NFL Player News

Raiders running back Latavius Murray may have returned to practice on Wednesday, but he hasn't been cleared to play on Sunday just yet, according to CSN.

Murray is dealing with a concussion. While he appears to have made progress with the injury, he still has to pass medical tests before he's formally cleared to play. Murray was on his way to a huge game Week 12 before exiting with the injury. Murray was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday.

Colts running back Dan Herron will likely to continue starting over Trent Richardson when the team plays Washington on Sunday.

It had been reported that Herron started in Week 13 because Richardson was dealing with the flu, but it was in reality because he outperformed him in practice, according to ESPN. He then produced more on the field against Jacksonville, averaging 5.4 YPC on 12 attempts and adding five receptions while Richardson managed 42 yards and a touchdown in 13 tries.

Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (knee) and running back Jerick McKinnon (lower back) were held out of practice Wednesday. The Vikings are preparing to play the Panthers in Week 13.

The Buccaneers have struggled to run the football in 2014, and coach Lovie Smith knows it too well. The Bucs have rushed for fewer than 100 yards in eight of their last nine games and rank second to last in the NFL in rushing yards per game (84.0 ypg).

"A defense can just tee off on you if you can’t run the football," Smith said, per The Tampa Tribune. "When you can’t run the ball consistently in this league, it hurts."

The Bucs did rush for more than 100 yards in each of their first two games. Since then, they are averaging 73.8 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry.

The Bucs are averaging 21.7 run plays per game, which is the second-fewest in the NFL. Only one time this year has a Bucs' running back carried the ball more than 20 times. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo admits it might be time to change that, and get running backs Doug Martin, Charles Sims and Bobby Rainey more carries.

"We haven’t tried that yet," Arroyo said when asked if the solution might be as simple as calling 30 or more rushing plays per game. "Maybe that is the answer."

Week 12 breakout back Latavius Murray returned to practice Wednesday for the Raiders after being sidelined several days with a concussion.

Murray rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries last Thursday against Kansas City. It remains to be seen if he's cleared to play Sunday against St. Louis.

Vikings running back Matt Asiata, who sat out Week 12 due to a concussion, said he is fine Wednesday and ready to return to action Week 13 against the Panthers, according to the Pioneer Press.

If active Sunday, Asiata will be facing a Panthers defense yielding 119.1 rushing yards per game. Minnesota has allowed 13 rushing touchdowns in 11 games.

Chargers featured back Ryan Mathews appears ready to roll for the Sunday game in Baltimore after missing some of the Week 12 game with a shoulder injury sustained in the third quarter when two Rams defenders weighing a combined 600 pounds landed on it.

Mathews, who returned late in the fourth quarter, practiced Wednesday.

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told SiriusXM NFL Radio that the team signed running back Michael Bush because "we need a guy who's going to pound it in there and close out games for us." Bush, 30, scored 25 touchdowns over the past four seasons before getting released by the Bears.

Cardinals starter Andre Ellington has averaged under 3.0 yards per carry in three straight games and has rushed for three touchdowns this season.

Colts running back Dan Herron is currently owned in just 31 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, but that number should increase moving forward, as Jamey Eisenberg has tabbed him as one of his waiver-wire priorities ahead of Week 13.

Herron received a big workload in Sunday's game against the Jaguars, rushing for 65 yards on 12 carries to lead the team. He added five receptions for 31 yards, while playing 43 percent of the team's snaps in Week 12.

The Colts will likely still give Trent Richardson the lion's share of the carries, but  Herron is going to be a factor. If you need help at running back -- especially in PPR formats -- Herron could emerge as a starter down the stretch for you. 

The Cardinals have reportedly signed running back Michael Bush on Tuesday, according to ESPN.

Bush has not played in 2014 and averaged 3.1 yards per carry in 2013. His best season occurred in 2011 when he rushed for 977 yards and scored seven touchdowns for the Raiders.

Kerwynn Williams  from the 53-man roster and Kelvin Palmer from the practice squad. The Cardinals play at Atlanta Week 13.