NFL Player News

The Steelers are expected to downgrade Conner (quadriceps) to out for Monday's game against the Bengals, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Conner clearly wasn't himself Week 14, his first game back from a two-week absence, when he went for just 18 yards on 10 carries against Buffalo. Given the 25-year-old's injury history, the Steelers may simply be taking a cautious approach to his health while keeping an eye toward the postseason. Benny Snell is expected to start in Conner's place, while Jaylen Samuels and Anthony McFarland could also see increased roles.

Laird had two carries for 20 yards during Sunday's 22-12 win over the Patriots. He also secured both of his targets for 12 yards.

Laird worked as a depth and change-of-pace option behind Salvon Ahmed and Matt Breida in Week 15, logging runs of eight and 12 yards. If Myles Gaskin (undisclosed) can return from the COVID-19 list for Week 16, however, Laird's role on offense could dissipate entirely.

Taylor carried once for two yards in Sunday's 22-12 loss to the Dolphins.

With Damien Harris (ankle) inactive for the contest, Taylor had a chance to see his first game action since Week 3, en route to logging five snaps on offense. Though he's firmly behind Harris, Sony Michel and James White on the Patriots' RB depth chart, it's possible that Taylor could see some extra touches over the team's last two games, with New England having been eliminated from the playoffs as a result of Sunday's loss.

Ogunbowale had two carries for 17 yards and caught his lone target for eight yards during Sunday's 40-14 loss to the Ravens.

The 26-year-old broke off a 17-yard carry in the closing minutes of the contest but was otherwise minimally involved in the offense. Starter James Robinson exited late due to an ankle injury, and Ogunbowale would be the likely beneficiary should Robinson be sidelined or limited Week 16 against the Bears.

Murray rushed four times for three yards and brought in two of three targets for 26 yards and a touchdown in the Saints' 32-29 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.

Across his last three games, Murray has totaled just 18 touches for 53 yards from scrimmage, and usage has been a concern. Fantasy managers surely were happy to see him find the end zone against Kansas City when he took a 24-yard reception to the house early in the third quarter. Murray isn't seeing enough work to maintain consistent fantasy relevance, and he'll be tough to trust even in a favorable matchup with Minnesota in Week 16.

Breida had 12 carries for 86 yards during Miami's 22-12 win over the Patriots.

With Myles Gaskin (undisclosed) still on the COVID-19 list, Breida had great success as a complementary option to Salvon Ahmed, who had 23 carries for 122 yards and a score himself. It was Breida's first game with the Dolphins handling double-digit carries, and the first time he surpassed 50 yards in a single contest with the team. If any of DeVante Parker (hamstring), Mike Gesicki (shoulder) and Jakeem Grant (hamstring) are forced to sit out against the Raiders on Saturday, the Dolphins could be forced to lean heavily on the run again.

Dowdle carried the ball four times for 11 yards and returned three kickoffs for 88 yards in Sunday's win over the 49ers.

With Ezekiel Elliott (calf) sidelined, Tony Pollard moved into the lead role in the backfield and erupted for 132 yards from scrimmage and two TDs, leaving Pollard's usual spot as the backup RB and kickoff returner in the hands of Dowdle. The undrafted rookie wasn't able to make much impact on offense, but he did impress as a return man. Even if Elliott returns to the lineup Week 16, Pollard's performance may earn him a bigger workload, potentially opening the door for Dowdle to become the Cowboys' primary kickoff returner to close out the year.

Dallas suffered a Grade 3 ankle sprain during Sunday's 20-15 win over Washington, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The rookie fourth-round pick is dealing with a serious ankle sprain, an injury that will likely cause him to spend a multi-week stint on the sideline. That leaves Seattle a bit shallow for running back depth with Travis Homer (knee) already on IR, but the team does have three quality options remaining in the form of Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde and Rashaad Penny.

Coach Matt Nagy said Monday that Patterson (knee) is considered day-to-day ahead of a Week 16 matchup versus the Jaguars.

Patterson suffered this injury during the second quarter but was able to return after halftime. He will be monitored throughout the week. The day-to-day tag signals that Patterson has a good chance to play Sunday in a must-win contest. His main contributions come on special teams, since David Montgomery is operating as a bell cow. Patterson leads the league with 942 yards on kick returns this year.

The Chiefs believe that Edwards-Helaire suffered a high-ankle sprain and a strained hip during Sunday's 32-29 win over the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The Chiefs listed Edwards-Helaire with hip and ankle injuries when he was forced out late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win, and X-rays were returned negative after the game. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has reported that the rookie first-round pick is expected to miss the final two weeks of the regular season, and given the tricky recovery timetable often associated with high-ankle sprains, even a first-round bye may not guarantee his immediate return in the postseason. Le'Veon Bell projects to lead Kansas City's backfield as long as Edwards-Helaire is sidelined, while Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson also are candidates for increased roles.