September 2013 4for4 Player News Articles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman is a stage one participant in the NFL's drug program but he is not one strike away from a suspension despite being subject to random testing, according to league and player sources with knowledge of his status.

Freeman has obtained a temporary use exemption for a prescription drug that normally would be on the banned list, the sources said.

Freeman was benched Sunday as the Buccaneers starter and would prefer to be traded or released but the team has no plans to release him. Under the drug policy, teams that are interested in acquiring Freeman are entitled to know his status only if he is one strike away from a suspension, according to the sources.

Freeman has not had any incidents that have placed him in jeopardy of suspension, such as a positive test of a banned street-drug substance, sources said. Thus, Freeman is in relatively good standing under the program, sources added.

Due to baseball playoffs, Raiders Oct. 6 home game vs. Chargers has been switched from 4:25 pm ET to 11:35 pm ET.

It's going to put in question Darren McFadden and Terrelle Pryor for next week. While Pryor seems more likely to play, at this point you could be risking points if their statuses aren't clearer heading toward Sunday.

Dolphins Inactives
Pat Devlin QB
Mike Gillislee RB
Dimitri Patterson CB
Dallas Thomas OT
Cameron Wake DE
Danny Watkins OG
Will Davis CB

Saints Inactives
Terron Armstead OT
Brodrick Bunkley DT
Roman Harper SS
Mark Ingram RB
Tom Johnson DT
Lance Moore WR
Rod Sweeting CB

Robert Meachem & Kenny Stills will see more looks with Lance Moore out of the lineup.

Cowboys HC Jason Garrett says WR Miles Austin has run on his injured hamstring and says receiver has a chance to play this week. "He has made progress."

His four-game suspension over, RB Mike Goodson said he expects to play Monday night when the Jets travel to face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5.

Goodson has been suspended since Aug. 31 for a violation of the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. The suspension stemmed from an incident in May when Goodson and another man were found in an SUV on Route 80 in possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets. Goodson was intoxicated and transported to the hospital.

Goodson worked out twice a day to stay in shape and he said he's ready to go. He'll compete for RB2 duties behind Bilal Powell. Keep in mind Chris Ivory is out with a hamstring injury with no timetable to return.

Packers RB James Starks was out of practice Monday.

Eddie Lacy is expected back this week to take over RB1 duties. Johnathan Franklin looks like he backup in Week 5.

Packers RB Eddie Lacy missed the Bengals game with a concussion but was taking part in all aspects of practice Monday.

Fellow rookie RB Jonhathan Franklin left the Bengals game with a foot injury but did not seem limited Monday. He came out of nowhere with Lacy and James Starks out, and could still take away some touches from Lacy. But Lacy seems like he's clearly the lead back heading into this week.

Packers TE TE Jermichael Finley was out of practice Monday.

Reports had Finley losing memory after the hit, saying it was more serious than originally thought.

Although Ravens TE Ed Dickson is big, strong and fast, his hands have been extremely suspect this season with his unreliability showing up again Sunday during a 23-20 road loss to the Buffalo Bills. Dickson allowed an accurate Joe Flacco pass to bounce off his hands for one of Flacco's five interceptions.

For the season, Dickson has caught only three passes for 25 yards and has dropped at least six passes.

It's been a rude awakening for Dickson and the Ravens, who have started him every week through four games and haven't given up hope that he'll snap out of this funk and start catching the football.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones will return to practice this week after missing the past three games with a knee sprain.

This is an encouraging sign for the Ravens as they try to mend a banged-up wide receiver group. Jones was injured in the season opener when his own teammate, rookie Brynden Trawick, ran into him on a punt return. Jones had been projected to miss four to six weeks.

Ravens RB Bernard Pierce working through calf strain.

The injury doesn't appear serious and he pretty much got the week off with the Ravens lack of rushing attempts against the Bills.

With Steelers rookie RB Le'Veon Bell active for the first time, the Steelers made Redman inactive. It means Felix Jones and Jonathan Dwyer have moved ahead of him on the depth chart.

Bell scored two TDs in his debut and it seems like the Steelers wanted him back desperately to carry the load going forward.

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said rookie receiver Markus Wheaton has a broken little finger but went back into the game with it.

Titans HC Mike Munchak said he hopes to have RB Shonn Greene do individual work this week.

Jags receiver Denard Robinson (hamstring), injured in the Colts game, will be limited this week in practice.

Titans TE Delanie Walker said his rib injury isn't serous. Said it's just a contusion.

Titans WR Kenny Britt said he expects to be a "full go" in practice on Wednesday after missing Sunday's game.

Bill running back Fred Jackson said he sprained his MCL in Sunday's win but expects to play Thursday night.

"It's not as significant [as last season]. It's something that we can manage, and I expect to play," Jackson said.

Jackson, who rushed for 87 yards on 16 carries Sunday, left late in the third quarter, jogging to the locker room. He returned early in the fourth quarter, rushing five times for 19 more yards.

Spiller's (ankle) status is in doubt with a short week but reports say he's going to play. But, Jackson would likely cut into the workload in what's a pretty tough matchup against the Browns Thursday night. Tashard Choice is expected to get an increased workload as well causing what looks to be a murky situation right now. Jackson will likely wear a brace, according to Tuesday reports.

Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller suffered an ankle injury in Sunday's win over the Baltimore Ravens and is uncertain of his status for next Thursday night's game against the Cleveland Browns.

Spiller left in the third quarter Sunday after rushing 21 times for 65 yards. He returned to the game, rushing twice more for 12 yards, but was limping in the locker room following the game.

"I'm going to do as much treatment as I can to get ready for Thursday, but it's a short week, so it's going to be tough," Spiller said. "If I can go out there at least 85 or 90 percent, I'm going to play."

It's been a slow start for Spiller and owners who spent a mid-first rounder on him are likely suffering, too. To make matters worse, if you handcuffed Spiller with Fred Jackson, he was also banged up (MCL sprain). Tashard Choice could be next up to play on what is a short week for the Bills - they play Thursday night in a tough matchup at Cleveland. Spiller said if he can get his ankle to 85-percent, he would play Thursday night.

Eagles HC Chip Kelly said team will continue to work with K Alex Henery.

Kelly said they still have confidence in him and feel he's an accurate kicker. He was drafted by Andy Reid so Kelly has no ties to Henery. Henery has missed a kick three-straight weeks now.

Jets WR Stephen Hill going through NFL concussion protocol. Sustained concussion during game, per HC Rex Ryan.

Santonio Holmes is also banged up with a hamstring injury so anyone planning to play QB Geno Smith needs to keep track of this situation. Jeremy Kerley is next up on the depth chart.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer will start again for the Cleveland Browns when they play host to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Hoyer, starting in the place of the injured Brandon Weeden, has led the Browns to two victories in a row. Weeden has a sprained thumb that he injured in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens. He resumed throwing last week.

Even after trading away Trent Richardson, the Browns have to start Hoyer again, who finished 25 of 38 for 269 yards and no interceptions. He threw a 2-yard TD pass in the first half to tight end Jordan Cameron. Hoyer is turning into a pretty decent QB2 option.

Washington tight end Logan Paulsen got the start with Fred Davis coming off of a sprained ankle and with rookie Jordan Reed sidelined by a bruised thigh. But Paulsen suffered a late-game knee injury and left O.co Coliseum wearing a brace.

Paulsen had two catches for 46 yards and a fumble.

TE Niles Paul had two catches for 20 yards as Washington was down to its fourth TE option.

Raiders coach Dennis Allen had no information on how long fullback Marcel Reece (knee) might be out, although it's believed Reece's injury is the more serious than RB Darren McFadden's.

Rashad Jennings could end up starting Week 5 against the Chargers in what is a pretty tough matchup.

Sounds like Raiders RB Darren McFadden's hamstring injury isn't a major one. We'll see about this Sunday, but he avoided serious injury.

McFadden limped into the Coliseum locker room on a cranky hamstring in the second quarter. Though he returned briefly, unsuccessfully, Oakland never scored again. McFadden's been hurt before, got hurt Sunday and is going to get hurt again. It's the reason McFadden fell in a lot of drafts this past summer and it's now leaving owners scrambling again to possibly find a replacement. There is no word on how long McFadden will be out yet, but it at least doesn't appear to be too long. Backup Marcel Reece was also hurt and it appears more serious (knee) which means Rashad Jennings could start Week 5 in a pretty tough matchup against the Chargers at home.

Jags receiver Justin Blackmon’s four-game suspension is over, and he is allowed to be on the practice field with the Jaguars starting Monday.

Blackmon will only help this struggling offense, but at the same time will be limited as long as Blaine Gabbert his the QB. Like Cecil Shorts this season, Blackmon was much better last year when Chad Henne was the QB. The team announced Sunday they are sticking with Gabbert, at least for now, so Blackmon and Shorts are a lot riskier plays. That said, if Blackmon is on your wire and you're hurting at the position, he's certainly worth a flier.

Lewis lasted three snaps in his season debut before re-aggravating a left calf strain.

Lewis originally injured the calf during warm-ups prior to the second preseason game against the New York Jets Aug. 17. He suffered a setback during practice in the week leading up to the regular-season opener against Kansas City.

Lewis had missed three games in his entire career with the Jaguars and now will be out indefinitely.

Clay Harbor is next up at the position but with Blaine Gabbert at QB it seems like downgrades are necessary for all Jacksonville receivers.

Jags HC Gus Bradley said he’s sticking with quarterback Blaine Gabbert, despite a 17-for-32, three-interception performance.

Some of the mistakes were on receivers for breaking off routes, Bradley said.

“I’m staying strong with Blaine because he competed and he’s doing what we asked him to do,” he said.

Raiders HC Dennis Allen said team wanted to exercise extreme caution with QB Terrelle Pryor, so held him out. Feels good about him playing next week.

Pryor was set to start but reports said he started to feel symptoms again leading up to the game so that team went with backup Matt Flynn, who struggled in a loss to Washington.

Titans QB Jake Locker was taken to Saint Thomas Hospital by ambulance after suffering a right hip injury in the third quarter of a 38-13 win over the New York Jets at LP Field.

Locker took a hit from Jets defensive linemen Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples, immediately grabbed his right hip and medical staff rushed to the field.

After examination in the locker room, he was taken to the hospital, but coach Mike Munchak said it was for further evaluation, not emergency surgery.

There was no immediate update on Locker's condition, Munchak said, but it did not appear that the quarterback's hip "popped out" on the field.

The team is preparing to start QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in the coming weeks, according to beat writer Jim Wyatt. Monday morning reports say the team doesn't feel the hip injury is season ending, but Locker may miss 4-8 weeks. Ian Rapoport tweeted that it's possible he goes on IR/destined to return, which would keep him out until Week 13. Locker was playing well before the injury so it's especially a shame as he was starting to enter the fantasy radar...

Redskins RB Alfred Morris says he is fine. No breaks in his ribs, which is what HC Mike Shanahan said. Morris says it's just a bruise. Will be ready for Dallas (Week 6).

The Skins are on a bye in Week 5 so the timing is good for Morris. Owners should considering making room for Roy Helu as a handcuff as we've often heard players say they will be back and then are held out. The extra time off will do Morris well though.

Falcons Inactives
Jamar Chaney LB
Harland Gunn G
Kemal Ishmael DB
Steven Jackson RB
Travian Robertson NT
Asante Samuel CB
Ryan Schraeder T

WRs Roddy White & Julio Jones are active for the Falcons.

Patriots Inactives
Danny Amendola WR
Chris Barker G
Steve Beauharnais ILB
Jake Bequette DE
Rob Gronkowski TE
Matthew Slater WR
Leon Washington RB

Rob Gronkowski is iffy for next week.

Redskins Inactives
Kai Forbath K
Rex Grossman QB
Jose Gumbs DB
Brandon Jenkins LB
Josh LeRibeus G
Phillip Merling DE
Jordan Reed TE

TE Fred Davis is active.

Chargers Inactives
Jeromey Clary G
King Dunlap T
Malcom Floyd WR
Chad Rinehart G
Brad Sorensen QB
Brandon Taylor S
Shareece Wright CB

Keenan Allen to start in place of Malcom Floyd.

Cowboys Inactives
David Arkin G
Miles Austin WR
Phil Costa C
Chris Greenwood CB
Caesar Rayford DE
Andre Smith TE
Darrion Weems T

Terrance Williams is expected to start in place of Miles Austin.

Eagles Inactives
Matt Barkley QB
Patrick Chung FS
Emil Igwenagu TE
Dennis Kelly T
Shaun Prater CB
Damion Square DE
Matt Tobin T

Broncos Inactives
C.J. Anderson RB
Champ Bailey CB
Zac Dysert QB
Winston Justice OT
Chris Kuper G
Paris Lenon LB
Sylvester Williams DT

TE Joel Dreessen makes his season debut.

Raiders Inactives
Terrelle Pryor QB
Tyvon Branch S
Menelik Watson OL
Antoine McClain OL
Lucas Nix OL
Juron Criner WR
Jason Hunter DL

Matt Flynn will get the start in a good matchup with the Redskins. He's a risky start.

Titans Inactives
Patrick Bailey LB
Kenny Britt WR
Lavar Edwards DE
Shonn Greene RB
Sammie Lee Hill DT
Brian Schwenke C
Byron Stingily T

Rookie WR Justin Hunter should get more looks with Kenny Britt out. This could be the end of the road for Britt as a Titan.

Jets Inactives
Oday Aboushi OT
William Campbell G
Ben Ijalana OT
Chris Ivory RB
Dee Milliner CB
Brady Quinn QB
Ricky Sapp LB

RB Bilal Powell should see plenty of work with Chris Ivory out.

Browns QB Brandon Weeden knows that he's not guaranteed his starting job when he's 100% healthy, which could be as early as next week.

"You know, at this point where we're at, that's out of my control,'' he said. "My focus is making sure this thumb continues to make the steps that allow me to get back and be 100 percent. There's no reason to rush back and get to where I'm not completely healthy, so my main goal is getting healthy and whenever I am, than I'll sit down with Chud and we'll go from there."

HC Rob Chudzinski said he talked to Weeden and explained the situation -- that he'll evaluate the quarterback situation on a week-to-week basis and play whoever gives him the best chance to win.

The Browns made it known in the offseason they really like Brian Hoyer, so much that he jumped from third on the depth chart to starter over Jason Campbell last week. Another solid performance by Hoyer this week could mean Weeden stays on the bench. The return of WR Josh Gordon certainly helped Hoyer's performance.

RB Mark Ingram didn't practice Saturday and is less likely to play Monday night.

Pierre Thomas becomes a decent play and last week even stole some receptions from Darren Sproles.

Saints WR Lance Moore did not practice on Saturday and is less likely to play Monday night.

Robert Meachem and Kenny Stills could get looks with Moore out. Neither are really good plays in your typical league, though.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski and WR Danny Amendola did not travel to Atlanta and will not play Sunday night vs. Falcons.

It's actually good owners know now before having to make last minutes adjustments. As we said all along, playing either in your lineup was a big risk with the game being Sunday night. Both have a good shot to play in Week 5 at Cincy.

When Seahawks coach Pete Carroll recently said receiver Percy Harvin has returned to New York for rehab on his hip, some viewed that as a sign that Harvin may not be as ahead of schedule as he hinted early this month, when he suggested that fans keep an eye on Week Seven.

Per a league source, Harvin’s return to New York actually means he’s doing extremely well in his effort to recover from surgery to repair a hip problem that was flagged in his training camp physical. But that doesn’t mean we’ll see him in Week Seven, or soon thereafter.

The Seahawks could go 4-0 for the first time in franchise history on Sunday. And if they continue to thrive without Harvin, the powers-that-be may be inclined to unleash him as late as possible, with an eye toward getting maximum pop in the postseason.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski and the Patriots have a disagreement over his availability for tomorrow's game against the Falcons, two sources have told the Herald.

The Patriots believe Gronkowski is healthy enough to make his season debut after an offseason that included back surgery and a series of arm procedures. However, Gronkowski and his camp are wary about returning too soon, particularly after last season when he broke his forearm and then re-injured it when he returned for the playoffs.

New reports from Pro Football Talk say Gronkowski and the Pats are, in fact, on the same page about his return. But, this story points point that it's not the first time the two sides have disagreed, and the Pats felt he could have been ready by Week 2. Gronk is too big of a risk to play this week unless you have a backup plan. As we pointed out earlier this week, Dolphins TE Charles Clay is a pretty solid backup option who plays Monday night. You could start Gronkowski and then potentially replace him with Clay when we find out Gronk's status.

Hearing 49ers WR Mario Manningham is on track to return to practice after Week 6.

The 9ers could use a veteran presence opposite of Anquan Boldin, but it's likely Manningham doesn't have a ton of value outside of deeper leagues.

Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor (concussion, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4. Adam Schefter reported that Pryor is unlikely to play against the Redskins, though HC Dennis Allen said on Friday that Pryor just has to pass one more test on Saturday to play, so hopefully we'll have more clarity tomorrow. Matt Flynn would be a high-risk Sneaky Start against a very shaky Redskins pass defense. If he can play, Pryor would be a top 12 QB given the matchup.

Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert (right hand, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. He's expected to start as Chad Henne returns to the bench. This is probably bad news for Cecil Shorts, who tends to catch more passes from Henne.

Browns QB Brandon Weeden (right thumb, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Brian Hoyer gets another start and is actually a Sneaky Start given the injury situation in the Cincinnati defensive backfield. The Bengals will be missing two corners and a safety on Sunday.

Jets QB Geno Smith (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. He should be fine to face the Titans, though Tennessee is #8 in WR aFPA through three weeks.

Texans QB Matt Schaub (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Schaub should be fine to face the Seahawks, but isn't a good start given the matchup.

Vikings QB Christian Ponder (rib, out) missed practice Friday after taking limited reps Thursday and is out for Week 4. Matt Cassel will get the start in a bad matchup with the Steelers. The change probably hurts Greg Jennings and Kyle Rudolph a bit as they have to get used to a new QB.

Ravens RB Ray Rice (hip, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. Rice looks like a true game-time decision for Week 4. The Bills are a very good matchup for whoever is carrying the ball for the Ravens. If Rice is out, Bernard Pierce would be a borderline RB1 play.

Texans RB Arian Foster (thumb, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Foster is good to go for a tough matchup with the Seahawks.

Lions RB Reggie Bush (knee, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Bush looked good in practice and should play against the Bears. He was close to playing in Week 3.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw (neck, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. With Bradshaw out, look for Trent Richardson to see a full workload as the Colts' clear RB1. He's a top 10 play in a good matchup with the Jaguars. Donald Brown will serve as his primary backup.

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew (ankle, probable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Jones-Drew is good to go in a nice matchup with the Colts, who have struggled for a long time to stop the run. They are a mediocre #19 in RB aFPA this season.

Falcons RB Steven Jackson (hamstring, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Jackson is not expected back until Week 7. Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling will split the work against the Patriots on Sunday night. We prefer Snelling since he scores 20% more FP/touch than does Rodgers (though Rodgers tends to get more touches).

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (not injury related) was removed from the injury report Friday after taking limited practice reps Thursday. Peterson is good to go for a nice matchup with the Steelers (#30 in RB aFPA).

Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch (not injury related) was removed from the injury report Friday after taking full practice reps Thursday. Lynch is ready to go for a so-so matchup with the Texans. He actually averaged more YPC on the road than he did at home in 2012.

Texans RB Ben Tate (shoulder, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. He'll play against the Seahawks, but doesn't have flex appeal this week.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller (quadricep, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. The injury is obviously not serious, so Spiller should be able to play in a bad matchup with the Ravens (#4 in RB aFPA). He's more of a RB2 given the matchup and his recent production.

Saints RB Mark Ingram (toe) missed practice again Friday. With Ingram still out, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas are once again attractive plays in Week 4.

Steelers RB LeVeon Bell (foot, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Bell will get the start against the Vikings this week, though it's tough to get excited about a rookie starting his first game…on the road…coming off of a foot sprain…behind an offensive-line that is struggling to open up holes in the running game. Still, he's worth a pickup if he's still on the waiver wire and deserves flex consideration on his likely workload alone.

Jets RB Chris Ivory (hamstring, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Ivory is not expected to make a quick return from his hamstring injury. Bilal Powell is a solid high-end RB2 option due to workload alone.

Cardinals RB Rashard Mendenhall (toe, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Mendenhall should play in a bad matchup with the Buccaneers. He saw 60% of the carries and 48% of the touches in the Arizona backfield in Week 3.

Bengals RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (ankle, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Green-Ellis is trending the right direction and figures to play this week, though he's slowly losing touches to Giovani Bernard.

Broncos RB C.J. Anderson (knee, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Ravens RB Shaun Draughn (ankle, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4.

Patriots RB Brandon Bolden (knee, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. Bolden gained 100 total yards on eight touches, which included five catches, so it appears the Patriots are going to use him in a similar role as Shane Vereen (who took over for Danny Woodhead). He'll be a Sneaky Start against the Falcons if he can play, but that's no sure thing.

Giants RB Henry Hynoski (shoulder) has been ruled out for Week 4. The Giants signed John Conner (of Hard Knocks fame) which is good news for David Wilson. Conner is a solid blocking fullback.

Titans RB Shonn Greene (knee, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Vikings RB Matt Asiata (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4.

Chiefs RB Anthony Sherman (knee, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Raiders RB Jamize Olawale (ankle, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4.

Patriots RB Leon Washington (thigh, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4.

Seahawks RB Spencer Ware (ankle, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Falcons RB Josh Vaughan (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Falcons WR Roddy White (ankle, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4. High-ankle sprains typically take 6-7 weeks to heal and this Thursday marks the 6-week mark for White. He hasn't been staying off of it and it's not clear how that will impact his recovery. He said this week that he's "not where he wants to be" with the injury, so we're not expecting the real Roddy White until after the team's Week 6 bye.

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Fitzgerald was limited last week, so a full week of practice is a very good sign of his overall health. However, the Buccaneers are #3 in aFPA to WRs, so this is not a good matchup.

Saints WR Marques Colston (foot) took full practice reps again Friday. Colston is good to go for Monday night's game against the Dolphins.

Patriots WR Danny Amendola (groin, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. The Boston Globe reported on Friday that Amendola is tentatively expected to play, so we'll wait and see if he makes the trip to Atlanta. He would have a nice matchup with the Falcons if he can play, though he's not without risk.

Falcons WR Julio Jones (knee, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. No worries here. Julio should be out there against the Patriots on Sunday night.

Browns WR Josh Gordon (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Gordon is looking like a great play against the Bengals' banged up defensive secondary.

Broncos WR Eric Decker (shoulder, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Decker is ready for a terrific matchup against the Eagles.

Texans WR Andre Johnson (shin, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4. Johnson says he's going to play. He has a tough matchup against the Seahawks, who are #8 in WR aFPA. The Texans play in the early round of games on Sunday.

Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (ribs, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. Jackson's injury is "not considered serious," per Adam Schefter. The Buccaneers are making a change at QB, so every rep counts this week. It looks like he'll play, but we're not bullish on the Tampa passing game this week given the turnover at QB and the injuries at WR.

Broncos WR Wes Welker (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. No worries here.

Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Thomas will be fine for a nice matchup with the Eagles.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4. Megatron will be ready to face the Bears in Week 4.

Bills WR Steve Johnson (hamstring, probable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Johnson should be able to play in a so-so matchup with the Ravens, who are #18 in WR aFPA.

Buccaneers WR Mike Williams (hamstring, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. It looks like Williams will play, but we're not bullish on the Tampa passing game this week given the turnover at QB and the injuries at WR.

Cowboys WR Miles Austin (hamstring, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Terrance Williams is Austin's direct backup, though Dwayne Harris was better in Week 3. Harris is dealing with his own (hip) injury, so Williams is shaping up as a Sneaky Start this week. He hasn't shown much, but he'll be playing with a good QB against a shaky pass defense, so the potential is there.

Jets WR Stephen Hill (knee, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Santonio Holmes (foot, probable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice Thursday and is probable for Week 4. Both players are flying under the radar as WR3/WR4 types against the Titans.

Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (toe, probable) missed practice Friday and is probable for Week 4. He was held out of practice on Friday as a precaution. After a quiet Week 3, Hilton is a risk/reward play.

Ravens WR Marlon Brown (neck, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4. Brown should be fine coming off a disappointing game against the Texans. Don't be surprised if he makes some noise against a shaky pass defense.

Titans WR Kenny Britt (neck, ribs, questionable) took limited practice reps again Friday and is questionable for Week 4. Britt is dealing with a slight rib fracture. Nate Washington and Kendall Wright are more trustworthy options this week in a so-so (#17 aFPA to WRs) matchup with the Jets.

Saints WR Lance Moore (hand) missed practice again Friday. Moore should be considered very questionable for Monday night's game against the Dolphins. He hasn't been productive this season, so it's best not to wait and see if he'll play. Kenny Stills and Robert Meachem would get more work if Moore can't play.

Redskins WR Leonard Hankerson (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. His playing time has increased and he has worked his way into fantasy relevancy despite two quiet weeks.

Lions WR Nate Burleson (forearm, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. He broke his arm in an automobile accident and is out for a while. Ryan Broyles should see an increase in snaps and targets as he takes over as the Lions' primary slot receiver.

Jaguars WR Stephen Burton (concussion, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Jaguars WR Mike Brown (back, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Cowboys WR Dwayne Harris (hip, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. He scored a TD in Week 3, but Terrance Williams figures to get the start for Miles Austin, who is out for Week 4.

Dolphins WR Brandon Gibson (knee) took full practice reps again Friday.

Jets WR Clyde Gates (knee, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4.

Chargers WR Malcom Floyd (neck, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Lions WR Patrick Edwards (ankle, doubtful) took limited practice reps all week and is doubtful for Week 4. Kris Durham could take over for Edwards opposite Calvin Johnson, while Ryan Broyles works the slot.

Patriots WR Matt Slater (wrist, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Texans WR DeVier Posey (achilles, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Seahawks WR Jermaine Kearse (ankle, probable) took full practice reps again Friday and is probable for Week 4.

Ravens WR Jacoby Jones (knee, out) has been ruled out for Week 4.

Bills WR Marquise Goodwin (hand, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (back, forearm, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. Pro Football Talk reported on Thursday that Gronkowski was unlikely to play on Sunday night, but on Friday the Boston Globe reported that it has a source that says he's tentatively expected to play. Given the time of the game, it's risky to wait, although we should have a better idea tomorrow when we find out of he traveled to Atlanta for the game. Charles Clay plays on Monday night and might be the best Plan B option available for owners who want to wait on Gronk.

Buccaneers TE Tom Crabtree (ankle, out) missed practice Friday after taking limited reps Thursday and is out for Week 4.

Ravens WR Deonte Thompson (foot, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4.

Ravens WR Brandon Stokley (groin, questionable) was limited Friday after taking full reps earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4.

Jets TE Kellen Winslow (knee, probable) took limited practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4. Winslow is in for Week 4, but he's a low-end TE2 option against the Titans.

Steelers TE Heath Miller (knee, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4. Miller isn't 100 percent, so he's going to see some rest during the week. He should play against the Vikings this week.

Redskins TE Fred Davis (ankle, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4. It looks like Davis may play, but he's not a good start given his production and the injury. Jordan Reed (thigh, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4.

Texans TE Owen Daniels (knee, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4. Daniels should be fine for a bad matchup with an athletic Seahawks defense.

Texans TE Garrett Graham (hip, groin, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 4.

Chiefs TE Anthony Fasano (ankle, knee, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4.

Vikings TE Rhett Ellison (knee, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Broncos TE Joel Dreessen (knee, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 4.

Patriots TE Zach Sudfeld (hamstring, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Giants TE Adrien Robinson (foot, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis (calf, probable) took limited practice reps all week and is probable for Week 4.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (knee, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4.

Redskins K Kai Forbath (right groin, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. John Potter has been kicking for the Redskins, though this is a situation to avoid with Forbath returning for limited reps.

Browns K Billy Cundiff (right thigh, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4. Look elsewhere for your Week 4 kicker.

Titans TE Delanie Walker (toe, questionable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice earlier in the week and is questionable for Week 4.

Bills K Dustin Hopkins (right groin, out) missed practice all week and is out for Week 4. Dan Carpenter will kick for the Bills.

49ers HC Jim Harbaugh on Quinton Patton: "Looks like he has a fracture in his foot…he's going to miss some time."

Patton wasn't getting much run, but this is yet another blow to a 49er receiving corps that has been bruised and battered all season. Jonathan Baldwin saw some snaps on Thursday night and Mario Manningham may be back soon.

The Indianapolis Colts will be without their leading rusher for the second time in four games.

Ahmad Bradshaw is out for Sunday’s game at Jacksonville, Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. He didn’t practice all week after suffering a neck injury in last Sunday’s win at San Francisco.

Trent Richardson gets a big boost with this news. We'll update our rankings momentarily. Donald Brown figures to get some work as Richardson's primary backup.

Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor, who suffered a concussion Monday night, is unlikely to play Sunday vs. Washington, per sources.

Matt Flynn is likely to get the start. He has a great matchup against the Redskins, but would be a risky play as a QB2-type.

Matt Cassel will start at QB for the Vikings this Sunday.

Christian Ponder (rib) is out. If Cassel plays well, this may be an opportunity for him to win the starting job. He's not a significant upgrade for any of the Minnesota skill players.

This week, Gronk has participated in practice on a limited basis both Wednesday and Thursday. His status for Sunday is still to be determined. Per a league source, however, the outlook currently is not optimistic.

Gronkowski is listed as having both arm and back injuries. It had been believed that the back surgery he underwent in June was the primary impediment, but some have reported that the twice-broken and then infected forearm is the bigger problem.

The Patriots play on Sunday night so owners should have a Plan B ready to go in case Gronk can't play. Charles Clay plays on Monday night and is probably the best readily available option that could fill in for Gronk owners who want to wait and see if he plays. Otherwise, we're recommending Gronk owners go with whatever options they have available on their respective rosters.

Rams Inactives
Roger Saffold OL
William Hayes DE
Barrett Jones OL
Brandon Washington OL
Mike Person OL
Mike McNeill TE
Isaiah Pead RB

Rookie RB Zac Stacy gets the nod over Isaiah Pead, who is inactive. With Pead out we feel more comfortable starting Daryl Richardson in the flex considering the 49ers defense is banged up and has struggled against RBs this season.

49ers Inactives
B.J. Daniels QB
Chris Harper WR
Marlon Moore WR
Nnamdi Asomugha DB
Owen Marecic RB
Patrick Willis LB
Joe Looney OL

Vernon Davis, LaMichael James and Jonathan Baldwin are all active for the 49ers. Vernon Davis is not 100% with a hamstring, but will be out there in a divisional matchup. He is our #7 TE, and comes with some risk.

Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert (right hand) took full practice reps again Thursday. He's expected to start as Chad Henne returns to the bench. This is probably bad news for Cecil Shorts, who tends to catch more passes from Henne.

Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor (concussion) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. Adam Schefter is reporting that Pryor is unlikely to play against the Redskins. Matt Flynn would be a Sneaky Start against a very shaky pass defense.

Vikings QB Christian Ponder (rib) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Matt Cassel would start if Ponder can't go, but it looks like Ponder will play.

Jets QB Geno Smith (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. He should be fine to face the Titans, though Tennessee is #8 in WR aFPA through three weeks.

Texans QB Matt Schaub (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. Schaub should be fine to face the Seahawks, but isn't a good start given the matchup.

Ravens RB Ray Rice (hip) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Rice says he's going to play, but the team is still monitoring the situation. The Bills are a very good matchup for whoever is carrying the ball for the Ravens. If Rice is out, Bernard Pierce will once again be a low-end RB1.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (not injury related) was added to the injury report Thursday after taking limited practice reps. Peterson is just getting a day of rest. He'll be ready for the Steelers, who have struggled against the run this season.

Browns QB Brandon Weeden (right thumb) missed practice again Thursday. Brian Hoyer will get another start, but has a tougher matchup this week against the Bengals.

Texans RB Arian Foster (thumb) took full practice reps again Thursday. Nothing to worry about here, though the Texans' running game isn't exactly rolling at the moment. A matchup with the Seahawks isn't cause for optimism, either. Ben Tate (shoulder) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Lions RB Reggie Bush (knee) took full practice reps again Thursday. Bush looked good in practice and should play against the Bears. He was close to playing in Week 3.

Falcons RB Steven Jackson (hamstring) missed practice again Thursday. Jackson is not expected back until Week 7. Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling will split the work against the Patriots on Sunday night.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller (quadricep) took full practice reps again Thursday. The injury is obviously not serious, so Spiller should be able to play in a bad matchup with the Ravens (#4 in RB aFPA).

Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch (not injury related) did not practice Wednesday. Lynch is just getting a day of rest.

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew (ankle) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. MJD is trending up after beating low expectations with 62 total yards and a TD against the Seahawks in Week 3. He has a nice matchup with the Colts this week.

Cardinals RB Rashard Mendenhall (toe) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Mendenhall should play in a bad matchup with the Buccaneers in Week 4. He saw 60% of the carries and 48% of the touches in the Arizona backfield in Week 3.

Steelers RB LeVeon Bell (foot) took full practice reps again Thursday. It sounds as if Bell will get the start against the Vikings this week, though it's tough to get excited about a rookie starting his first game, on the road, coming off of a foot sprain, behind an offensive-line that is struggling to open up holes in the running game. Still, he's worth a pickup if he's still on the waiver wire and is a low-end flex given his expected workload.

Bengals RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (ankle) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Green-Ellis is trending the right direction and figures to play this week, though he's slowly losing touches to Giovani Bernard.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw (neck) missed practice again Thursday. If Bradshaw misses Friday's practice we'll start to get worried about his availability for Sunday. HC Chuck Pagano said that the split would remain the same, so Bradshaw (who led Trent Richardson in touches 22 to 13) could see another big workload against the Jaguars in Week 4.

Patriots RB Brandon Bolden (knee) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Bolden gained 100 total yards on eight touches, which included five catches, so it appears the Patriots are going to use him in a similar role as Shane Vereen (who took over for Danny Woodhead). He'll be a Sneaky Start against the Falcons.

Jets RB Chris Ivory (hamstring) missed practice again Thursday. Ivory is not expected to make a quick return from his hamstring injury. Bilal Powell is a solid RB2 option due to workload alone.

Saints RB Mark Ingram (toe) missed practice Thursday. With Ingram still out, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas are once again attractive plays in Week 4.

Titans RB Shonn Greene (knee) missed practice again Thursday. Jackie Battle will back up Chris Johnson again.

Ravens RB Shaun Draughn (ankle) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice.

Vikings RB Matt Asiata (hamstring) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday.

Broncos RB C.J. Anderson (knee) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Giants RB Henry Hynoski (shoulder) was ruled out for Week 4. The Giants signed John Conner, who is a solid blocking fullback.

Chiefs RB Anthony Sherman (knee) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Raiders RB Jamize Olawale (ankle) took full practice reps Thursday after being limited Wednesday.

Patriots RB Leon Washington (thigh) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Seahawks RB Spencer Ware (ankle) did not practice Wednesday.

Falcons RB Josh Vaughan (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (ribs) missed practice again Thursday. Jackson's injury is "not considered serious," per Adam Schefter. The Buccaneers are making a change at QB, so every rep counts this week.

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring) took full practice reps again Thursday. Fitzgerald was limited last week, so a full practice is a very good sign of his overall health. However, the Buccaneers are #3 in aFPA to WRs, so this is not a good matchup.

Saints WR Marques Colston (foot) took full practice reps Thursday. Colston will be fine to play on Monday night.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. Megatron will be ready to face the Bears in Week 4.

Falcons WR Julio Jones (knee) took limited practice reps again Thursday. No worries here. Julio should be out there against the Patriots on Sunday night.

Texans WR Andre Johnson (shin) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. Johnson may be a game time decision this week. He has a tough matchup against the Seahawks, who are #8 in WR aFPA. The Texans play in the early round of games on Sunday.

Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. Thomas will be able to play in a tasty matchup against the Eagles.

Bills WR Steve Johnson (hamstring) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. Johnson should be able to play in a so-so matchup with the Ravens, who are #18 in WR aFPA.

Falcons WR Roddy White (ankle) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. High-ankle sprains typically take 6-7 weeks to heal and this Thursday marks the 6-week mark for White. He hasn't been staying off of it and it's not clear how that will impact his recovery.

Broncos WR Wes Welker (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. No worries here.

Browns WR Josh Gordon (ankle) took full practice reps again Thursday. Gordon should be fine for a tough test agains the Bengals.

Broncos WR Eric Decker (shoulder) took full practice reps again Thursday. Decker is coming off of a big game against the Raiders on Monday night. Through three games, he is tied for #20 in targets with 9.3 per game, so workload hasn't been a problem.

Buccaneers WR Mike Williams (hamstring) missed practice again Thursday. Williams needs to get some work in on Friday. He's missing crucial reps with new QB Mike Glennon.

Jets WR Stephen Hill (knee) took full practice reps again Thursday. Hill is on pace for 69-1,242-5.3 through three weeks. He's enjoying credible QB play from rookie Geno Smith.

Cowboys WR Miles Austin (hamstring) missed practice again Thursday. Terrance Williams is Austin's backup, though Dwayne Harris was better in Week 3. Harris is dealing with his own injury, so Williams is shaping up as a Sneaky Start this week.

Patriots WR Danny Amendola (groin) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Amendola is unlikely to play in Week 4, though he said that he will be "100 percent shortly."

Titans WR Kenny Britt (neck, ribs) returned to limited practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday practice. Britt is dealing with a slight rib fracture. Nate Washington and Kendall Wright are more trustworthy options this week in a so-so (#17 aFPA to WRs) matchup with the Jets.

Jets WR Santonio Holmes (foot) missed practice Thursday after taking limited reps Wednesday. Holmes says he's not 100 percent so the occasional day of rest isn't a big surprise. He's a low end WR3/WR4 option against the Titans.

Saints WR Lance Moore (hand) missed practice Thursday. Moore should be considered questionable for Monday night's game against the Dolphins. He hasn't been productive this season, so it's best not to wait and see if he'll play.

Ravens WR Marlon Brown (neck) returned to full practice reps Thursday after missing Wednesday. Brown should be fine coming off a disappointing game against the Texans. His return to practice is encouraging.

Lions WR Nate Burleson (forearm) missed practice again Thursday. He broke his arm in an automobile accident and is out for a while. Ryan Broyles should see an increase in snaps and targets as he takes over as the Lions' primary slot receiver.

Redskins WR Leonard Hankerson (hamstring) took full practice reps again Thursday. His playing time has increased and he has worked his way into fantasy relevancy despite two quiet weeks.

Chargers WR Malcom Floyd (neck) missed practice again Thursday. Floyd won't play this week. Keenan Allen gets a bump in snaps, but isn't a good fantasy option.

Lions WR Patrick Edwards (ankle) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Edwards may be able to return for Sunday's game against the Bears. We're expecting Ryan Broyles to get most of Nate Burleson's targets.

Bills WR Marquise Goodwin (hand) missed practice again Thursday.

Jets WR Clyde Gates (knee) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Jaguars WR Stephen Burton (concussion) missed practice again Thursday.

Jaguars WR Mike Brown (back) missed practice again Thursday.

Cowboys WR Dwayne Harris (hip) missed practice again Thursday. If Harris is out and Miles Austin is out/limited, Terrance Williams will be a Sneaky Start in a great matchup against the Chargers.

Patriots WR Matt Slater (wrist) missed practice again Thursday.

Texans WR DeVier Posey (achilles) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Seahawks WR Jermaine Kearse (ankle) did not practice Wednesday.

Ravens WR Jacoby Jones (knee) was ruled out for Week 4.

Steelers TE Heath Miller (knee) was added to the injury report Thursday after taking limited practice reps. Miller isn't 100 percent, so he's going to see some rest during the week. He should play against the Vikings this week.

Redskins TE Fred Davis (ankle) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Davis says he has a high-ankle sprain, which would make him doubtful for a few weeks. But the fact that he's practicing at all means that his injury is of the less severe variety.

Texans TE Owen Daniels (not injury related) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Daniels should be fine for a bad matchup with an athletic Seahawks defense.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (back, forearm) took limited practice reps again Thursday. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that Gronkowski is 60/40 to play, though his Sunday night game makes it a tough call for fantasy owners. Charles Clay plays on Monday night and might be the best Plan B option available for owners who want to wait on Gronk.

Ravens WR Deonte Thompson (foot) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Broncos TE Joel Dreessen (knee) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Jets TE Kellen Winslow (knee) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Winslow gets regular rest throughout the week.

Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis (calf) took limited practice reps again Thursday. Lewis is working his way back, but isn't a good fantasy option.

Redskins TE Jordan Reed (thigh) missed practice again Thursday. Reed looks very iffy with a quad contusion, though he hopes to return on Friday. With Fred Davis questionable with an ankle sprain, it leaves Logan Paulsen as the top TE in Washington.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (knee) missed practice again Thursday.

Texans TE Garrett Graham (hip, groin) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Chiefs TE Anthony Fasano (ankle, knee) missed practice again Thursday.

Vikings TE Rhett Ellison (knee) missed practice again Thursday.

Titans TE Delanie Walker (toe) missed practice again Thursday. Walker is expected to practice on Friday.

Patriots TE Zach Sudfeld (hamstring) took full practice reps again Thursday.

Giants TE Adrien Robinson (foot) missed practice again Thursday.

Buccaneers TE Tom Crabtree (ankle) took limited practice reps again Thursday.

Redskins K Kai Forbath (right groin) missed practice again Thursday. John Potter has been kicking in Forbath's place.

Browns K Billy Cundiff (right thigh) missed practice again Thursday. Look elsewhere for your Week 4 kicker.

Bills K Dustin Hopkins (right groin) missed practice again Thursday. Dan Carpenter will continue to kick until Hopkins makes his return.

RB LeVeon Bell missed the first preseason game with a bruised knee. His only action with the Steelers, other than in early training camp practices, came in the second preseason game when he carried four times for 9 yards and left with a right mid-foot sprain. He did not resume practice until last week, and now says his foot has recovered "100 percent."

Tackle Marcus Gilbert said, "He's an Adrian Peterson-type -- I don't want to put him in the same category yet, but he has that type of playmaking ability to break tackles and get yards after he's hit. Le'Veon is a special back we're glad to have back."

If Bell is truly 100 percent, he could be in line for feature back type touches on Sunday in a pretty good matchup with the Vikings. It's tough to get excited about a rookie coming off of an injury who is playing his first game on the road behind a patchwork offensive line.

Don't tell Jets WR Santonio Holmes that he’s back.

Holmes, who missed most of last season with a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, maintained that he is not yet fully healthy despite hauling in a career-high 154 receiving yards in Sunday’s 27-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium.

“I still have a long way to go,” Holmes said.

Chargers HC Mike McCoy spoke about the lack of touches for WR Vincent Brown:

"There may be something where Vincent may be number one in the progression, but a coverage changes so you do not get it to him," McCoy said. "It’s not like we’re not trying to get him the ball. It’s just Philip taking what the defense is giving him. All the receivers have done a great job of having the flexibility to move them around. In some of the no-huddle we have run, whether they are an X receiver or a Z receiver, they have done everything we've asked them to do. His touches will come.”

Brown leads all Charger receivers in snaps and pass routes run by a wide margin, so the production should eventually come.

It seems like every week Lions receiver Calvin Johnson has a big matchup vs. an opposing cornerback and this week is no different.

Bears cornerback Charles Tillman is one of the league’s best.

"I think we all play this game because of the competition," Tillman said in a conference call. "We like to compete, we’re competitors. I think Calvin is probably the best competitor in the game right now at the receiver position."

That being said, Tillman doesn’t expect to be matched up with Johnson all game.

"As of now I’m just on the right side," he said.

After ESPN reported Sunday morning that the Browns were fielding trade offers for WR Josh Gordon, he responded with a career-high 10 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown in their 31-27 win over the Minnesota Vikings. On Monday, Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said the organization had no plans to trade Gordon.

“[Chudzinski] texted me the other day talking about it and just reassuring me there were no trade offers or anything like that,” Gordon said.

Gordon appears to have WR2 or perhaps even WR1 upside if he can start stringing together some big games. He has a poor QB situation, but also has the talent to overcome it.

Vikings QB Christian Ponder (rib) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Matt Cassel would start if Ponder can't play.

Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert (right hand) practiced fully Wednesday. He's expected to start as Chad Henne returns to the bench. This is probably bad news for Cecil Shorts, who tends to catch more passes from Henne.

Texans QB Matt Schaub (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. Schaub should be fine to face the Seahawks, but isn't a good start given the matchup.

Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor (concussion) did not practice Wednesday. Pryor has not yet been cleared for practice, but he has been cleared for physical activity. It's a good sign that he'll be out there against the Redskins on Sunday. He'd be a top 12 QB given the matchup.

Browns QB Brandon Weeden (right thumb) did not practice Wednesday. Brian Hoyer will get another start, but has a tougher matchup this week against the Bengals.

Jets QB Geno Smith (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. He should be fine to face the Titans.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller (quadricep) practiced fully Wednesday. The quad injury is obviously not serious, so Spiller should be able to play in a bad matchup with the Ravens (#4 in RB aFPA).

Ravens RB Ray Rice (hip) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Rice says he's going to play, but the team is still monitoring the situation. The Bills are a very good matchup for whoever is carrying the ball for the Ravens. Bernard Pierce would get another start if Rice can't play.

Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw (neck) did not practice Wednesday. Bradshaw is probably just getting a day of rest after 22 touches against the 49ers, but we'll monitor his activity for the rest of the week. HC Chuck Pagano said that the split would remain the same, so Bradshaw (who led Trent Richardson in touches 22 to 13) could see another big workload against the Jagaurs in Week 4.

Rams RB Daryl Richardson (foot, probable) practiced fully Wednesday. It looks like Richardson is in for Thursday night's game against the 49ers. He's a tough player to start as he's only three days removed from a two-snap effort versus the Cowboys. We're expecting Isaiah Pead to get a healthy amount of work this week.

Texans RB Arian Foster (thumb) practiced fully Wednesday. Nothing to worry about here, though the Texans' running game isn't exactly rolling at the moment. A matchup with the Seahawks isn't cause for optimism, either. Ben Tate (shoulder) practiced fully Wednesday.

Lions RB Reggie Bush (knee) practiced fully Wednesday. Bush apparently looked good in practice and should play against the Bears. He was close to playing in Week 3.

Jets RB Chris Ivory (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Ivory is not expected to make a quick return from his hamstring injury. Bilal Powell is a solid RB2 option due to workload alone.

49ers RB Frank Gore (knee, probable) is probable for Thursday night's game against the Rams, who were torched by DeMarco Murray in Week 3.

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. MJD is trending up after beating low expectations with 62 total yards and a TD against the Seahawks in Week 3.

Falcons RB Steven Jackson (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Jackson is not expected back until Week 7. Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling will split the work against the Patriots on Sunday night.

Cardinals RB Rashard Mendenhall (toe) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Mendenhall should play in a bad matchup with the Buccaneers in Week 4. He saw 60% of the carries and 48% of the touches in the Arizona backfield in Week 3.

Steelers RB LeVeon Bell (foot) practiced fully Wednesday. It sounds as if Bell will get the start against the Vikings this week, though it's tough to get excited about a rookie starting his first game, on the road, coming off of a foot sprain, behind an offensive-line that is struggling to open up holes in the running game. Still, he's worth a pickup if he's still on the waiver wire.

Bengals RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Green-Ellis figures to play this week, though he's slowly losing touches to Giovani Bernard.

Broncos RB C.J. Anderson (knee) practiced fully Wednesday.

Patriots RB Brandon Bolden (knee) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Bolden gained 100 total yards on eight touches, which included five catches, so it appears the Patriots are going to use him in a similar role as Shane Vereen (who took over for Danny Woodhead). He'll be a Sneaky Start against the Falcons.

Ravens RB Shaun Draughn (ankle) did not practice Wednesday.

Vikings RB Matt Asiata (hamstring) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Giants RB Henry Hynoski (shoulder) was ruled out for Week 4.

Titans RB Shonn Greene (knee) did not practice Wednesday.

Raiders RB Jamize Olawale (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Chiefs RB Anthony Sherman (knee) practiced fully Wednesday.

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring) practiced fully Wednesday. Fitzgerald was limited last week, so a full practice is a very good sign of his overall health. However, the Buccaneers are #3 in aFPA to WRs, so this is not a good matchup.

Patriots RB Leon Washington (thigh) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Falcons RB Josh Vaughan (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday.

Texans WR Andre Johnson (shin) did not practice Wednesday. Johnson is expected to play, but has a tough matchup against the Seahawks, who are #8 in WR aFPA.

Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (ribs) did not practice Wednesday. Jackson's injury is "not considered serious," per Adam Schefter. The Buccaneers are making a change at QB, so every rep counts this week.

Bills WR Steve Johnson (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Johnson is probably just getting a day of rest. He should be able to play in a so-so matchup with the Ravens, who are #18 in WR aFPA.

Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. Thomas should be good to go for what promises to be a high-scoring affair against the Eagles.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson (knee) did not practice Wednesday. Megatron usually gets rest on Wednesdays, so we're not worried.

Browns WR Josh Gordon (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. Gordon should be fine for a tough test agains the Bengals.

Falcons WR Julio Jones (knee) took limited practice reps Wednesday. No worries here. Julio should be out there against the Patriots on Sunday night.

Falcons WR Roddy White (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. High-ankle sprains typically take 6-7 weeks to heal and this Thursday marks the 6-week mark for White. He hasn't been staying off of it and it's not clear how that will impact his recovery.

Broncos WR Wes Welker (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday. In all likelihood, Welker will be out there against the Eagles on Sunday.

Broncos WR Eric Decker (shoulder) practiced fully Wednesday. Decker is coming off of a big game against the Raiders on Monday night. Through three games, he is tied for #20 in targets with 9.3 per game, so workload hasn't been a problem.

Buccaneers WR Mike Williams (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. We'll monitor this injury, but it wasn't something that was reported on Sunday, so we aren't too concerned.

Patriots WR Danny Amendola (groin) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Amendola is unlikely to play in Week 4, though he said that he will be "100 percent shortly."

Rams WR Chris Givens (knee, probable) practiced fully Wednesday. Givens will play Thursday night, and although he's second on the team in receiving yardage (186), he hasn't yet found the endzone. That should change soon.

Jets WR Stephen Hill (knee) practiced fully Wednesday. Hill is on pace for 69-1,242-5.3 through three weeks. He's enjoying credible QB play from rookie Geno Smith.

Cowboys WR Miles Austin (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Terrance Williams is Austin's backup, though Dwayne Harris was better in Week 3.

Titans WR Kenny Britt (neck, ribs) did not practice Wednesday. Britt is dealing with a slight rib fracture but is expected to play. Nate Washington and Kendall Wright are more trustworthy options this week in a so-so (#17 aFPA to WRs) matchup with the Jets.

Jets WR Santonio Holmes (foot) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Holmes is back on the radar with 218 yards in three games.

Ravens WR Marlon Brown (neck) did not practice Wednesday. Brown should be fine coming off a disappointing game against the Texans. He has a better matchup this week against the Bills, so hopefully he'll return to practice soon.

Redskins WR Leonard Hankerson (hamstring) practiced fully Wednesday. His playing time has increased and he has worked his way into fantasy relevancy despite two quiet weeks.

Lions WR Nate Burleson (forearm) did not practice Wednesday. He broke his arm in an automobile accident and is out for a while. Ryan Broyles should see an increase in snaps and targets as he takes over as the Lions' primary slot receiver.

Cowboys WR Dwayne Harris (hip) did not practice Wednesday. If Miles Austin can't play, Harris could get some extra work, though Terrance Williams is Austin's direct backup.

49ers WR Kyle Williams (rib, questionable). Williams should be able to play on Thursday night against the Rams, but isn't a great option.

Lions WR Patrick Edwards (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Edwards may return this week and could see a bit of extra work with Nate Burleson out.

Jets WR Clyde Gates (knee) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Jaguars WR Stephen Burton (head) did not practice Wednesday.

Jaguars WR Mike Brown (back) did not practice Wednesday.

Ravens WR Deonte Thompson (foot) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Patriots WR Matt Slater (wrist) did not practice Wednesday.

Texans WR DeVier Posey (achilles) practiced fully Wednesday.

Ravens WR Jacoby Jones (knee) was ruled out for Week 4.

Bills WR Marquise Goodwin (hand) did not practice Wednesday.

Redskins TE Fred Davis (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Davis says he has a high-ankle sprain, which would make him doubtful for a few weeks.

Texans TE Owen Daniels (not injury related) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Daniels should be fine for a bad matchup with an athletic Seahawks defense.

49ers TE Vernon Davis (hamstring, questionable) practiced on a limited basis on Monday and Tuesday and is questionable for Thursday night's game against the Rams. Our bet is that Davis plays in a divisional game after losing two straight to the Seahawks and the Colts. He was sorely missed in Week 3.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (back, forearm) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Chris Mortensen reported that Gronkowski is 60/40 to play, though his Sunday night game makes it a tough call for fantasy owners. Charles Clay plays on Monday night and might be the best Plan B option available for owners who want to wait on Gronk.

Buccaneers TE Tom Crabtree (ankle) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis (calf) took limited practice reps Wednesday. Lewis is working his way back, but isn't a good fantasy option.

Jets TE Kellen Winslow (knee) took limited practice reps Wednesday. This is normal for Winslow.

Redskins TE Jordan Reed (thigh) did not practice Wednesday. Reed looks very iffy with a quad contusion. With Fred Davis questionable with an ankle sprain, it may leave Logan Paulsen as the top TE in Washington.

Chiefs TE Anthony Fasano (ankle, knee) did not practice Wednesday.

Vikings TE Rhett Ellison (knee) did not practice Wednesday.

Broncos TE Joel Dreessen (knee) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Patriots TE Zach Sudfeld (hamstring) practiced fully Wednesday.

Giants TE Adrien Robinson (foot) did not practice Wednesday.

Rams TE Mike McNeill (chest, probable) practiced fully Wednesday.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (knee) did not practice Wednesday.

Texans TE Garrett Graham (hip, groin) took limited practice reps Wednesday.

Redskins K Kai Forbath (right groin) did not practice Wednesday. John Potter has been kicking in Forbath's place.

Browns K Billy Cundiff (right thigh) did not practice Wednesday. Look elsewhere for your Week 4 kicker.

Titans TE Delanie Walker (toe) did not practice Wednesday.

Bills K Dustin Hopkins (right groin) did not practice Wednesday. Dan Carpenter will continue to kick until Hopkins makes his return.

Colts HC Chuck Pagano said that the running back rotation would be the same as it was at San Francisco.

Ahmad Bradshaw played 38 snaps to Trent Richardson's 29 and out-touched Richardson 22 to 13. Bradshaw is nursing a neck injury, so we'll have to see how that impacts the split.

Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams has had at least 17 carries in each game this season, including 22 and 23 the past two weeks, respectively. He had only three games last season with 17 or more attempts.

Jonathan Stewart's return is expected in Week 7, so the 'good times' may be coming to an end for Williams owners. Then again, Stewart has been unable to stay healthy, so Williams could be the lead back for the rest of the season.

QB Christian Ponder is battling rib injury he suffered vs. Browns. Will practice Wednesday but status for Sunday vs. Steelers is uncertain.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was skeptical when he talked about LeVeon Bell's prospects of playing on his show Tuesday on 93.7 The Fan.

"Honestly, I have no idea with him," Roethlisberger said. "You can't get a read on him. One day, he's practicing, one day, he's not; one day, he's going hard, the next day, he's not. I wish I could.

"If he was a guy like Heath Miller that you knew was busting his butt every day to get back there ... Le'Veon is a rookie, I don't know him quite well enough yet. But if he can come back and help us, we'll take him."

We're not expecting much from a rookie potentially starting his first game coming off a foot sprain behind a suspect offensive line.

Browns coach Rob Chudzinski: Brian Hoyer will start at QB. Brandon Weeden is out this week.

Hoyer was better than expected against the Vikings but figures to have a tougher test against a Bengals defense that contained Aaron Rodgers in Week 3.

Running back Stevan Ridley was the unsung hero of the offense. He gained only 35 yards on 11 carries, but he had three fantastic chip blocks to give Brady enough time to hit receivers.

On the first touchdown drive, Ridley chipped a linebacker to allow Brady to hit Dobson over the middle for 16 yards on third and 4. Later on that drive, Ridley again chipped a linebacker to let Brady find Thompkins over the middle, and he ran in for the touchdown. And Ridley’s chip on Barron in the third quarter let Brady hit Dobson over the middle for 6 yards on third and 2.

Hopefully this leads to more snaps and carries for Ridley.

Receiver Ryan Broyles was on a short leash in his season debut against the Redskins. The coaches were trying to let him gradually get his legs under him after he came off a second major knee surgery last December.

There will be no leash this week. With Nate Burleson (broken arm) out, Broyles likely will start and get most of the work in the slot.

“Yeah, just go out and produce,” he said. “I am definitely ready. I feel good.”

Broyles, who had three catches for 34 yards, said he felt like he has cleared all his mental and physical hurdles.

Nate Burleson got off to a pretty hot start (19-239) and was the #29 WR in PPR formats before breaking his arm in an automobile accident. If Broyles can handle the snaps, he certainly has that kind of upside.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to bench quarterback Josh Freeman for rookie Mike Glennon, according to league sources.

The Bucs are making the change now because they feel it is beneficial for Glennon with the bye week coming after Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, team sources told ESPN. He can start this week, then have two weeks for the coaches to review his performance and make corrections before the Bucs play the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 13.

Coach Greg Schiano, according to the sources, felt this was a more favorable scenario than having Glennon anticipating his first NFL start for two weeks.

"This league is about finding a franchise quarterback, and with Josh's roller-coaster career, we don't feel he's that guy," a team source said.

Schiano said Monday that Freeman was still his starter despite completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes during the Bucs' 0-3 start.

The writing was on the wall for Freeman after the Buccaneers drafted Glennon on the heels of Freeman's disastrous finish in 2012 (after posting top 10 fantasy QB numbers through the first 14 weeks). Freeman never had the full support of Schiano and it showed in his play in 2013. As for Glennon, he led the NCAA in interceptions (17), but was 9th in passing yards (4,031) and tied for 12th in touchdowns (31). His YPA (7.1) and completion percentage (58.5%) were very mediocre. We're not optimistic about his prospects for this season, but he does have a strong arm and can make all the throws, so there may be some good fantasy lines in his near future. He does have a couple of good WRs (Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams) and a pass-catching RB (Doug Martin) to throw to, so he's in a good situation, relatively speaking. Those skill players shouldn't be impacted too negatively by the switch at QB because Freeman wasn't playing well. Consider Glennon a QB3 with low-end QB2 upside if given a good matchup.

49ers WR Michael Crabtree, recovering from a torn Achilles, has made continued progress from the injury he suffered at Organized Team Activities in May.

“He’s working hard,” OC Greg Roman said of the sure-handed receiver who is currently on the team’s Physically Unable to Perform List and could be activated later in the regular season.

Although Crabtree rehabs at the 49ers facility daily, attends games and meetings, Roman wasn’t sure about the timetable of the wide receiver’s return.

“I don’t think there’s any specific day or date,” said Roman, who stressed the decision will be made by the team’s medical staff.

Roman added that the way Crabtree's been working, he wouldn't be shocked to see him come back at some point this season, but also said he'd consider that "gravy," meaning there is still a chance he doesn't play. He's a while off from being fantasy worthy and stashing him on a roster at this point doesn't seem worth it until we have a better idea of when. Roster sports are way too valuable at this point.

49ers TE Vernon Davis is on the field practicing on Tuesday.

Davis also practiced Monday but was limited. He seems to be on track to play in what is a short week, Thursday night game.

Hearing that fear is Giants RB Henry Hynoski's shoulder injury is season-ending.

Hynoski is the Giants fullback and his loss will hurt what's already been a struggling Giants running attack.

Panthers veteran running back Jonathan Stewart is on track to come off the physically unable to perform list when he's eligible in Week 7, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said recently. Stewart continues to rehab his surgically repaired right ankle.

DeAngelo Williams has averaged 20 carries a game and is the league's third-leading rusher with 291 yards through three games. Those numbers will take a hit if Stewart comes back, making either back likely no better than a flex play.

Steelers TE Heath Miller still could be on a snap count this week. HC Mike Tomlin says how he does in practice will dictate how much he plays against the Vikings.

He held up week in Week 3, and with the Steelers off to an 0-3 start, don't be surprised if the snap count is lifted. It's a situation to monitor as Miller would become a TE2 candidate.

Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor left the game early after taking a big hit. It turns out that big hit resulted in a concussion.

Pryor took a massive hit on a designed quarterback run as he was sandwiched by a pair of Broncos defenders. He stayed on the ground for a bit while the officials determined if the Raiders quarterback fumbled the ball.

Pryor later tweeted that he didn't remember taking the hit, which is not a good sign. But he added that he feels great. It's bad timing for the Raiders on a short week with Washington up next. Not to mention, he played pretty well in a tough matchup against the Broncos. Pryor will now have to pass NFL protocol before being able to go in Week 4. Matt Flynn is the backup and would get the start. Often associated with a weak arm, Flynn gets a pretty good matchup against the Skins at least, who have been torched by opposing defenses. He's at best a low-end QB2 option.

Lions WR Nate Burleson broke his arm in two places in an early morning car accident. Will undergo surgery.

Obviously a huge loss for the Lions, but this means Ryan Broyles will given a chance to step in as the WR2 in what's a heavy passing offense in Detroit. He was on a snap count last week in his return, but that could quickly evaporate with this news. HC Jim Schwartz commented after the game that every time Broyles gets snaps he makes plays so the team has confidence in him to take over that spot.

Steelers are now planning to play RB LeVeon Bell this week.

The Steelers say Bell has progressed faster than they thought, according to Glazer. It's amazing how that can happen when you're 0-3 with not much of a running game - Bell was originally planning to play Week 6 after a Week 5 bye. Don't be surprised if Bell gets a lot of the workload, but it's also likely Felix Jones and Jonathan Dwyer see time as well against the Vikings, with the likely scenario being Isaac Redman is inactive, according to other reports. Bell could be a RB3 option when our rankings come out Wednesday. Keep in mind it's a struggling offensive line, but he does have long term value and will likely get a lot of work going forward as long as he can stay healthy. It could be the shot in the arm the Steelers need.

St. Louis Rams running back Daryl Richardson practiced on a limited basis Monday after leaving Sunday's game in Dallas because of a foot injury, but said he plans to play Thursday.

As the story points out, leading into Sunday's game, Richardson had already been dealing with a foot injury that ailed him since the opener against Arizona. He's is a risky start this week with Isaiah Pead getting some work as well. Be sure to check out our rankings on Wednesday, but Richardson is looking to be a RB3 option at best.

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said WR Jermaine Kearse, who left the game early with a sprained ankle, was “moving around pretty well today” and that he got rid of his boot shortly after leaving the stadium yesterday “trying to show us that he’s ready to go, so we’ll see what happens.”

There still is not a date for his return, but a league source said Monday that Patriots receiver Danny Amendola is “progressing very well” as he recovers from torn groin muscles.

Amendola initially suffered the injury in the preseason and missed New England’s third and fourth exhibition games. But he was in uniform for the season opener against the Bills, and had three first-half receptions before leaving the game in the second quarter after aggravating the problem.

He did return in the third quarter, and was a big part of the Patriots’ win.

Amendola practiced last week on a limited basis, but according to the media that saw him he wasn't moving all that well. His movement wasn't as labored on Thursday and Friday as of last week, reports said, however. With surgery ruled out, Amendola is now rehabbing his groin muscles. As HC Bill Belichick said last week, everyone except Shane Vereen is day-to-day - which of course tells us nothing.

When the Green Bay Packers return from their bye next week, RB Eddie Lacy believes he’ll be in a position to rejoin them on the field.

The Packers’ rookie running back was sidelined before Sunday’s 34-30 loss to Cincinnati due to the concussion he suffered on his first carry in the previous week’s 38-20 win over Washington. In that game, he suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit from safety Brandon Meriweather that garnered a $42,000 league fine.

“Yeah,” Lacy replied when asked if he’ll be back. “Since I wasn’t cleared, I had no intention of playing, but I have a bye week to still get right. When I get back, we’ll see where I go from there.”

Packers coach Mike McCarthy actually was hoping Lacy might be able to suit up against the Bengals despite missing the entire week of practice, but that didn't happen. The story says Lacy participated in some small workouts prior to Sunday’s game at Paul Brown Stadium to test himself out and get his heart rate up, but wasn’t sure what final steps he needs to pass to clear his concussion protocol. With James Starks banged up, it's looking like Lacy could get a bulk of the workload when he gets back. Keep in mind, he still has to pass protocol tests...

Don't expect Steven Jackson to make a miraculous recovery over the next few days.

The Atlanta Falcons running back, who missed Sunday's 27-23 loss to the Dolphins while nursing a hamstring injury, is still expected to be sidelined another two to three weeks, according to a league source. That means Jackson is set to miss Sunday night's showdown with the Patriots.

Jackson sustained the setback -- originally called a thigh injury -- in the first quarter of a Week 2 win over his former team, the Rams. He exited that game immediately after scoring an eight-yard touchdown off a pass from Matt Ryan.

Jackson said last week he was getting better but would not discuss his status in detail. The Falcons (1-2) might miss him against the Patriots (3-0).

Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling held their own while combining for 139 rushing yards against the Dolphins, but a healthy Jackson could have helped solve some of the Falcons' red-zone woes with his rugged, downhill style, the story points out. Rodgers is a nicer PPR option, but you can probably expect Snelling to get any carries in close at the goal line. So, both have some limited value depending on your league format.

Raiders tight end David Ausberry was making progress with his injured shoulder the last time we saw him catching passes on the side at practice, but the Raiders pulled the plug Monday. They placed him on injured reserve and promoted guard Lamar Mady from the practice squad.

It’s not known whether Ausberry had a setback or the Raiders just decided to go forward.

The team is moving on with TEs Jeron Mastrud, Mychal Rivera and Nick Kasa.
The rookie Rivera has 5 catches for 58 yards, and Mastrud, who plays for his blocking, has one for 41 yards.

Jets RB Chris Ivory's hamstring: Same one as camp, but injury in different spot. Given slow recovery the first time, team not expecting quick rebound.

Bilal Powell had a monster game in the win over Buffalo taking over for Ivory, and is going to see a lot of work for the foreseeable future if this report is correct. The Jets play the Titans in Week 4. Powell is worth picking up if he's still available.

Jaguars believe TE Marcedes Lewis (calf) will be able to play against Colts.

Bears HC Marc Trestman on Michael Bush: "We’ve kind of isolated and declared Michael our goal-line running back."

This is nothing new to Forte owners as we saw Bush go in from in close on Sunday night against the Steelers. However, Forte does have 2 TDs so far this season. That may give Bush some value in scoring only leagues, but it's still a risk to start him even in that format. Forte owners should think about adding Bush as a handcuff if they haven't already.

The Bucs placed tight end Luke Stocker on injured reserve.

With Stocker gone for the season, the Bucs are thin at tight end. Nate Byham started in Stocker’s place Sunday. Tom Crabtree has missed the first three games with an ankle injury, but coach Greg Schiano said Monday that Crabtree is making progress. If Crabtree is healthy by Sunday, he could be the starter against the Arizona Cardinals.

Jaguars HC Gus Bradley says QB Blaine Gabbert starts Sunday against Colts.

Gabbert's hand laceration is apparently healed enough to start Week 4. The Jags likely want to see if they have anything in Gabbert despite him not showing much so far in his career. WR Justin Blackmon is due back in Week 5 after suspension, so maybe we'll get to see what happens when the full offense is back together. For now, WR Cecil Shorts isn't as safe of a play as he seemed to be with Chad Henne.

Bucs WR Vincent Jackson's rib injury is not considered serious. He's considered day-to-day.

We likely won't know more until Wednesday but it's a pretty decent indication that he won't miss time.

Titans TE Delanie Walker said the foot is just sore. Had an MRI. Doesn't think the injury is serious.

When the season began, Eagles K Alex Henery was the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history at 87.9 percent.

Three games later, we’re wondering about his job security.

Such is life for placekickers.

Henery, the Eagles’ third-year kicker from Nebraska, has missed field goal attempts in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

As the story points out, they haven’t been easy kicks -- 46 yards against the Chargers, 48 yards against the Chiefs -- but they have raised the issue of whether the Eagles can rely on Henery to make big kicks at big moments moving forward. In theory, Henery should be a solid play every week given the Eagles offense and the ability to move the ball and get in position to score. But if he keeps missing, Chip Kelly is the type of head coach to just go for it on fourth down...

Robert Griffin III appeared to make strides in his third start since his return from ACL surgery Sunday, even though the Redskins lost. But wide receiver Pierre Garcon believes RGIII still has a long way to go.

"He's not fully healthy, obviously," Garcon said Monday via the Washington Post. "He's running a little bit more. But last year's RGIII was a lot different from this year's RG because of his knee. It's not surprising."

Griffin showed some burst on a 21-yard scamper. And the storyline surrounding the game would be a lot different if receiver Aldrick Robinson caught a beautiful throw on a would-be 57-yard touchdown throw from Griffin.

Griffin is not the same guy he was a year ago, but the change in the Redskins defense is more dramatic. No team in NFL history has given up more total yards than the Redskins have in the first three weeks. The Redskins continue to play from behind, which has forced Griffin to throw the ball 139 times in three games.

Griffin his still racking up passing yards while his team often plays from behind. For now, the RGIII of last season is a bit away. He'll likely still be a QB1 many weeks, but this drives home the point he's - understandably - not all the way back yet from his reconstructed knee. The rushing yards will likely slowly start to come eventually.

When pressed again on chances of trading Browns WR Josh Gordon, HC Rob Chudzinski said, "We have no plan on doing that.''

Adam Schefter is reporting the Browns have an offer for Gordon on the table, but the team would only make a move if they got their asking price. After moving RB Trent Richardson last week, anything is possible. Gordon had a monster game in his return from a two-game suspension but is one more violation away from being lost for the season.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones was hurt early this morning after a brawl erupted on a party bus filled with his Ravens teammates ... TMZ has learned.

It happened after a night of partying in Washington D.C. celebrating Bryant McKinnie's birthday.

Sources at the scene tell us ... at about 3 AM, as people were leaving Opera Ultra Lounge, people on the bus began fighting. In addition to teammates, we're told at least one stripper was on board.

One eyewitness tells us he saw a bottle being swung at Jacoby Jones -- it connected with his head and hurt him. We're told an ambulance was called "for a bleeding male" but he was not taken to the hospital.

Jones hasn't played since Week 1 when he sprained his MCL.

The Dallas Cowboys do not believe Miles Austin's strained hamstring is as serious as the hamstring injuries that have limited the wide receiver in each of the past two seasons, a source told ESPN.com.

The Cowboys will be cautious this week with Austin, who suffered the injury in Sunday's 31-7 victory over the St. Louis Rams, and will see how he feels Wednesday before determining if he will practice.

Kenny Britt, who was drafted five years ago to be the No. 1 receiver, was on the sideline for all 10 plays in the 94-yard drive that decided the game for the Titans. Meanwhile, Justin Hunter was the target of choice with the game in the balance.

There seems to be a message here. In what everybody seems to understand is a crossroads season the Titans aren’t going to wait around for people to get on board.

But when it comes to making a play like that at a time like that, it speaks volumes that Hunter was the target while Britt watched from the sideline. It also tells us something that quarterback Jake Locker specifically asked for Hunter to be in the game on what proved to be the decisive play.

Looks like there is going to have to be some adjustments for Britt or he's going to spend even more time on the bench. He's not a safe fantasy option at this point.

The main thing that stands out in New England Patriots offensive snap totals against Tampa Bay is the even split at running back between Brandon Bolden and Stevan Ridley, with 26 apiece, and then LeGarrette Blount playing 21 snaps (5 in first half, 16 in second half). That is the true definition of the running-back-by-committee approach.

It's a frustrating fact of life for Ridley owners who likely took him high with the hopes of him being a solid RB2 every week. At least in Week 3, it was a committee approach with Blount getting mopup work in the second half against his former team. Brandon Bolden's return isn't helping Ridley either, because of his ability in the passing game. New England's running attack seems to change week-to-week but Ridley is looking like a risky play, while Bolden is a guy to pick up in PPR leagues.

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew was questionable to play after sustaining an ankle injury during the second quarter of last week’s 19-9 loss at Oakland. He was able to start, but once again found little room to work.

“A lot of the swelling went away,” Jones-Drew said. “This morning, I felt fine out there cutting, so I went out there and played.”

If there were any positives from Sunday, Jones-Drew’s ankle issue seems to be behind him.

“It was fine,” he said. “I could cut, jump, the whole nine [yards]. I don’t think I’ve been 100 percent since the day I started playing football.”

As the story pointed out, Seattle’s defensive line consistently shut down running lanes for the Jaguars. Jones-Drew finished the game with 19 carries for 43 yards, a 2.3-yard average, with a long of 8 yards. He didn’t have positive rushing yards until more than six minutes into the second quarter. Perhaps some good news is Jones-Drew was still in the game with the outcome decided as he participated in the Jaguars’ final drive. He scored on a two-yard TD in the third quarter to help owners who took a chance and played him in a tough matchup salvage something.

RB Reggie Bush begged and pleaded and did all he could to get on the field, but in the end Lions coach Jim Schwartz decided his running back just wasn’t healthy enough to play.

Bush was inactive for Sunday afternoon’s 27-20 victory at Washington a week after spraining his left knee in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

He said he would play next week against the Chicago Bears.

“I could have played today,” Bush said. “I for sure could have played today, I just don’t know if I could have took a hit today on it. I practiced Friday, did a workout Saturday, ran. Everything was normal. I just wasn’t sure if I could take a hit yet. So that was the risk that we were dealing with. But this week I’ll be fine.”

Bush said he could have played, but wasn't sure he could have taken a hit. The Lions probably figured this was a winable game using backup Joique Bell, which it was. It appears Bush will be ready to go in Week 4. Bell should still have some value in PPR leagues and still could eat into Bush's workload a bit. He seems to be an ideal handcuff and a must own for Bush owners.

Packers TE Jermichael Finley left Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarter after getting drilled by safety George Iloka, who appeared to lead with his shoulder and hit the Packers tight end in the head while breaking up a third-and-11 play.

Finley initially tried to get up after the hit but then went down to one knee, which brought out the Packers' medical staff.

Andrew Quarless is next up on the depth chart. Obviously, Finley will have to go through NFL protocols before being able to get back on the field.

Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin tweaked his hamstring in the third quarter of Sunday's victory over the St. Louis Rams. Austin was hurt as he jumped up to make a catch, ruled incomplete.

Austin, who did not return, finished with two catches for 22 yards. He has a history of hamstring injuries and does extra stretching in an attempt to prevent them from reoccurring.

Tight end Jordan Reed suffered a quad contusion after taking a helmet to the leg in Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the Detroit Lions at FedEx Field.

Reed had taken over as the team’s primary pass-catching tight end with Fred Davis sidelined by a sprained ankle, and but left the game in the second half with an injury of his own.

“It’s real frustrating I couldn’t keep playing,” Reed said in the locker room after the game. “I’ve got to come in [Monday] and see what kind of treatment I need.”

Reed had five catches for 50 yards on six targets and is starting to see some hype as he continues to produce respectable numbers. Logan Paulsen is next up on the depth chart if both Davis and Reed miss time.

Jets running back Chris Ivory left the game Sunday with hamstring injury. Ivory left midway through the second quarter, and had 5 yards rushing before being checked out by trainers on the sideline.

Bilal Powell had a monster game with 158 yards rushing. Powell stood out in camp when Ivory couldn't get on the field. If Ivory continues to miss time, Powell has proved to be a capable fill-in and is worth owning.

Bills RB C.J. Spiller says he's a little sore but he doesn't anticipate missing this week vs. Baltimore in Week 4.

Adam Schefter is reporting Spiller hurt his thigh, not his knee. Bills head coach Doug Marrone added Monday that he expects Spiller to be fine Week 4. Spiller suffered the injury in Sunday's game against the Jets and had rushed just nine times for 9 yards in the first half. He rushed for no gain with 14:39 remaining in the third quarter, his last touch. Spiller was seen limping off the to locker room, but either way, it appears it's not a major injury. It's been a tough go for Spiller and his owners so far this season. Fred Jackson makes for a great handcuff and would get the bulk of work if Spiller would miss time. Jackson ran for 72 yards on just seven carries against the Jets and should be owned if he's still on your wire.

Rams running back Daryl Richardson had his foot in a walking boot on Wednesday but practiced Thursday and Friday and looked to be good to go Sunday.

Richardson started the game but aggravated the injury and came out very early.

“I re-injured my foot,” Richardson said. “I believe it got stepped on when I was trying to go out for my route early in the game.”

That left all the carries to Isaiah Pead and Benny Cunningham, but the Rams once again failed to generate a rushing attack after falling behind early. They ran the ball just 12 times.

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson will have an MRI on his shin Monday to determine the extent of an injury he suffered in Sunday's 30-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Johnson suffered the injury in the second quarter. After having X-rays that returned negative at halftime, Johnson did not remain in the game for long.

"I watched him the first play, we threw the ball the first play, and I wanted to see him run," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "I did not think he could run the way he needs to ... so we took him out."

DeAndre Hopkins led the way again as Johnson has failed to finish a game the last two weeks.

Steelers Inactives
Cortez Allen CB
LeVeon Bell RB
Hebron Fangupo DT
Isaiah Green DB
Landry Jones QB
Derek Moye WR
Cody Wallace C

LeVeon Bell remains out for the Steelers. Felix Jones will get the start at RB. All Steelers RBs are poor fantasy plays until proven otherwise. TE Heath Miller returns to action.

Bears Inactives
David Bass DE
James Brown T
Michael Ford RB
Zach Minter DT
Jonathan Scott T
Marquess Wilson WR
C.J. Wilson CB

Seahawks Inactives
Jordan Hill DT
Jeron Johnson SS
Benson Mayowa DE
D'Anthony Smith DT
Malcolm Smith OLB
Spencer Ware RB

Jaguars Inactives
Alan Ball CB
Dwayne Gratz CB
Winston Guy S
Blaine Gabbert QB
Mike Brown WR
Marcedes Lewis TE
Abry Jones DL

Maurice Jones-Drew is active, but is a poor fantasy start banged up against the Seahawks. Chad Henne remains the starter at QB.

Colts Inactives
Pat Angerer ILB
Montori Hughes DT
LaRon Landry SS
David Reed WR
Da'Rick Rogers WR
Samson Satele C
Kerwynn Williams RB

Jets Inactives
Oday Aboushi OT
William Campbell G
Ben Ijalana OT
Brady Quinn QB
Ricky Sapp LB
Scott Solomon LB
Ryan Spadola WR

Bills Inactives
Ron Brooks CB
Jairus Byrd FS
Stephon Gilmore CB
Marquise Goodwin WR
Dustin Hopkins K
Doug Legursky C

49ers Inactives
Jon Baldwin WR
B.J. Daniels QB
Vernon Davis TE
Chris Harper WR
LaMichael James RB
Joe Looney G
Nathan Stupar LB

With Davis out, rookie Vance McDonald will get extra work. He's a long-shot fantasy option.

Dolphins Inactives
Pat Devlin QB
Josh Kaddu LB
Dimitri Patterson CB
Paul Soliai DT
Jamar Taylor CB
Dallas Thomas OT
Danny Watkins OG

WR Mike Wallace is active as expected.

Falcons Inactives
Sam Baker T
Jamar Chaney LB
Harland Gunn G
Kemal Ishmael DB
Steven Jackson RB
Cliff Matthews DE
Zeke Motta SS
Travian Robertson NT

Julio Jones & Roddy White are active as expected. Jason Snelling and Jacquizz Rodgers will fill in for an absent Steven Jackson.

Ravens RB Bernard Pierce slated to start with Ray Rice left hip flexor strain regarded as two-week injury to be on the safe side, according to source.

Pierce is a fringe RB1 this week against the Texans. He should see 18-20 touches, maybe even more if the Ravens use him in the passing game.

The Buccaneers are releasing RB Peyton Hillis.

Vernon Davis said he's waiting for team doctors to give him the go-ahead to play Sunday, which would be the first
game he's ever played against his younger brother, Colts cornerback Vontae Davis.

Vernon Davis, who suffered a left hamstring strain late in Sunday's loss to Seattle, was the only 49er who did not practice Friday. He is listed as questionable on the team's injury report.

The 49ers tight end said he was able to run on a side field while the rest of the team practiced Friday. "I'm feeling pretty good, sore, bruised up, but that comes with the business, comes with the game," he said. " Definitely my focus is on this game. .. We shall see when Sunday comes."

Our guess is that Davis will play on Sunday, but there are no guarantees, so have a Plan B ready to go. Coby Fleener, Charles Clay, Heath Miller, Kellen Winslow and Scott Chandler all play at the same time or later this week. Fellow 49er (and rookie) Vance McDonald would be another option if Davis can't play.

Dolphins WR Mike Wallace, who missed the preseason opener with a groin injury, appeared to be moving normally after practice, which was mostly closed to the media.

Browns coach Rob Chud­zinski said newly-signed RB Willis McGahee will play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings (0-2) after signing a one-year deal with the Browns (0-2) Thursday in the wake of the organization trading Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a first-round pick in next year’s draft.

Chud­zinski said McGahee, Chris Ogbonnaya and Bobby Rainey will handle the tailback duties, though he wouldn’t reveal who’ll start.

This looks like a situation to stay away from. Ogbonnaya could have the most value this week due to his experience as a third-down back, and it's like the Browns will be passing a lot. But none of the backs will likely see enough of a workload to produce fantasy points. McGahee is still worth a shot as a free agent grab, but he obviously has limited potential.

Lions running back Reggie Bush wants to play on Sunday. The Lions may not let him play.

Bush has a knee injury, and the Lions have listed him as questionable. Technically a 50-50 proposition, the scales could tilt toward shutting him down for Week 3.

The Lions may opt to play it safe with Bush - they obviously want him for the long season. In a winable game against Washington, it may make the decision easier. This could end up being a game-time call, though, and fortunately it's an early game and we'll have you updated. Joique Bell would get the start in a great matchup and is a must-own.

49ers QB Colin Kaepernick (foot, probable) took full practice reps again Thursday and is probable for Week 3. Kaepernick will play in a great matchup with the Colts.

Jets QB Geno Smith (ankle, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 3. No worries here. He has a nice matchup with the Bills and fellow rookie E.J. Manuel.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo (ribs, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 3. Romo took a shot for the pain against the Chiefs and will likely do so again in Week 3. There is speculation that the shot wore off towards the end of the game when his accuracy declined. He's a solid start against the Rams.

Dolphins QB Pat Devlin (ankle, questionable) took limited practice reps all week and is questionable for Week 3.

Browns QB Brandon Weeden (right thumb, out) has been ruled out for Week 3. Weeden's thumb does not require surgery and he could return as early as Week 4, per Adam Schefter. Brian Hoyer gets the start against the Vikings.

Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill (right shoulder, probable) took full practice reps on Friday after being limited earlier in the week and is probable for Week 3. Tannehill will play against the Falcons. He's a low QB2, as usual.

Giants QB Ryan Nassib (ankle, probable) returned to take limited reps Friday after missing practice Thursday and is probable for Week 3.

Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert (right hand, out) took limited practice reps all week and is out for Week 3. Chad Henne gets the start but isn't worth a second look given his matchup against the Seahawks.

Texans RB Arian Foster (calf, chest, thumb, probable) took full practice reps all week and is probable for Week 3. While it's concerning that Foster has three injuries listed on the injury report, the fact that he's probable means that he's very likely to play against the Ravens in Week 3.