NFL Player News

Wednesday, January 6

• 01/06/10 - 8:46AM ETPercy Harvin : Earns Offensive Rookie of the Year Nod

  Harvin was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year on Wednesday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

  Harvin received 41 of the 50 votes for the award. He caught 60 passes for 790 yards and two touchdowns this season. Harvin also added two kickoff return touchdowns, which helped him earn a berth in the Pro Bowl as the NFC's primary return man.

Tuesday, January 5

• 01/05/10 - 3:56PM ETDelanie Walker : Scheduled for Ankle Surgery

  Walker will have arthroscopic surgery on his ankle, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

  The minor procedure shouldn't effect his availability for offseason workouts and training camp. Walker is hoping to make the type of strides next season that fellow tight end Vernon Davis made this season, although he'll really have to impress to receive the opportunity.

• 01/05/10 - 3:44PM ETChad Henne : Top Spot Not Necessarily His

  Dolphins coach Tony Sparano was a bit vague when asked if Henne would be the number one quarterback heading into next season, according to the Miami Herald.

  Unless the Dolphins are planning on bringing in a veteran QB, Henne would have to be the choice. He wasn't great this season by any mean, but wasn't terrible either. This was his first year as a starter and he will get better with experience. What other choices do the Dolphins have? Pat White is nothing but a wildcat QB, Tyler Thigpen would be best suited as a backup, and Chad Pennington is unsigned and may not longer have the arm strength to be an NFL QB. Even if the Dolphins were down on Henne, which it doesn't seem they are, he would get the job by default.

• 01/05/10 - 2:53PM ETCadillac Williams : Lone Bright Spot for Bucs

  Williams was one of the few bright spots for the Buccaneers during the 2009 season as he recovered from a devastating knee injury to post 210 carries for 821 yards and four touchdowns rushing and 29 receptions for 219 yards and three touchdowns.

  Williams wound up averaging 3.9 yards per carry and 7.6 yards per reception in 2009. Williams' numbers were pretty impressive not only given the odds he overcame but also considering that much of the offense struggled around him. If 2010 is an uncapped year Williams' would be a restricted free-agent, but given his popularity and the disappointing season turned in by Derrick Ward, he most likely will be back as the team' No.1 running back and a possible No.2 option from a fantasy perspective.

• 01/05/10 - 12:45PM ETChad Johnson : Bruised, but Not Beaten

  The knee bruise that Johnson sustained while slipping in warmups Sunday night won't prevent him from practicing this week, the Bengals' official site reports.

  It looks like Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis has a better chance of slowing down Johnson in the playoff opener than the knee injury does.

• 01/05/10 - 12:24PM ETMatt Leinart : Contract Could be an Issue

  Leinart's pricey 2011 contract could force the Cardinals to make a tough decision regarding his roster status either this offseason or next, according to the Arizona Republic.

  Leinart's 2010 salary is manageable, but his 2011 base salary is $7.36 million and that doesn't include a scheduled $5.5 million roster bonus or escalator clauses. Since Kurt Warner is expected to serve as Arizona's starting quarterback through 2010, the Cardinals might have to determine Leinart's 2011 status without a comprehensive body of work. The Cardinals could decide to go in a different direction, they could try to rework Leinart's contract or they could bite the bullet and pay approximately $13 million to install Leinart as their 2011 starter. Assuming that Leinart remains on the Cardinals' roster, and as long as Warner stays healthy, Leinart should be a backup for a third straight season in 2010. Leinart hasn't started regularly since early in the 2007 season and the jury is still out on his professional success.

Monday, January 4

• 01/04/10 - 3:30PM ETRoy Williams : No Catches in Week 17

  Williams failed to catch a pass in Sunday's win over the Eagles.

  The biggest impact he had on the game came when Tony Romo used him as a decoy in the red zone, resulting in a Patrick Crayton touchdown. Williams finished the season with just 38 catches for 596 yards, and while his seven TDs isn't bad his 44.2% conversion rate on targets (38-for-86) certainly is. Williams will have a lot of work to do next season to establish any sort of trust with Tony Romo.

• 01/04/10 - 2:14PM ETDustin Keller : Another Quiet Game

  Keller had one catch for nine yards in Sunday's victory over the Bengals.

  Keller only scored twice in his sophomore year and his production fell through the floor over the last five weeks (nine catches, 69 yards). There's still plenty of ability here, but his receiving skills probably didn't grow at all in 2009.

• 01/04/10 - 2:06PM ETBrad Smith : Making Plays

  Smith had four carries for 92 yards in Sunday's victory over the Bengals, including a 32-yard touchdown and a 57-yard jaunt.

  Smith has made some big plays during New York's playoff push - his kickoff return touchdown at Indianapolis back in Week 16 might have been the team's biggest offensive play of the year. Nonetheless, he's still a gadget player and he's never going to see that many touches on offense, no matter that he's settling into a role now.

• 01/04/10 - 12:53PM ETBrian Westbrook : Held in Check by Dallas

  Westbrook had only 17 yards rushing on five carries Sunday, adding just 20 receiving yards on four catches as well.

  Westbrook wasn't productive, but the entire Eagles' offense was held in check, and the bigger take from Sunday's loss was that Westbrook dominated backfield duties, rendering LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver useless. Westbrook is definitely the Eagles' RB to target in fantasy leagues that extend to the NFL playoffs. His 2009 was limited greatly by injuries, as he finished with just 455 total yards and two touchdowns over eight games. Westbrook's 4.5 YPC mark suggests he's not completely finished, but he's no doubt in the decline phase of his career and will enter next season as an injury-prone 31-year-old, so Westbrook is no longer an elite fantasy option.

• 01/04/10 - 12:39PM ETAnquan Boldin : Sore Ankle a Wild Card

  Boldin's left ankle -- not the right as previously reported -- was sore on Monday morning and he sounds like the biggest question mark among Arizona's injured players, the Arizona Republic reports. He will undergo an MRI on his left ankle and knee on Monday, the Cardinals' official site reports.

  He will be evaluated as the week progresses towards Sunday's Wild Card playoff game. There is optimism that Boldin, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, will be able to play this week. He missed one game and was limited in several others earlier this season because of right ankle and right hamstring injuries. Last year, a left hamstring injury kept him out of a playoff game and he missed four regular-season games earlier that season. All told, Boldin has missed 10 regular-season and playoff games over the last three seasons due to an assortment of maladies.

• 01/04/10 - 12:39PM ETBrent Celek : Emerges as a Top TE Option

  Celek had seven catches for 96 yards in the Eagles' loss Sunday.

  Celek easily led the team in receiving, as Philly was shut out by the Cowboys. The third-year TE finished the regular season with 76 receptions for 971 yards and eight touchdowns. Both the yardage and TD totals were in the top-five among all tight ends in the NFL this year.

• 01/04/10 - 12:39PM ETBrandon Marshall : On the Way Out?

  Marshall (hamstring) sounds as if he's played his last game in Denver, stating that he's "grown a lot and appreciate[s] the opportunity to be [in Denver] for four years and the opportunity still to play football," according to the Denver Post.

  Attitude issues during team activities and numerous off-the-field issues often keep Marshall in the doghouse and the team doesn't appear to be rushing to offer him a contract for next season and beyond. While the team could tender an offer in order to gain extra first and third round picks, Marshall's days in Denver appear to be over.

• 01/04/10 - 12:35PM ETDeSean Jackson : Slowed by Cowboys

  Jackson was held to just three catches for 47 yards and no scores in the Eagles' loss to the Cowboys on Sunday.

  Dallas has shut down Jackson during its two games against the Eagles this season, and they'll have the chance to do so again in round one of the playoffs. Despite the sluggish finish to 2009, Jackson recorded 1,167 receiving yards with nine touchdowns over 15 games this year. He averaged 18.5 yards-per-catch and also added two touchdowns on punt returns as well. Jackson has become the NFL's most dangerous receiver and will enter 2010 as a consensus top-10 fantasy wide receiver.

• 01/04/10 - 9:49AM ETChad Johnson : Knee Is Sore

  Johnson indicated Monday in a tweet that his knee is swollen and that he "can't extend (it)," the Bengals' official site reports.

  Initial reports from trainers during the game were that Johnson (who is slated for an MRI) did not suffer structural damage in his knee. Assuming that's the case, then he's still worth drafting by those backing the Bengals in their playoff pools.

• 01/04/10 - 9:38AM ETJaMarcus Russell : Rough Season Comes to Close

  Russell relieved an injured Charlie Frye (back) in the second half of Sunday's loss to the Ravens He completed 9-of-14 passes for 102 yards but also threw an interception in the game.

  Sunday's game closes the door on a tremendously disappointing season for Russell and anyone with stock in his development. Russell completed just 49% of his passes for 1,287 yards and also threw just three touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. Russell still possesses the physical tools to be a successful quarterback, but he has miles to go in the mental phase and is still owed quite a bit of money from his initial contract. The Raiders will certainly have to make a tough decision regarding Russell's future with the team this offseason, considering the amount of time and money they have devoted to making him the star of their franchise. Unfortunately, Russell has not come lose to reaching that status and was benched in favor of two journeymen quarterbacks this season. The final decision regarding Russell's future with the team will likely fall squarely on the shoulders of owner/GM Al Davis, but don't expect it to be an easy choice either way.

• 01/04/10 - 9:12AM ETRandy Moss : Catches Five in Season Finale

  Moss caught five passes for 75 yards in Sunday's regular season-finale.

  Respectable production for those who rolled with Moss despite some uncertainly as to how much playing time he would see in the finals. He finishes a regular season that featured some bumps, with 83 catches for 1,264 yards and 13 TDs. He'll be without running mate Wes Welker for the playoffs and probably the start of the 2010 season, so Moss will be Tom Brady's go-to wideout more than ever in the coming weeks and by extension, the coming months.

• 01/04/10 - 8:44AM ETVernon Davis : Ends Breakout Season in Style

  Davis caught six passes for 89 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's season-finale win over the Rams.

  The 2009 season was a breakout year for Davis, who caught 78 passes for 965 yards and 13 touchdowns, all easily career highs. His 13 TD grabs ties Antonio Gates' 2004 record for touchdowns by a tight end in a single season. Davis developed an excellent rapport with quarterback Alex Smith, as the pair connected for 10 touchdowns in the 11 games Smith played. Smith should be back at quarterback next season, and Davis will remain a big part of the offense in the 2010 season.

• 01/04/10 - 8:38AM ETJulian Edelman : Top Option to Replace Injured Welker

  With news that Wes Welker tore his ACL and MCL, Edelman is expected to move into the Patriots' starting lineup opposite Randy Moss.

  Make no mistake, Edelman is not a clone of Welker, but he can do many of the same things and will be counted on heavily in the playoffs and possibly into the beginning of the 2010 season. If you are backing the Pats in playoff pools, he's not a bad option especially in PPR formats.