NFL Player News

Brieda (ankle) won't return to Sunday's game versus the Bears.

Such has been Brieda's fate on other occasions this season, but this one comes in the midst of fantasy championship pursuits. He'll leave Week 16 with four carries for 20 yards and one reception (on one target) for six yards. Jeff Wilson will man the 49ers backfield for the rest of this contest and perhaps in the season finale if Breida's aggravation is serious enough.

Murray ran for 22 yards on nine carries and added two catches for six yards during Sunday's 27-9 win over Detroit.

Through 13 games with John DeFilippo calling plays, Minnesota dropped back on 62.2 percent of offensive snaps. With Kevin Stefanski now calling the shots and pledging for a return to the grind-it-out style that took the Vikings to the conference title game last season, Minnesota has dropped back on just 43.8 percent of offensive snaps over the past two weeks. That's good news for Minnesota's stable as a whole, but Dalvin Cook has been the primary beneficiary, edging out Murray 35 carries to 24. This return to pound-it-out football will face a tough test in Week 17 against a Chicago defense that ranks in the top five in the league against the run, surrendering just 3.8 yards per carry.

Williams rushed 15 times for 95 yards and a touchdown while adding six catches for 61 yards on nine targets in Sunday's 44-38 overtime win over the Jets.

Heading Green Bay's backfield with Aaron Jones (knee) on injured reserve, Williams delivered a strong performance when fantasy owners needed it most. While he left to get checked out for a concussion at one point, Williams was able to return to the contest. He found paydirt from seven yards out late in the first half and was the only Packers running back to get a carry in this one. Williams could have had an even bigger day if either of quarterback Aaron Rodgers' pair of one-yard rushing touchdowns went to the running back instead. He's primed to finish the season strong against the Lions in Week 17, barring any injury setbacks.

McCaffrey carried 21 times for 101 yards and caught 12 passes for an additional 77 yards during Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Falcons.

McCaffrey took on a workhorse role with Cam Newton (shoulder) sidelined, setting a new career high in offensive touches. He managed 4.8 yards per carry on the ground, and while he wasn't as effective on a per-catch basis, he still led the team in receiving yardage. Carolina's poor recent form has actually coincided with a drastic uptick in production for McCaffrey, who's averaging 167.7 scrimmage yards per game over the last seven. He'll look to finish what has been an outstanding season in style during Week 17 against the Saints.

Bolden rushed four times for nine yards and caught his only target for four yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 17-7 loss to the Jaguars.

Bolden did all of his damage during the first quarter, reaching the end zone on a misdirection play in which Kenyan Drake attracted the attention of most of the Jaguars' defense. The 28-year-old appears to have earned the trust of Miami's coaching staff in the red zone, but he remains difficult to trust for fantasy purposes due to the scant number of touches he typically sees.

Drake rushed six times for 23 yards and caught four of five targets for 31 yards during Sunday's 17-7 loss to the Jaguars.

Drake has not seen a notable increase in touches despite the placement of Frank Gore (foot) on injured reserve. The third-year pro split carries with rookie Kalen Ballage, but neither runner was particularly effective during the Week 16 loss -- one in which Miami only managed 183 yards of total offense. Drake has not logged more than ten carries in a single game since Week 8, and his usage heading into a Week 17 tilt against the Bills will be difficult to predict.

Barkley rushed 21 times for 43 yards and a touchdown and caught five of seven targets for 34 yards in Sunday's 28-27 loss to the Colts.

Barkley rushed off left end to get the scoring started on the day with a one-yard touchdown in the first quarter. It was fortunate for his fantasy owners, as he turned in a second straight dud from a yardage standpoint. The rookie standout will look to get back to his usual level of production at home Week 17 against a Dallas defense likely to rest many of its starters after already having clinched the NFC East.

Cook rushed 16 times for 73 yards and caught all three of his targets for 35 more in Sunday's 27-9 win over the Lions.

Cook came back down to earth after blitzing the Dolphins for 136 yards on the ground and two touchdowns in Week 15, but he still served as Minnesota's primary running back, with Latavius Murray gaining just 28 scrimmage yards on 11 touches to Cook's 108 yards on 19 touches. The Vikings will ride Cook with a playoff berth on the line in Week 17, but carving out running room won't be easy against the rival Bears.

Breida (ankle) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Bears.

Injured to start the second quarter, Breida was able to walk off the field under his own power before making a visit to the blue sideline tent, and eventually, the locker room. The culprit was again his ankle, which has forced one absence and numerous other in-game departures this season. Expect Jeff Wilson to carry the load in the event Breida doesn't reenter the contest.

Elliott rushed 18 times for 85 yards and brought in five of six targets for 24 yards in the Cowboys' 27-20 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday. He fumbled once but it was recovered by the offense.

It was a rock-solid yet somehow underwhelming effort for Elliott, who's spoiled fantasy owners all season with some eye-popping numbers. His overall touches were down Sunday for the second straight week, which has resulted in back-to-back sub-100-yard tallies on the ground for only the third time this season. On the plus side of the equation, Elliott's work as a receiver continues as strong as ever, as he's now notched at least five receptions in seven straight games. With the Cowboys having clinched the NFC East with Sunday's win, it remains to be seen how much action Elliott will see Week 17 against the Giants.