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The have three running backs competing for one or two spots on the running backs depth chart behind Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard, with the group consisting of Ha san Haskins, Julius Chestnut and Jabari Small.None of the three have been Patrick Beverley Jersey particularly impre sive during the offseason and over the first two preseason games, but it also hasn't helped that the blocking from the backup offensive linemen has been lackluster, to say the least, in exhibition play.After the preseason Week 2 win over the in which Haskins had the best showing, head coach Brian Callahan gave his a se sment on all three backs and noted how both Small and Chestnut have run better than Haskins. However, he also praised Haskins for his work on special teams."I think Julius has played well for himself, he's putting himself out there. Played well overall, done all the things we ask the running back to do, so he got the first carries" Callahan said, according to . "And then, I think Jabari Small played really well, too, so we've got some competition there."And I think (Small and Chestnut) have played probably a little bit better than Ha san at this point, and obviously Ha san is a special teams demon, and that matters too. So, that competition is ongoing and we've got another week to go."While the part about Small and Chestnut running better certainly isn't great news for Haskins, he has actually been the most consistent ball-carrier over the two preseason games after Chestnut was quiet in Week 1 and Small has been quiet in both contests.That, along with his special teams prowe s, could be enough to put him over the top. Montrezl Harrell Jersey

The ' picked up 215 receiving yards versus the , the most in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL campaign. Continue reading for a full list of league leaders, including the pa sing and rushing categories as well.For more information, check out our complete .Wild Card Round Pa sing LeadersADVERTISEMENT Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins): 466 yards (vs. Chargers) (): 403 yards (vs. ) (): 367 yards (vs. ) (): 344 yards (vs. ) (Buccaneers): 337 yards (vs. )Matthew Stafford (Rams): 334 yards ( Thanasis Antetokounmpo Jersey vs. ) (): 316 yards (vs. Eagles) (): 307 yards (vs. ) (): 305 yards (vs. ) (Lions): 277 yards (vs. Rams)Wild Card Round Rushing LeadersChristian McCaffrey (): 152 yards (vs. ) (): 127 yards (vs. ) (Packers): 118 yards (vs. Cowboys) (Chargers): 117 yards (vs. Dolphins) (Browns): 106 yards (vs. ) (Chargers): 91 yards (vs. Dolphins) (): 89 yards (vs. Dolphins) (Bills): 79 yards (vs. Steelers)Travis Etienne (): 77 yards (vs. ) (): 75 yards (vs. )Wild Card Round Receiving LeadersTyreek Hill (Dolphins): 215 yards (vs. Chargers) (Rams): 181 yards (vs. Lions) (Packers): 151 yards (vs. Cowboys)Justin Jefferson (Vikings): 150 yards (vs. Buccaneers) (Eagles): 148 yards (vs. Buccaneers) (Chiefs): 130 yards (vs. Dolphins) (49ers): 129 yards (vs. Steelers)Puka Nacua (Rams): 119 yards (vs. Seahawks) (Rams): 119 yards (vs. Seahawks) (Saints): 112 yards (vs. Titans)FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by and data from Sportradar. Brook Lopez Jersey

Dan Campbell's decision to play the Lions' starters in their Week 18 clash with the Vikings a game with precious few playoff implications raised more than a few eyebrows.Sam LaPorta's injury served as an example of why. Detroit's Pro Bowl tight end was forced to exit Sunday's clash after suffering a knee injury in teh first half.LaPorta, a rookie, has emerged as one of Jared Goff's top targets in 2023. He figured to play a significant role on a Lions squad hoping to make a push toward the Super Bowl.Now, his status going forward is shrouded in mystery.MORE:Here's what you need to know about LaPorta's latest ailment.Sam LaPorta injury updateLaPorta crumbled to the turf after reeling in a pa s from Goff, appearing to have gotten his leg caught in the gra s as he was brought down partway through the second quarter.Ouch. Damn it. Love me some LaPorta. Hope hes ok. Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) His left knee looked to have buckled and hyperextended on the play. And he clearly was in discomfort as he writhed on the ground in the immediate aftermath of his injury.LaPorta eventually walked off the field on his own accord. He was soon transported to the locker room via medical cart and eventually for the rest of the game.Lions TE Sam LaPorta heads to the locker room on the cart. Questionable to return with a knee injury. Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) Coach Dan Campbell after the game that LaPorta's injury "isn't as bad as it looked." He still could mi s time, but Campbell after referring to the malady as one of the "day-to-day" variety.LaPorta still could mi s time, most immediately next week's playoff opener. But there is an that he could play in this one.NFL Network's Ian Rapoport later reported the Clay Buchholz Jersey tight end suffered a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise. Pro Bowl TE Sam LaPorta suffered a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise, source said after the MRI. Hes likely to mi s some time, but as coach Dan Campbell said, not as bad as it couldve been. Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) Earlier in the game, LaPorta set a new franchise record with his 84th reception of the season, one more than Brandon Pettigrew's previous mark for a Lions tight end. He caught two more before he got hurt, putting him at 86 catches for the regular season.Why the Lions are playing their starters vs. VikingsWith the Lions all but locked into the No. 3 seed Detroit would need the Cowboys to lose to the Commanders and the Eagles to lose to the Giants to jump to No. 2 it came as a bit of a surprise when Campbell told reporters his plans to play his starters in Week 18.We're gonna use our full arsenal and go win this game," Campbell said earlier in the week. "That's the objective here.It seems Detroit, knowing it will play a game on wild-card weekend, wanted to enter the postseason on a high. A matchup with Minnesota, which is all but eliminated from postseason contention, could have certainly offered the Lions an opportunity for a tune-up before the Big Dance.MORE:Given the small margins between winning and losing the postseason, perhaps that was appealing to Campbell and Co.It's an imperfect science, admittedly. But it seems Detroit's staff was all-in on Campbell's move."Weve got such a robust coaching staff that with a wide variety of opinions on how we should proceed in a scenario like this," offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. "So, Im trusting. Im trusting the powers that be and that have gone through this before (to decide) what the best course of action is to get us ready, (and) not only to win the game this week, but also the future weeks, as well.It will be interesting to see if such a viewpoint changes in light of LaPorta's potential absence. Ryan Borucki Jersey

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick took out a on Sunday to thank Boston fans for their support during his time on the New England sideline.For 24 years, I was ble sed to feel your pa sion and your power, said the ad, which ran in Sundays Boston Globe and includes an image of Belichick overlooking a large crowd.Six times, you packed Boston by the millions for parades that were truly a two-way expre sion of gratitude and love, he wrote. The images from those days are burned in my memory."Belichick coached the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships and 17 AFC East titles in a 19-year span. But the team struggled after quarterback Dj Herz Jersey Tom Brady left, with three losing seasons in four years and a 4-13 record in 2023 .ADVERTISEMENT Although he interviewed twice for the Atlanta Falcons position, the offseason hiring cycle appears to have concluded .Belichick was known for his time in both Cleveland and New England for being closed-lipped and refusing to engage with reporters or fans longing for information about the team. But now that hes gone, the hoodie-wearing coach even poked fun at his reputation as a grouch.You may even have enjoyed my fashion sense and pre s conferences, or maybe you just tolerated them, he wrote. I loved coaching here and, together, we experienced some amazing moments.___AP NFL: Derek Law Jersey

Niners CEO Jed York made one monumental change in San Francisco already when he let go of then-coach Jim Harbaugh. He's not about to throw the general manager, Trent Baalke, away any time soon."You have to make sure your guys feel like they're going to be a part of it for a while," York told a panel this week, . "And with Trent, I watch it when we draft. Trent will always trade for next year's picks because he feels comfortable that he's going to be here. And ultimately that's going to make our busine s much better. And I think that's the nice thing about having a private company. You don't have to worry about the quarterly report. We're looking at how many championships can we win over a period of time. And when everybody understands that and everybody comes together, more Alejandro Kirk Jersey often than not, you're going to be happy."Something clearly happened between Harbaugh, York and Baalke last season, but at least for the moment, it seems like Baalke was the one winning out.One day, it will be worth looking back on all those draft-day trades to see if York's trust was misplaced or not.This year, Baalke traded away the chance to select Wisconsin's , and also confusingly dropped 14 spots in the fifth round. His only compensation in that deal was a pick toward the end of the seventh round.Baalke also traded a seventh-round pick to the for a sixth-round pick in 2016.At some point, the Bill Belichick trade-down philosophy can seem like it's just for style points. Will Baalke actually get a difference-maker with that sixth-round pick next year? Did he get a difference-maker with any of his trades this year?One was a punter, , out of Clemson. One was an offensive tackle, , out of Florida.But for now, it seems like it's all part of Baalke's long-term vision post-Harbaugh. We'll just have to wait and see what that is.Sixteen AFC teams. Four Heroes. Three minutes per team. The latest Podcast . Find more content on .* David Wells Jersey

The Los Angeles Rams announced on Monday that seven of their 10 draft picks signed their rookie contracts. The Rams were holding their rookie minicamp this past weekend, and they obviously decided to take care of busine s ahead of time.According to the teams announcement, these are the seven rookies who put pen to paper Max Scherzer Jersey on Monday.DT Braden Fiske, Florida StateRB Blake Corum, MichiganDT Tyler Davis, ClemsonK Joshua Karty, StanfordWR Jordan Whittington, TexasOL Beaux Limmer, ArkansasOL KT Leveston, Kansas StateSigned, sealed, delivered. Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) This leaves just first-round pick Jared Verse, third-round pick Kamren Kinchens, and fifth-round pick as picks left to sign. Jonah Heim Jersey

It's time for another round of bold predictions from the team. Remember, these predictions are not for the faint of heart.Vikings put Seattle's season on thin iceThe don't get much credit, but Kameron Misner Jersey that will change Sunday after knocking off the at home. I'm not in love with their pa sing game, but Minnesota can pound teams with the run. It will be fascinating to watch take on a 'Hawks D that hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher all year. That streak ends in Week 13, triggering the biggest win of the year for a playoff-bound club that deserves more respect. If this doesn't happen, NFL Media's Conor Orr will spend March and April traveling the Ru sian badlands on horseback with The Sklar Brothers. The trio will record their adventures in a low-budget PBS documentary entitled, 'Minsk or Bust.' -- Marc Se slerJ.J. Watt will sack Tyrod Taylor 7.5 timesThe immortal Derrick Thomas holds the NFL single-game sack record with seven. Watt will own the record by dinnertime Sunday. Watt leads the NFL with 13.5 sacks and has accounted for 46.6 percent of the ' sacks on the season. Sunday he will up both number by a lot. The could be without right tackle on Sunday. 's elusivene s and ability to extend plays will only aid the relentle s Watt as he piles up the quarterback takedowns. -- Kevin PatraRawls set to outrush A.P.The - matchup features two of the NFL's best running backs in and . Although Peterson remains the cream of the crop as the NFL's rushing leader, Rawls will outrush him this weekend. The way to beat the this season is through the air, as their front seven has shut down the ground attacks of the , and the past three weeks. Rawls, on the other hand, is facing a defensive front without its best player in , a run-plugging nose tackle enjoying an All Pro season. Rawls will break the century mark in a Seattle win. -- Chris We seling.Alex Smith to ses 4 TD pa sesSmith has been a quiet, behind-the-scenes operative in Kansas City's ma sive comeback, and sometimes it takes a mammoth statistical game for people to truly appreciate that. Smith will get his chance this weekend and take advantage, lighting up Oakland's secondary and emerging as the FanDuel miracle pick of the weekend. It will also give him 16 touchdowns to just three interceptions on the season, further dwindling an already career-low interception rate. -- Conor Orr Colin Poche Jersey

I've always had a big mouth. I'll take a moment to allow you to compose yourself as the shock of that statement lingers in the air. But I've always had a big mouth and it has often landed me in some precarious predicaments. Which is putting it rather mildly. I mean, I just got my first promotion in 20 years the other day so who can argue with results? But I can't help myself. I find it nearly impo sible to not point out the bull (expletive) people try to pa s off as fact. I just can't do it. I've tried to be better in recent years. I've hidden under my hat (literally, not figuratively) during numerous dinner conversations, even though I could feel my blood boil. But eventually the slow simmer, which I've tried to dull with a couple of beers, finally comes to the surface and I just can't help myself. I just can't.And while I've done pretty well at not discu sing religion or politics in polite society, I just can't help myself when it comes to . Now a lot of you might know me as one of the foremost truthers in the world. I've long gone against the acceptable narrative the national media has cultivated about Manning to point out the fact he just isn't a very good playoff quarterback. He's the best regular season quarterback I might have seen in my lifetime, but he turns into in the playoffs. (And yes, I realize the irony of Manning winning his lone against Gro sman. A game when Manning underperformed but was still handed the MVP award because sports writers like to double-down on their factually incorrect narratives.) A quick aside, I do enjoy some validation from the former players who roam the hallways here at NFL Media who have endorsed my theory. And a few who played in the AFC West have even doubled-down on it. But that's not the point. The point is, I've been rather correct in my a se sment of Manning. I feel like one of the few who has a truly objective look at his career. Even if the fans have been slow to embrace my facts. I remember in the days leading up to 48, I was one of the very few people who and the game would turn into one of Ted Simmons Jersey the 1980s-style blowouts.I was skewered harder than the second season of "True Detective" (which was freaking brilliant, but because it wasn't spoon-fed to most people, derided by critics and fans alike) on social media. But eventually the truth won out. (And my buddy took great delight in retweeting every mean tweet sent to me by Manning fan boys as we took the train back from MetLife Stadium that night in the glow of the blowout. The second blowout of Manning's career. Yes, I call losing by 14 a blowout.) Now comes time for another hard truth when it comes to Manning. He's not going to be very good for you in this season. In my latest fantasy rankings, I have moved ahead of him (spots 11-12 to round out the QB1 tier). Let me point this out, too. I'm not saying Bridgewater is going to be a better draft value. Or that I'd rather have him in Round 12, instead of Manning in Round 4. I hate that (expletive). I'm going to make a stand. Straight up. will have more fantasy points than this year. No bull (expletive) qualifiers or anything. This, of course, was on one of the most recent NFL Live podcasts. The rest of the cast was kind of shocked (which is more shocking because come on, I am the Manning truther). There was a mixed reaction to this on Twitter, too. One fan boy got his feelings hurt, which I can understand. But I have to stand by the facts in this instance. For starters, Teddy Ballgame outscored Manning in fantasy points from Week 13 through Week 17. He almost nearly outscored Manning in the playoffs and Teddy wasn't even playing. The last time Manning outscored Bridgewater was Week 12 and even then, Teddy scored close to 20 points. So it wasn't like he was awful. (I know because I rocked Teddy in DFS for the last half of the season.) I know a lot of people like to point out that Manning was injured at the end of last season. But I think way too much of Manning to let injuries be an excuse. I know he would never want to go to the injury card, so I won't in this instance, either. I have to respect his integrity. Let me bra s tacks this for you. This season reminds me a lot of the final season of Brett Favre. He was fine in his second-to-last year when he led the to the NFC Championship Game. He pushed it one last time and it didn't end well. Manning has trended down over the past two years. He dropped from 55 touchdown pa ses to 39. A drop of 16. If this trend continues, he will be down to 25 this year. Which is probably pretty accurate. I know, none of this can trump the defense of, "But come on, it's _(o)_/!!!!!" But life goes on and players get old.I remember when Kerry Collins suffered a fluke injury at the end of his career. Deion Sanders went on NFL Network and said something to the effect of, 'Hey, I'm 40, fluke injuries happen.' So if you want to risk your QB1 spot on a quarterback who has had numerous injury concerns over the past few years, that's all you. I mean, you can like Peyton and still recognize the fact his best football is behind him. It doesn't make you (or me) a bad person. Just a realist. I'd rather go with the guy who has more upside. And if you tweet me (expletive) things, realize my buddy Matt is going to retweet them back to you at the end of the year. How about some more sleepers as the regular season approaches? Here you go: , QB, I'm not sure where this busine s is going to end. I hope justice prevails and Brady doesn't mi s a single minute of the regular season. But if his suspension stands, I love the idea to draft Bradford to man the ship for the first four weeks of the season. Well, I'd rather have Bridgewater, but I fear I that's water under the bridge at this point. (Yep, I hate myself.) , RB, He is going to be the winner of the RB battle with the . Which should not be much of a surprise if you watched last year. So don't get caught in the hopper. (Because corn on the cobb, popcorn, popcorn hopper. No?!?! You're all dead to me at this point.), RB, Most view him as a third-down back. But in this high-percentage pa sing offense, Vereen could be a huge value. He's like a third-down back extraordinaire and he could end up as a great flex option for you this year. He's going to catch a ton of pa ses. But watch him get some run opportunities, too. , WR, The person flying on the other side of the field is . #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) , WR, Pretty much a clone of . I have to imagine Chip Kelly has an extensive knowledge of Agholor, and from the look of old scouting reports, Oregon recruited him out of high school. I trust Kelly in situations like this. , WR, loves this guy. As our Matt "Money" Smith pointed out, Cutler hasn't had a situation like this in Chicago in some time. So Royal is for sure a PPR master. He's going to be an excellent WR3 choice for a lot of teams. He might even jump into the flex conversation as he gains some consistency. , WR, He's the receiver who took the call when Jordy went down. He's going to be the receiver targeted in the late rounds, the spot where Devante Adams had been drafted previously. He's got some skills, so he's definitely worth a look. Here's the deal, I'd rather take a chance on a guy like Janis late, over Curtain Jerker McGee who you know is never going to regain his old form. And in this instance, CJM could be any combination of players like or . Seriously, is there any reason for the to sign Wayne other than for Bill Belichick sticking it to Tony Dungy and Manning who cried about the last week? , WR, Honestly, I hadn't given him a lot of thought. But Money threw out his name during NFL Live on Monday. And it's sound reasoning. He's been good in training camp. And he could be a steal for you in much deeper leagues. , TE, I had last year. And I seriously started to hate Hill at the end of the season when he stole those touchdown pa ses. But the fact is, he earned it. And if likes him enough, how am I to argue? , TE, Tight ends have traditionally thrived under Norv Turner, so you have to like the upside for Rudolph. I'm not saying you pa s on Gronk or Graham because you want to snag him later. But if you've landed in the position where you have to gamble on a tight end, I take his upside. , TE, I wouldn't go crazy and project him as the benefactor of being out for the season. But there is a small trickle down effect at work here that could make him a valuable commodity a little later on.Additional 2015 fantasy football sleeper lists:Michael Fabiano1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Marcas Grant1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. D/STAlex Gelhar1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Jr.James Koh1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Matt "Franchise" Franciscovich1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Matt Harmon1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. *-- Adam Rank gives out fantasy advice and likes to make pithy observations on the WWE, Star Wars and comic books on Twitter (you know, the things that made him popular in high school) on Twitter . And he's always fishing for RTs from @midnight so just be forewarned. * Bob Gibson Jersey

wide receiver has been suspended two games without pay. The NFL on Monday afternoon, stating that Wims violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 14 (c) which prohibits striking, swinging at, or clubbing the head, neck, or face of an opponent with the wrist(s), arm(s), elbow(s), or hand(s), as well as Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 which prohibits any act which is generally understood to be against the principles of sportsmanship.Wims sucker-punched defensive back during the third Mauricio Llovera Jersey quarter of Chicago's lo s on Sunday.Javon Wims punches a helmet twice Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) After the game, Wims defended his actions against Gardner-Johnson, stating the Saints defensive back spit on him and ripped out his mouthpiece,. Wims could be seen attempting to rip out Gardner-Johnson's mouthpiece prior to throwing the two punches. The incident set off a from current and former players around the league.Due to his suspension, Wims will mi s Chicago's games against the and in the next two weeks. He will be eligible to return on Nov. 17, the day the Bears begin their bye week. The first game in which he will again be eligible to play is Chicago's Week 12 contest against the . Collin Snider Jersey

Terry, you actually did it.According to Ian Rapoport, the traded a 2025 third-round draft pick to the for four-time Pro Bowl pa s-rusher Matthew Judon.The Falcons have been criticized for decades for neglecting their pa s rush, going draft after draft focusing on the offense. With this move, Atlanta has finally addre sed one of the most pre sing needs that has haunted this organization for over a decade.Judon was sidelined for most of the 2023 season with a torn bicep and was ready to re-negotiate his contract with Tim Lincecum Jersey New England heading into its final year. The Patriots were unable to come to an agreement with Judon, instead marketing his services on the trading block. Judon had multiple suitors, but the Falcons were able to seal the deal.Before being sidelined, Judon has had four straight Pro Bowl seasons, spanning back to his days with the . Judon's 28 sacks between 2021 and 2022 are tied for third-most in the two seasons with edge rusher T.J. Watt and are behind only ' Myles Garrett and ' Nick Bosa.With the , Falcons GM Terry Fontenot was forced to supplement the edge rushing room and he did it in a major way. Jim Davenport Jersey

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