NFL Player News

Vikings wideout Cordarrelle Patterson sat out Tuesday's practice because he was sore, but coach Leslie Frazier said the rookie will play Thursday against Tennessee, reports 1500ESPN.com. Patterson has a team-high eight catches for 84 yards in three preseason games.

Titans coach Mike Munchak said Tuesday running back Chris Johnson is starting to believe more in the offensive system.

"I think there’s no doubt he’s more comfortable," Munchak said, per NFL.com. "I think the first year I was here we had the lockout, and he held out. He had never experienced that. That made that year kind of strange, the whole year. We never really got that back it seemed like. Then the system was changed. It was a different play-caller, a different way we were doing things. I think he just feels good about everything. I think he’s had a good camp. I think he’s excited about the guys around him with the offensive line, the way Dowell (Loggains) is calling the game. I think everyone sees positives there that they’re all part of it."

Munchak added Johnson appears to be running more decisively this year.

"I think the holes have been better, so I think it allows the confidence to grow and the decisiveness to be what it has been," he said. "So, that has shown I think. The first three weeks has been a cleaner look for him. He’s getting a lot more reps. He’s got a quite a few reps even though the first game he only got two. The last couple weeks he’s gotten his fair share of reps, so he’s very comfortable with what we’re trying to do."

Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said Roy Helu has secured the backup running back job to starter Alfred Morris. He added the remaining spots are "up for grabs" between Keiland Williams, Evan Royster and Chris Thompson.

"The only thing that’s been settled is Alf and Helu," Shanahan said Tuesday, per The Washington Post. "Everything else is up for grabs. We’ve got a good problem to have because I think there’s a bunch of guys there that can play in this league and that can help us. They’re gonna make us have to make a tough decision next week. And really, every play is gonna count for them."

Bucs running back Doug Martin has been limited to three carries for 4 yards during the preseason, but he said the lack of work won't keep him from being productive during the regular season.

"I practice full-speed, I practice [at] game-speed and that’s all I need," he said, per NFL.com. "The starters aren’t going to play [Thursday at N.Y. Jets], so we’ll ease our way into the regular season and get this season going."

Martin, who hasn't played since the second preseason game after taking a knee to the helmet, has some pretty big expectations to meet in 2013 after turning in a stellar rookie season, which featured 1,454 rushing yards, 472 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns (11 rushing). He has no doubts he will be able to meet expectations.

"Definitely," Martin said. "During the offseason, through the workouts -- I have no doubt that I am in even better shape than I was in last year, so I’m ready to go."

Browns second-year running back Trent Richardson missed all four of the team's preseason games as a rookie in 2012 while recovering from knee surgery, costing him a chance to develop timing with the offensive line. That hasn't been the case this preseason, which is an opportunity Richardson has relished.

"It’s so much better," Richardson said, per NFL.com. "Last year, I just went right into the fire. Now, it’s time to get better and better each day. The offensive line is making better communication. With the timing, it’s a big, important thing. I think it’s gotten so much better over the past few weeks.

"I feel real good about this preseason, this whole camp. I think I’ve been doing fine, especially vibing with my team, the offensive line. These guys have made a bigger impact on me in the last few weeks than they did all of last year. That’s being a team, a family. That’s chemistry."

Rookie Tavon Austin will be the Rams' punt returner, but the team is still figuring out who will return kickoffs, reports ESPN.com. Candidates include receiver Chris Givens and running backs Isaiah Pead and Benny Cunningham.

“I think we’ve got a punt returner,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “And then we’ve got Chris Givens and we know what he can do. I like what Isaiah has done on the practice field, he’s getting better at it and I’m perfectly comfortable with Benny doing it. He got 15 yards on his own, by himself the other night.”

While it's conceivable Austin could get some work on kickoff returns, the Rams would prefer not to since he's already working on offense and punt returns, the report said.

Ronnie Hillman was the Broncos' primary first-team running back during practice Tuesday, a day after rookie Montee Ball filled the role.

"I don't even know yet, so I don't know how you all know," coach John Fox told the Denver Post when asked who will start the season opener. "They'll both carry a big load for us this season, knock on wood. Whether it's '1A' and '1' or however you want to list it, they're both very capable and we're very pleased with both."

Hillman had been the No. 1 back every day in practice until Monday. But he was coming off consecutive games in which his fumbles were returned for touchdowns. Coaches made Hillman carry a football in between reps Monday and Tuesday, the Post said.

"I'm going to do what they want me to do," Hillman told the paper. "I've never had fumbling problems before. I just can't let it get in my head and handicap me. I have to go out there and continue to play."

Ball got some first-team snaps Tuesday, but Hillman took more, according to the report.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Tuesday running back Kenjon Barner is day to day after suffering an ankle injury Thursday against the Ravens.

"It was a pretty good sprain," Rivera said, per The Charlotte Observer. "He's in a boot walking around. As we get into next week we'll have better feel."

Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase said the team will use its running backs "by committee" and that "we've never shied away from that," reports ESPN.com. Rookie Montee Ball worked with the first team Monday, but coach John Fox warned reporters not to read too much into that.

The committee includes veteran Knowshon Moreno and second-year back Ronnie Hillman, who's fumbled three times in the preseason but is still listed atop the depth chart.

Eddie Lacy is set to start the year as the Packers primary running back following the season-ending knee injury for incumbent starter DuJuan Harris. Of the rushers behind Lacy, only James Starks has been consistently good in practice. 

It suggests that Lacy could hog the playing time in the Green Bay backfield, something the team may not have envisioned when they drafted him. 

Lacy doesn't have much experience as a bell-cow running back -- just once did he go over 200 carries in college. But that's because he was behind two excellent rushers at Alabama (Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson). It doesn't mean he can't do it ... in fact it might be construed that he has fresh legs. He had just 355 carries over three seasons (Montee Ball had 356 carries just last year). 

A strike against Lacy is an injury history. The list includes a knee, ankle, chest, big toe, elbow, left hand, knee (again) and hamstring -- with two surgeries performed. This is what scared off many NFL teams (including the Steelers) from taking him in the draft. But if we're being fair he played in 12 of 13 games as a sophomore and all 14 as a junior in college. 

The other strike against Lacy is the team he's on: Green Bay loves to pass. They've averaged 405.3 carries over their last three seasons, topping out at 433 carries last year. Stunningly, that was good enough to finish in the middle of the NFL in rush attempts, though it includes Aaron Rodgers' 54 rushes (he's averaged 59.3 carries per season). 

But if Lacy gives the Packers a rushing presence much like Harris did last postseason, there might actually be more balance in the game plan from week to week. Remember, no one's really been worthy of taking pass attempts away from Rodgers the past three years. 

We're at a point in Fantasy drafts where running backs go from "great" to "not bad" to "Oh my gosh I have to pick from these people?!?" pretty quickly. Lacy's going to be a popular pick no matter what I write but the truth is that his negatives are no worse than those of Ryan Mathews and Darren McFadden. His positives are better than theirs. You should consider Lacy as a No. 2 running back to begin the year.