NFL Player News

Asiata rushed 14 times for 42 yards and caught two passes (on five targets) for 36 receiving yards in Monday night's loss to the Bears.

Asiata started at running back in light of Jerrick McKinnon's (ankle) absence, but he couldn't get much going behind poor offensive line play. While his 78 all-purpose yards included a 31-yard catch for Minnesota's game-long gain, the Vikings couldn't move the ball enough to get Asiata in position for any of his favored goal-line plunges. Although returning home to face the Lions on Sunday should boost the Vikings' offense, Asiata's fantasy owners would be wise to check McKinnon's status before shaping expectations of either tailback.

Head coach Doug Pederson suggested he will consider removing Mathews from his role as the primary running back, CSN Philadelphia's Reuben Frank reports.

The switch may have already happened without an announcement, as Mathews only got five touches to Darren Sproles' 20 in Sunday's loss to Dallas even though the Eagles held a lead for most of the night. While Pederson's comments this upcoming week will be closely monitored, Sproles is a safer option than Mathews regardless of whether anything is officially announced. Mathews is shaping up as a low-upside, touchdown-dependent option for Week 9 against a solid Giants defense.

Martin (hamstring) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice report estimate.

While the recent injury suffered by Jacquizz Rodgers (foot) may increase the pressure on Martin to return, there's still been nothing to suggest that the Bucs' top running back is actually ready to do so. With Martin and Rodgers both looking no better than questionable, Peyton Barber and Antone Smith may have to lead the way in Thursday's game against Atlanta. Martin has already missed five consecutive games.

Rodgers (foot) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice report estimate.

The Bucs didn't actually hold a practice the day after losing to Oakland in overtime, but there's little question that if they had done so Rodgers would've been forced to sit out. While Monday's tests didn't reveal any fractures, the veteran running back was diagnosed with a sprained foot, which will make it tough to get ready on a short week. With Doug Martin (hamstring) also listed Monday as a non-participant, the Tampa Bay backfield may be led by Peyton Barber and Antone Smith in Thursday's game against Atlanta.

Patterson (concussion) is listed as active Monday against Chicago.

Patterson, who has hauled in 16 of 19 targets for 144 yards and two touchdowns over his last three games, is on the upswing and out there if you need him Monday night after having cleared the NFL's concussion protocol.

Though Rawls (fibula) ran well Monday, per coach Pete Carroll, the running back won't play in the Seahawks' Week 9 game against the Bills.

In the absence of any setbacks, Rawls will presumably target the team's Nov. 13 road tilt against the Patriots for his possible return to action. As a result, the Seahawks' ground game will once again be led by Christine Michael and C.J. Prosise next Monday.

Though coach Pete Carroll fell short of ruling Rawls (fibula) out for next Monday's game against Buffalo, the running backisn't expected to playin the contest. "I think he'll be running full-go during the course of this week is what we're hoping," Carroll noted Monday. "He was ground-based running a little bit last week, so I don't think he'd be that far along yet [to play Monday night]. ... We'll wait until he's fully healthy and ready to go."

It is encouraging that Rawls will up his level of running this week, but it looks like the Seahawks' Week 9 backfield will once again be headed by Christine Michael and C.J. Prosise. Rawls is a candidate to be officially ruled out by Saturday, once the team's final injury report of the week is submitted.

Davis has been released by the Packers, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports.

Davis' release comes less than two weeks after Green Bay traded a conditional future seventh-round pick to Kansas City for him. While the Packers will probably get that pick back now, Davis will become subject to waivers as he seeks to land elsewhere. In two games with the Packers, Davis rushed five times for five yards.

Rodgers suffered a foot sprain Sunday against the Raiders, but a subsequent MRI revealed no fractures, ESPN's Jenna Laine reports.

Rodgers was forced out with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Sunday's overtime loss and could now face some time on the sidelines because of his foot. Although a timetable has yet to be released, the fact that the Buccaneers play already this Thursday against the Falcons doesn't bode well for him. If Doug Martin (hamstring) remains out for that contest, Antone Smith and Peyton Barber would be next up for snaps in Tampa Bay's beat-up backfield.

Davis had three carries for four yards and two receptions for four yards in Sunday's loss to the Falcons.

Davis was expected to be more involved in the game plan Sunday after receiving just two late carries in his Week 7 team debut, and he did see early action against the Falcons while also increasing his touches from two to five. However, he still managed just eight total yards and was only on the field for eight plays in all, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, so he did not end up much more active than he was the week before. Davis' knowledge of the Packers' offense only figures to increase the longer he is on the team, but he is going to have to be far more involved to make an impact for fantasy players, and the chances of that occurring are not promising with Ty Montgomery (illness) and James Starks (knee) likely to get back on the field over the next few weeks.