NFL Player News

The Jaguars signed running back Storm Johnson, a seventh-round pick out of Central Florida, to a four-year deal. He'll compete to back up Toby Gerhart.

When Lovie Smith mentioned to the media that rookie running back Charles Sims "gives us a little more in the passing game than what we've had," it suggested that the rookie is already slotted into a role as the passing downs back for the Bucs. 

This is important to note, Fantasy fans, because Doug Martin has previously displayed that he's a good receiver out of the backfield. He caught 49 passes for 472 yards as a rookie and 12 passes for 66 yards in six games last season. By not having that role as part of his regular workload, Martin could lose anywhere from three to eight touches per week to Sims. 

Naturally, Martin is still going to start and remain the primary rusher for the Bucs so long as he's effective. But we think Sims will be locked into that passing-downs role if he can keep up the good hands through training camp. If Martin were to lose playing time it would not be a lock that Sims would pick up the reps -- this is a team that still has Mike James and Bobby Rainey on it. They can work rushing downs. 

Martin is still a Top 12-ish Fantasy running back. Sims is worth a mid- to late-round pick in all leagues, especially and obviously PPR formats. 

Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith explained why he and the team wanted to draft West Virginia running back Charles Sims ahead of other rookies like Devonta Freeman and Tre Mason. 

"We have an excellent running back coach who liked Matt Forte when no one else did," Smith explained per the Tampa Bay Times. "Tim Spencer came up to me after the Senior Bowl talking about Charles Sims. ... We just felt like Charles would bring something else (to our backfield). I'm talking about as a pass catcher out of the backfield. He has excellent hands, great quickness. He gives us a little more in the passing game than what we've had."

Sims exhibited some of those hands during a recent minicamp, running routes into open space and seamlessly catching them before running upfield.

The Cowboys signed running back Ryan Williams, who was released by the Cardinals last week. Coach Jason Garrett said the 2011 second-round pick put on an "impressive" workout Saturday, reports the Dallas Morning News.

Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman has fumbled four times over his first two seasons and must improve to retain his roster spot, reports the Denver Post. He's currently the No. 3 tailback behind Montee Ball and C.J. Anderson.

"We've talked to him, (running backs coach) Eric (Studesville) and myself, as far as: 'Hey, this is a new start to the year. Whatever happened in the past, you've got to build off it. We've just got to start over,'" offensive coordinator Adam Gase told the paper.

Gase added Hillman has "got to work his butt off and make sure he puts himself in a great position to contribute this year."

Ravens running back Bernard Pierce, who had rotator cuff surgery in the offseason, won't be available for OTAs and minicamp. Coach John Harbaugh said Pierce should be ready for training camp.

"He's been allowed to move around a little bit, but we just can't risk him falling on it right now and having a setback,” Harbaugh told the team's official website. “So, you're probably looking at training camp for him, which shouldn't be an issue as long as you don't get a setback."

The Jets were awarded running back Daryl Richardson on waivers Friday, reports CBSSports.com NFL Insider Jason La Canfora.

Richardson was waived by the Rams earlier in the week, after a disappointing sophomore season that saw him lose his starting job while averaging just 3.1 yards per carry in eight games. He will likely be buried on the depth chart to start out in New York.

The Rams have waived running back Daryl Richardson, last season's Week 1 starting running back, per the NFL transaction wire. Richardson started three games last season and got off to a slow start and never recovered.

Over 24 career games he totaled 690 rush yards and 284 receiving yards on 38 catches. 

Rams running back Isaiah Pead's name was involved in some trade discussions during the weekend of the draft, Bleacher Report noted this week. Pead has seemingly fallen out of favor in St. Louis after Zac Stacy thrived as a rookie. The team also added running back Tre Mason in the draft. 

Pead has 17 career carries for 75 yards and 14 catches for 94 total yards. He has yet to score and has only one NFL start since getting drafted in Round 2 of the 2012 draft. 

When asked about the depth his team has at running back, Raiders head coach Dennis Allen listed the five most prominent rushers on his team, but there could be more to it than meets the eye. 

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, who listened to Allen's interview on SiriusXM, the coach ran off his team's "great RB depth" by listing them in the following order: Darren McFadden, Maurice Jones-Drew, Marcel Reece, Korey Sheets and Latavius Murray. 

Murray, a second-year rusher with some skills and potential, is seemingly still in Allen's dog house after struggling last season. He's expected to do nothing but serve as depth if he makes the team's final roster this summer. He's not worth drafting.