

Raheem Mostert (knee) went down to injury early in the contest, so Mitchell took over as the bell cow and had himself a fantastic Week 1. The sixth-round pick found himself in this position after fellow rookie Trey Sermon (who was drafted three rounds ahead of him) was a surprising healthy scratch. The only other healthy back on the roster, JaMycal Hasty, only received one carry and was used primarily as a receiving back. Mitchell certainly proved that he could handle starting duties against the Eagles next Sunday, but whether he gets that opportunity largely hinges on Mostert's Week 2 status.

McCaffrey rushed 21 times for 98 yards and caught all nine of his targets for 89 yards in Sunday's 19-14 win over the Jets.

McCaffrey didn't find the end zone, but he still worked as the focal point of the offense, churning out 124 scrimmage yards on 16 first-half touches. Carolina's offense slowed down in the second half after taking a 16-0 lead into the locker room, but McCaffrey closed it out with an 18-yard run to pick up a game-sealing first down. His immense volume as both a rusher and pass-catcher give McCaffrey arguably the highest fantasy floor in the league, and he'll remain a set-and-forget RB1 against the Saints in Week 2.

Taylor rushed 17 times for 56 yards and brought in six of seven targets for 60 yards in the Colts' 28-16 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

As his final line indicates, Taylor found running room mostly to be at a premium against a stingy Seahawks front. However, his reception tally drew even with that of backfield mate Nyheim Hines', while his receiving yardage total paced Indianapolis. In particular, Taylor's overall usage was encouraging, considering Hines' relatively robust workload of nine carries largely was a byproduct of game script, and Taylor was just as involved as a receiver as his teammate. Taylor and his fantasy manager now will hope for a more favorable game script in a Week 2 matchup against the Rams.

Taylor is inactive for Sunday's season opener against the Dolphins.

With Taylor inactive Sunday, Damien Harris, James White, Rhamondre Stevenson and Brandon Bolden are in line to handle the Patriots' Week 1 backfield duties. Taylor figures to enter the team's lineup down the road, however, once injuries hit.

McCrary (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Giants.

McCrary is not carrying an injury designation, so the backup running back is simply a healthy scratch. His next chance to make his season debut comes Week 2 at Jacksonville.