NFL Player News
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Riley Leonard QB | IND
Colts' Riley Leonard: Starting opportunity awaits
Leonard completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards for no touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 36-19 loss to the Jaguars. He added two rushes for five yards and a rushing touchdown.
Leonard entered the game late in the first quarter after Daniel Jones suffered an Achilles injury. It was Leonard's second appearance as a pro, and some inconsistencies followed, as expected. Positively, he used his mobility well to extend plays, on one occasion hitting Alec Pierce on the run for a 24-yard gain. Leonard also scrambled for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to record his first NFL score. On the other hand, he had a pass intercepted and was also sacked for a safety on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for the Colts. Jones' injury is feared to be season-ending, lining Leonard up to be the starter so long as Anthony Richardson (eye) is also out.
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Shedeur Sanders QB | CLE
Browns' Shedeur Sanders: First breakout game of career
Sanders completed 23 of 42 passes for 364 yards with three touchdowns and one interception while adding three rushes for 29 yards and another score in the Browns' 31-29 loss to the Titans on Sunday.
Sanders' final line emphasizes the breakout quality of the rookie's performance, which was fueled by a 60-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy, another pair of passing scores to David Njoku (one yard) and Harold Fannin (seven yards), and a seven-yard rush TD, with the latter two plays occurring in the fourth quarter. Head coach Kevin Stefanski opted to take the ball out of Sanders' hands during an attempt at a game-tying two-point conversion after the touchdown pass to Fannin, but it was otherwise another significant step in the right direction for the fifth-round pick. Sanders showed increasing command of the offense by spreading the ball around to eight different targets, and he'll next make a trip to Soldier Field to face off with the Bears next Sunday.
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Kyle Pitts TE | ATL
Falcons' Kyle Pitts: Paces Atlanta in receiving again
Pitts caught six of 10 targets for 90 yards in Sunday's 37-9 loss to the Seahawks.
For the second straight game, Pitts was the favorite target for Kirk Cousins, as the tight end led the Falcons in catches, targets and receiving yards. In the three games since Michael Penix (knee) was lost for the season and Cousins took over at QB, Pitts has posted a 15-197-0 line on 23 targets, giving him some real momentum heading into a Week 15 tilt against Tampa Bay.
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Darnell Mooney WR | NYG
Falcons' Darnell Mooney: Held to one grab Sunday
Mooney caught one of four targets for six yards in Sunday's 37-9 loss to the Seahawks.
Even with Drake London (knee) out of action again, Mooney couldn't get anything going against Seattle's tough defense, as tight end Kyle Pitts wound up leading Atlanta in all receiving categories. In the three games London has missed, Mooney's managed just a 6-105-1 line on 12 targets, making him little more than a dart throw for fantasy purposes in Week 15 against the Buccaneers, whether London is healthy or not.
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Tony Pollard RB | TEN
Titans' Tony Pollard: Career-best rushing total in win
Pollard rushed 25 times for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the Titans' 31-29 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Pollard churned out a new single-game career-best rushing yardage total in the Titans' second win of the season, with a 65-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter serving as the highlight of his stellar afternoon. The veteran back went on to add a 32-yard scoring scamper late in the third quarter to finish with his first multi-TD tally of the season. Pollard had topped 90 rushing yards only once this season before Sunday, so the breakout against what had been a tough Browns defense was particularly unforeseen. Pollard will look to author a fitting encore in a Week 15 road clash against the 49ers next Sunday.
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Tyler Allgeier RB | ARI
Falcons' Tyler Allgeier: Double-digit touches again Sunday
Allgeier carried the ball 11 times for 34 yards and caught both his targets for 33 yards in Sunday's 37-9 loss to the Seahawks.
The Falcons offense couldn't get into the end zone, but the backfield had a solid performance as Bijan Robinson collected 94 scrimmage yards on 22 touches and Allgeier added 67 yards on 13 touches. It's the first time Allgeier has reached 60 yards from scrimmage since Week 2, and he'll remain a TD-dependent fantasy option in Week 15 against the Buccaneers.
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Bucky Irving RB | TB
Buccaneers' Bucky Irving: Garners 81 total yards, TD in loss
Irving rushed 15 times for 55 yards and brought in two of three targets for 26 yards a touchdown in the Buccaneers' 24-20 loss to the Saints on Sunday.
Irving had elevated expectations heading into the divisional matchup given some of the Saints' troubles defending the run this season, but New Orleans did a reasonably effective job while limiting him to a stingy 23 yards on the 14 carries he logged outside of his game-long 32-yard run. Irving did record his third receiving touchdown of the season on a 24-yard catch and run in the first quarter, helping to salvage his fantasy day. Irving's opportunities on the ground were somewhat capped due to a surprising game script that saw Tampa Bay trailing through more than half of the fourth quarter, but he'll have a good chance to bounce back in a Week 15 home matchup against a vulnerable Falcons run defense on Thursday night.
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Bijan Robinson RB | ATL
Falcons' Bijan Robinson: Just short of 100 scrimmage yards
Robinson carried the ball 20 times for 86 yards and caught both his targets for eight yards in Sunday's 37-9 loss to the Seahawks. He also lost a fumble.
The third-year RB reached 1,000 rushing yards for the season on his first carry, but that might have been the high point of the day for the Atlanta offense. Robinson saw his streak of games with at least 100 scrimmage yards end at three, and through 13 contests he's produced 1,081 rushing yards and five TDs along with a 56-604-2 line on 70 targets. He'll look to get back to triple digits in yardage in a Week 15 tilt against Tampa Bay.
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Kirk Cousins QB | LV
Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Shut down by Seattle
Cousins completed 15 of 30 passes for 162 yards and two interceptions in Sunday's 37-9 loss to the Seahawks.
The Falcons were limited to just three field goals on the day, as Cousins simply couldn't get anything going. The absence of Drake London (knee) was noticeable, as tight end Kyle Pitts was the only Atlanta pass catcher to make much of an impact. Cousins has a 3:3 TD:INT in three starts since Michael Penix (knee) was lost for the season, but the veteran QB might have more success in Week 15 against the Buccaneers.
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John Metchie III WR | CAR
Jets' John Metchie: Another four-catch performance
Metchie caught four of eight targets for 34 yards in Sunday's 34-10 loss to the Dolphins.
Metchie tied for the team lead in targets with Mason Taylor while finishing second behind Taylor in both catches and receiving yards as the Jets struggled offensively while playing most of the game with third-string quarterback Brady Cook after Tyrod Taylor suffered an early groin injury. Metchie has made at least four catches in each of his last three games, establishing himself as a reliable option in an undermanned Jets passing game that has been playing without Garrett Wilson (knee), who is eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 15 against the Jaguars.