NFL Player News

Panthers rookie running back Kenjon Barner, who had set a goal of playing this week, was unable to practice Wednesday as he continues to deal with a foot injury, reports the Charlotte Observer.

Rams running back Isaiah Pead finished Week 2 without much to show for Fantasy owners who took a gamble on him. Pead carried the ball once, caught two passes, and was targeted four times. 

With starter Daryl Richardson among the top 20 running backs in Fantasy points this season (in standard leagues; Richardson also has 10 receptions on the season, boosting his value in PPR formats), Pead owners can't really harp on the player ahead of him not doing his job. Pead did see action on 38 percent of snaps in Week 2 (Richardson saw 52 percent), but didn't have much to show for it. 

Pead may ultimately end up being just a handcuff for the Richardson owner, and not the Joique Bell-type supplement that his rooters hoped for. He's worth a gamble in a deeper league, just in case this changes, but if there are better options out there (Jacquizz Rodgers, Eddie Royal, maybe even Austin Pettis), he's worth dropping to get a possible contributor onto the roster. 

Rams running back Daryl Richardson took a promising Week 1 stat line (20 rushes for 63 yards) and saw it severely halted when the Rams went to a no-huddle in the second half in Week 2 (10 rushes for 35 yards), trying to play catch-up against the Falcons. 

While Richardson only has 16 total Fantasy points on the season, he does have 10 receptions -- sixth-most among running backs -- over the first two games (giving him a value boost in PPR leagues). Richardson ranks 20th in points among running backs in non-PPR formats, putting him comfortably inside the RB2 starting zone. 

Also working in favor of Richardson picking up the production a bit is the fact that the Rams have faced the Cardinals and Falcons in their first two games -- they boast the third and ninth-best run defenses in the NFL this season. The Cowboys are the 11th-best.

Richardson is still worth a start as your second running back -- his numbers may not look great but, relative to the rest of the field, he's been decent -- but you may have to cross your fingers if using him as a flex until he gets some more favorable matchups. 

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews heads into Week 3 at Tennessee without a rushing touchdown in 11 straight games dating back to last season. In fact, he has just two touchdowns (one rushing) in his last 15 games.

The Titans have allowed just one rushing touchdown to a running back in two games, but they did allow Houston running backs to total 172 rushing yards Week 2 and running backs are averaging 100 rushing yards per game against Tennessee. Running backs are also averaging 15 Fantasy points per week against Tennessee.

Mathews sits atop the running back depth chart for San Diego, but the Chargers don't use him as a workhorse back. He's averaged 16 touches through the first two games. Fantasy owners should look to Mathews as a No. 3 Fantasy running back or flex option Week 3.

Fantasy owners have been waiting for more than a year for Browns featured back Trent Richardson to begin living up to his promise. But several factors continue to hold him back and make him a questionable play Sunday in Minnesota.

Among them is the team's run blocking, which continues to be inconsistent. Another is his apparent hesitation to attack the rare holes opened up for him. Richardson managed a per-rush average of 3.6 last year and scored 11 touchdowns despite missing the preseason and playing throughout with broken ribs. He is healthy now, but is down to just 3.4 yards a carry with no scores.

The Vikings have been quite generous with opposing featured backs in 2013. They yielded 90 yards rushing and 101 receiving to Reggie Bush in Week 1. Matt Forte added 90 yards rushing and 11 receptions for 71 yards on Sunday. Richardson is capable of similar numbers, but has yet to show that he can reach his capabilities.

Richardson remains a viable Fantasy option against the Vikings. But one can only hope for that explosive performance that befits his talent. The dream for such a game fades with every mediocre week.

Buccaneers running back Doug Martin enjoyed having fullback Erik Lorig back in the lineup Sunday. Martin ran for 144 yards against the Saints, the second-highest total of his young career, while averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

When Lorig missed the opener with a calf injury, Martin struggled.

“The running game was amazing," Martin told the team's website after the loss to New Orleans. "The line did an awesome job staying on their guys and getting a push off the line of scrimmage. You have to give a lot of credit to Erik Lorig, he came back, his first game from injury. He also did a good job, and [so did] the receivers blocking downfield.”

If anything happened to Cardinals starting running back Rashard Mendenhall, it sounds like coach Bruce Arians wouldn't hesitate giving backup running back Andre Ellington more work. On Monday, Arians said he views Ellington as more than a third-down, change-of-pace back.

"This kid can carry the load," Arians said, per the team's official website.

Ellington averaged 5.0 yards per carry and scored a receiving touchdown Week 2 vs. Detroit.

Panthers rookie running back Kenjon Barner (foot) said Monday he's hopeful to play Week 3 vs. N.Y. Giants after missing the first two games, per the Charlotte Observer. Barner hasn't run during practice yet.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier didn't seem happy rookie receiver Cordarrelle Patterson played only six snaps Week 2 at Chicago, according to the Star Tribune. Frazier said that issue will be "rectified" heading into Week 3 vs. Cleveland.

The rookie receiver has just three catches for 24 yards through two games.

"He definitely deserves to be on the field more," Frazier said. "He's shown that in the few snaps he's gotten in these first two ball games. Hopefully, everything being equal, that should not be a part of the conversation next week. We want to get him on the field. He's one of our explosive players for sure. We see what he does when he gets the ball in his hands. We've got to find a way to get him on the field."

Browns featured back Trent Richardson averaged just 3.6 yards per carry in 2012 and 3.4 this season. His longest run in Baltimore on Sunday was nine yards. But it's not from a lack of effort, according to Rob Chudzinski.

"I think Trent's been playing extremely hard," he told the Akron Beacon Journal. "We've just to to keep giving him touches and opportunities."

The Browns offensive line has struggled mightily this year in both run and pass blocking.