NFL Player News
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Ameer Abdullah RB | IND
Raiders' Ameer Abdullah: Finds end zone in loss
Abdullah carried the ball eight times for 28 yards and caught five of six targets for 37 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 29-19 loss to the Broncos.
With Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps) unavailable, Abdullah led the Raiders' backfield in touches and scrimmage yards while scoring the team's only offensive TD of the day on a six-yard connection with Gardner Minshew (collarbone) in the second quarter. The five catches and six targets were also season highs for Abdullah. It's not yet clear if either Mattison or White will be ready to return in Week 13, but even if Abdullah handles the lead role again, he'll have a tough matchup against Kansas City.
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Kareem Hunt RB | KC
Chiefs' Kareem Hunt: Tallies 87 total yards
Hunt rushed the ball 16 times for 68 yards in Sunday's 30-27 win over the Panthers. He added three receptions on four targets for 19 yards.
The Chiefs were surprisingly in a tightly contested game, which forced them to rely on Patrick Mahomes more than anticipated while also limiting Hunt's opportunity. Hunt did show some moderate playmaking ability with long gains of 13 as both a rusher and receiver, allowing him to top 85 yards from scrimmage for the third time in his last four games. While he's been a reliable fantasy option, his opportunity could diminish in Week 13 against the Raiders if Isiah Pacheco (ankle) is activated from injured reserve.
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Roschon Johnson RB | CHI
Bears' Roschon Johnson: Scores another touchdown
Johnson rushed twice for two yards and a touchdown, and he caught a 10-yard pass in the Bears' 30-27 overtime loss to the Vikings on Sunday.
Johnson had a season-high 10 carries for 33 yards last week, but his workload reverted to the 1-to-3 carry level the running back had in Weeks 8-10. With an unpredictable weekly workload, the veteran is largely a TD-dependent fantasy option. On the season, Johnson has scored six rushing touchdowns.
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Chuba Hubbard RB | CAR
Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Still lead back
Hubbard rushed the ball 16 times for 58 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Chiefs. He recorded one reception on five targets for two yards.
Hubbard was joined by Jonathon Brooks in the Carolina backfield for the first time this season, though it was hardly noticeable in the box score as he out-touched Brooks 17-2. The Chiefs' run defense has been among the best in the league throughout the campaign, so it's not particularly surprising that Hubbard struggled with his efficiency. However, he still managed a productive fantasy performance thanks to a one-yard plunge into the end zone and a subsequent two-point conversion with under two minutes remaining in the game. Brooks will likely become a bigger factor at some point late in the season, but Hubbard looks to have safe volume for the time being.
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Jaleel McLaughlin RB | DEN
Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Leading rusher on seven carries
McLaughlin took seven carries for 44 yards and failed to bring in his lone target in Sunday's 29-19 win over Las Vegas.
McLaughlin surprisingly finished as the Broncos' leading rusher after seemingly falling to third on the depth chart a week ago. Starter Javonte Williams couldn't gain positive yards after his eight carries while assumed backup Audric Estime finished second with 15 yards off of three rushing attempts. McLaughlin has reached double-digit carries only once this season (Week 1), which makes him an unlikely candidate to become a fantasy force despite being effective against the Raiders. We may simply have a classic RBBC situation in Denver, making every tailback on the roster a risky play against the Browns next Monday.
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Javonte Williams RB | DAL
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Nets four yards on 10 touches
Williams rushed eight times for a loss of two yards while catching two of four targets for six receiving yards in Sunday's 29-19 win over Las Vegas.
Williams squandered opportunity after opportunity while the Broncos played with a lead for most of the second half. The 2021 second-round pick only finished with a positive fantasy score by gaining six yards as a receiver. Jaleel McLaughlin wound up leading the Broncos with 44 rushing yards off of one less carry than the starter. Williams continues to underwhelm as Denver's lead rusher, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him lose carries to more productive backups as the season progresses following yet another dud. For now, Williams figures to remain an option for those in deeper leagues for next Monday's tilt against the Browns.
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Tony Pollard RB | TEN
Titans' Tony Pollard: Big effort in upset win
Pollard rushed the ball 24 times for 119 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 32-27 win over the Texans. He added three receptions on five targets for 10 yards.
Pollard's volume jumped in the absence of Tyjae Spears (concussion) to tally at least 20 rushing attempts for the fourth time this season. He was perfectly capable of shouldering that workload, ripping off long gains of 27 and 19 yards while also finding the end zone from 10 yards out early in the second quarter. That was enough for Pollard to reach 100 yards on the ground for the second time this season, and he will be a must-start fantasy option in Week 13 against Washington if Spears remains sidelined.
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D'Andre Swift RB | CHI
Bears' D'Andre Swift: Held to 65 yards from scrimmage
Swift rushed the ball 13 times for 30 yards in Sunday's 30-27 overtime loss to the Vikings. He added three receptions on four targets for 35 yards.
Swift gained only 20 yards on 10 carries in the first half and was largely scripted out of the contest in the final two quarters as the Bears played from behind. He did manage his highest yardage total as a receiver since Week 5 to avoid a completely disastrous performance. While Swift has been effective for large portions of the season, he may not bounce back in Week 13 against a tough Lions run defense.
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James Conner RB | ARI
Cardinals' James Conner: Does little on ground Sunday
Conner rushed seven times for eight yards and hauled in all five targets for 41 yards during Sunday's 16-6 loss in Seattle.
Conner was one of four Cardinals to earn a carry, pacing the team, but his yardage total was last among the quartet behind Trey Benson (4-18-0 rushing line), Emari Demercado (1-14-0) and Kyler Murray (2-9-0). In fact, Conner's eight yards on the ground were less than half his previous low on the season (17 in Week 3). Fortunately for the eighth-year pro, he salvaged his day somewhat as a pass catcher, with his 41 receiving yards ranking third most in his 11 appearances to date. Conner may have difficulty getting back on track next Sunday against the Vikings' No. 1 run defense (74.7 yards per game allowed).
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Christian McCaffrey RB | SF
49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Struggles sans star QB
McCaffrey rushed 11 times for 31 yards and lost one fumble while catching three of four targets for 37 yards in Sunday's 38-10 loss to Green Bay.
The 49ers were without starting quarterback Brock Purdy (shoulder) on Sunday, which allowed the opposition to key in on McCaffrey's 14 touches. The 28-year-old also coughed up his first fumble of the campaign, adding insult to injury for his fantasy managers' box scores. Purdy's injury isn't considered serious, which bodes well for his availability and McCaffrey's point potential on the road against the Bills next Sunday.