NFL Player News

With Cowboys running backs DeMarco Murray (knee) and Lance Dunbar (hamstring) expected to sit out Week 7 at Philadelphia, rookie running back Joseph Randle will be a hot pickup in Fantasy leagues this week. If you are lucky enough to nab Randle off waivers (owned in 6 percent of leagues), then you might consider starting him in Week 7.

Running backs average 91.2 rushing yards, 37.8 receiving yards and 15 Fantasy points per week against the Eagles. The Fantasy Points Against average is a little bit low because running backs have just four touchdowns and three fumbles against Philadelphia. Most teams have taken to the air to expose Philadelphia's weak secondary.

Randle got his first carries Week 6 when Murray left the game with a knee injury. Though, Randle was far from impressive, despite scoring a touchdown. He rushed for just 17 yards on 11 carries. Perhaps he will perform better Sunday after a full week of reps with the first-team offense. Fantasy owners can consider Randle a low-end No. 2 Fantasy running back or flex option Week 7.

Colts running back Donald Brown ran three times for 15 yards and caught both his targets for 19 yards in the loss at San Diego. It was the fourth straight game Brown has averaged at least 5 yards per carry.

Brown is making a case for more playing time but isn't getting it so far, even with Trent Richardson struggling. Brown faces Broncos in Week 7.

Colts running back Trent Richardson had a great matchup against San Diego's leaky defense, but he failed to deliver. Again. He gained 40 yards on 10 carries, made a 13-yard reception and dropped his other target.

Richardson did not score for the second straight week, and he missed a blitz pickup that got Andrew Luck sacked.

Richardson's highlights came when he broke five tackles after a short reception in the second quarter, and when he ran 12 yards up the gut in the third quarter. Overall, though, it was another depressing performance by last year's No. 3 overall pick.

Richardson has just two runs of 20-plus yards in his career. He plays the Broncos in Week 7.

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews, who came in averaging 3.5 yards per carry, posted his first 100-yard rushing game since December 2011 in the win over the Colts. Mathews carried 22 times for 102 yards, an average of 4.6 per carry.

It was Mathews' sixth 100-yard effort in 44 career games. He was sharp from the start, gaining 47 yards on 11 first-half carries. When the Chargers wanted to bleed the clock late, Mathews showed good vision on a 10-yard zone run, then busted a 15-yard run off right tackle.

Mathews did not score a touchdown for the fifth straight game, and he foolishly ran out of bounds with 2:28 remaining. He was targeted once without a catch. Still, it was a breakthrough performance.

Mathews will try to build on it Week 7 at Jacksonville.

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews, who suffered a concussion in Week 5, is active against the Colts after being listed as probable. Mathews is averaging 3.5 yards per carry and has one receiving touchdown this season.

49ers running back LaMichael James was a healthy scratch again Week 6 vs. Arizona. The second-year running back has been active just six times in his young NFL career, but coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday he expects James to factor into the offense at some point.

"His development has been fine," Harbaugh said, per CSN Bay Area. "He’ll be back playing. I know the talk about insurance and etc. It’s no slight to LaMichael. LaMichael is very good player. And he’s a very valued member of our team.

"(I) let LaMichael know he’s a valued guy around here and has a big role for our football team. We definitely all value LaMichael as a backup running back -- like a two. And there’s going to come a time like last year when he’s fully in the mix and depended on. And that time will come again."

The struggles of the Ravens' run game persisted Week 6 vs. Green Bay. Ray Rice managed just 34 rushing yards on 14 carries, while backup running back Bernard Pierce had 9 rushing yards on six carries.

The Ravens totaled 47 rushing yards on 22 carries in the 19-17 loss.

"We would love to run the ball better," Rice said, per The Baltimore Sun. "It's not something that you plan on, going out there and messing up. The run game has to get better. They created piles. They did what good goal-line defenses do. I never had a fair one-on-one shot with a guy. There was always two or three [defenders] in the hole."

Through six games, the Ravens are averaging 2.7 yards per carry and 72.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 27th in the NFL.

"What you saw out there is not what we put out in practice, we practiced so hard," Rice said. "I'd use the words, 'a little frustrated.' This is one of the hardest-working teams in the NFL, I believe. I know for a fact what we get in between weightlifting, practice and everything we do, what we put out there is a little bit frustrating."

With the Cowboys preparing to move forward without running back DeMarco Murray, who suffered a sprained MCL Sunday vs. Washington, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team has confidence in running backs Phillip Tanner and Joseph Randle. Backup running back Lance Dunbar sat out Sunday's game with a hamstring injury, but he is expected back soon, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"We’ll get Dunbar back, and Murray back, and get back to full speed there at running back," Jones said. "But obviously, I think Tanner and Randle, if he can’t go, will do a good job for us."

Randle got most of the work once Murray left the game, but the results weren't great. He rushed for 17 yards on 11 carries, though he had a rushing touchdown. Tanner had just one carry for 2 yards.

"Any time a player comes out of the game and can’t go back in, you’re concerned," Jones said. "We’re playing well with (Murray). There’s a fall-off there, but I also thought it was nice for Randle to get in there and get his feet wet. I think it’s only going to get better for him."

Redskins running back Roy Helu had a productive performance during the second half of Sunday's loss to the Cowboys in Week 6.

Helu had just one catch for an 8-yard gain in the first half. He got more involved offensively once the game got out of hand. He finished the game with 77 yards of total offense, logging 42 yards on six carries (7.0 yards per carry) and 35 on four receptions and six targets in a 31-16 defeat.

Helu will look to be more involved in Week 7 at home against the Bears. Chicago allowed 123 yards on the ground against the Giants in Week 6.

Cowboys rookie running back Joseph Randle stepped in for an injured DeMarco Murray and scored his first career touchdown in Sunday's win over the Redskins in Week 6.

Randle filled in for Murray, who left the game in the second quarter with a left knee sprain. He broke for a short, 1-yard run in the fourth quarter to break the game open for Dallas. He finished with 11 carries for 17 yards and a touchdown on the ground and two catches for 15 yards in a 31-16 victory.

The rookie out of Oklahoma State could be in line to take over for Murray if he is unavailable in Week 7 when the Cowboys will take on the Eagles in Philadelphia. The Eagles allowed 94 rushing yards to Tampa Bay in Week 6.