NFL Player News
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Alexander Mattison RB | MIA
Raiders' Alexander Mattison: Limited volume as lead back
Mattison rushed the ball six times for 20 yards in Sunday's 34-20 loss to the Chargers. He added four receptions on five targets for 11 yards.
Mattison served as the clear lead back for Las Vegas with Ameer Abdullah (foot) sidelined, though he had only one rushing attempt after halftime despite the Raiders being down one score until late in the contest. The story of this game also encapsulated Mattison's campaign, as he averaged a miserable 3.2 yards per carry in one of the least explosive offenses in the league. He'll hit free agency this offseason and will likely sign a short-term deal with the hopes of serving as a change-of-pace back.
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Kenneth Gainwell RB | PIT
Eagles' Kenneth Gainwell: Modest numbers in Week 18
Gainwell carried the ball 11 times for 14 yards and caught two of four targets for nine yards in Sunday's 20-13 win over the Giants.
Getting the start in place of a resting Saquon Barkley, Gainwell led the Eagles in totes but got thoroughly outplayed by rookie Will Shipley, who turned 14 touches into 67 yards. Barkley will be back in his workhorse role when the Eagles host the Packers in the wild-card round next weekend, but Gainwell's experience in the offense should allow him to retain the No. 2 role in the backfield. The fourth-year RB wraps up the 2024 regular season with a modest 406 scrimmage yards and just one TD over 17 appearances.
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Will Shipley RB | PHI
Eagles' Will Shipley: Leading rusher in Week 18
Shipley carried the ball 10 times for 32 yards and caught all four of his targets for 35 yards in Sunday's 20-13 win over the Giants.
The rookie RB split the backfield workload with Kenneth Gainwell while Saquon Barkley was rested ahead of the playoffs, and it was Shipley who was the more productive of the duo. The 2024 fourth-round pick hadn't even seen a target through the first 17 weeks of the season, but his usage in the passing game Sunday suggests a future role for him in the offense even if Barkley continues to dominate touches. Shipley will likely return to being predominantly a special-teams asset in the postseason, however, as the Eagles get ready to host the Packers next weekend in the wild-card round.
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Jamaal Williams RB | NO
Saints' Jamaal Williams: Splits RB duties Week 18
Williams notched eight rushes for 15 yards and caught his only target for seven yards during Sunday's 27-19 defeat to the Buccaneers.
Williams logged at least eight carries for the first time since Week 2. The Saints had been eliminated from playoff contention multiple weeks ago and were without multiple key offensive starters Sunday, including running back Alvin Kamara (groin) as well as RB2 Kendre Miller (concussion). This left Williams to split carries with Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was elevated from the practice squad for Week 18, and these two combined for a paltry 41 rushing yards on 16 carries. This caps off what was easily the least productive season of Williams' career, as he finished with fewer than 100 carries and 300 rushing yards for the first time in eight seasons. The 29-year-old signed a three-year, $12 million contract with New Orleans in March of 2023, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the team move on him from ahead of the 2025 regular season.
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J.K. Dobbins RB | DEN
Chargers' J.K. Dobbins: Totals 21 touches
Dobbins rushed the ball 18 times for 63 yards in Sunday's 34-20 win over the Raiders. He added three receptions on three targets for 12 yards.
Dobbins dominated touches out of the Los Angeles backfield while the game was competitive as Gus Edwards (ankle) remained sidelined. Dobbins had moments of effectiveness despite averaging just 3.5 yards per carry, as he accounted for 30 total yards on five touches on an offensive possession early in the second quarter that resulted in a field goal. He closes the regular season with career-high marks in attempts (195) and rushing yards (905) and projects to at least split work with Edwards in Saturday's wild-card matchup against the Texans.
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Isaac Guerendo RB | SF
49ers' Isaac Guerendo: MCL sprain likely, tests upcoming
Coach Kyle Shanahan said after Sunday's 47-24 loss to the Cardinals that Guerendo (knee/ankle) likely suffered an MCL sprain and will undergo further testing Monday, Lindsey Pallares of the 49ers' official site reports.
Guerendo suffered knee and ankle injuries, with the knee injury likely to be an MCL sprain. The results of Monday's tests should help provide clarity on the recovery timeline for Guerendo. The 49ers' season came to a close with Sunday's defeat in the regular-season finale.
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Tyrone Tracy Jr. RB | NYG
Giants' Tyrone Tracy: Leading rusher in Sunday's loss
Tracy carried the ball 14 times for 59 yards and caught both his targets for seven yards in Sunday's 20-13 loss to the Eagles.
The rookie running back wrapped up a solid first NFL season that established him as a capable replacement for Saquon Barkley. Despite the fact that he didn't see double-digit touches in a game until Week 5, Tracy finished the campaign with 1,123 scrimmage yards over 17 appearances, six total TDs and a 4.4 YPC. The Giants' offense figures to look different in 2025, starting with a new quarterback, but Tracy's role at the top of the backfield depth chart appears secure.
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Antonio Gibson RB | NE
Patriots' Antonio Gibson: Leads backfield in Week 18 win
Gibson carried the ball 12 times for 41 yards and caught four of six targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 23-16 win over the Bills.
With Rhamondre Stevenson getting the day off in a meaningless game for both sides, Gibson led the Patriots' backfield and topped 60 scrimmage yards for the second straight week. The former Washington RB capably filled a backup role for New England in 2024, finishing the season with 744 combined yards over 17 appearances. Stevenson is under contract through 2028 while Gibson has two more years left on his deal, but a new coaching staff might have different ideas about the workload split between them next season after head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt were let go immediately after Sunday's contest.
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Ray Davis RB | BUF
Bills' Ray Davis: Takes advantage of bigger workload
Davis carried the ball 15 times for 64 yards and caught two of three targets for one yard and a touchdown in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Patriots.
With the Bills resting most of their key personnel, in whole or in part, Davis wound up seeing the larger portion of a backfield timeshare with James Cook and turned the extra touches into solid production, which included a two-yard TD from Mitchell Trubisky in the second quarter. Davis has had a respectable rookie campaign, amassing 631 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns (three rushing, three receiving) over 17 regular-season games, but he should take a back seat to Cook once again when Buffalo begins its playoff run next weekend at home against Denver.
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Tony Pollard RB | TEN
Titans' Tony Pollard: Totals 22 carries in Week 18
Pollard rushed the ball 22 times for 62 yards in Sunday's 23-14 loss to the Texans.
Pollard returned from a one-game absence caused by an ankle issue and illness and handled a workhorse role out of the Tennessee backfield. He struggled to get going, however, as 11 of his carries went for one yard or fewer. Pollard concludes his first season with the Titans with a career-high 1,079 rushing yards and should be back as the team's lead back in 2025 -- potentially in an improved offense.