FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 3/19/2013 12:48pm et

Arizona Cardinals RB Rashard Mendenhall never was 100 percent healed from his serious knee injury late in the 2011 season, according to Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert. Although Mendenhall returned for the Steelers' fourth game, Colbert believes he never got back to the shape he was in 2011. 'Honestly, I don't think he ever quite got to the point where he was 100 percent as we've seen him before,' Colbert said.

Huddle Up: Just chalk up 2012 as a lost season for Mendenhall, who finished with only 244 total yards and one TD in 6 games, with 101 of those yards and the TD coming in his Week 5 season debut. With a fresh start and another 7 months removed from his knee injury, don't be surprised to see a bounce-back season from the RB.

Posted: 3/13/2013 2:40pm et

The Arizona Cardinals have agreed to terms with free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall on a one-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall replaces Beanie Wells on the Arizona roster, although Ryan Williams is still in the mix for carries. Key for either Mendenhall or Williams will be what the Cardinals do to upgrade their offensive line and at the quarterback position.

Posted: 3/12/2013 12:02pm et

The Arizona Cardinals are interested in impending free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers). The Cardinals have competition, as the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins are also said to be interested.

Huddle Up: Many forget Mendenhall had 3 straight seasons with at least 1,000 or more yards from scrimmage and 8 TDs prior to last season's lost campaign (244 total yards, 1 TD), and Arizona might be his best bet to get the most playing time with the Cards releasing Beanie Wells on March 11.

Posted: 3/10/2013 11:20pm et

The Denver Broncos have expressed interest in free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers). The team's level of interest is not known at this point.

Huddle Up: With Willis McGahee turning 32 in Oct. and coming off a leg injury and Knowshon Moreno's history of injuries, the Broncos want to add another back to their mix -- possibly at McGahee's expense.

Posted: 1/27/2013 12:12am et

Pittsburgh Steelers team president Art Rooney II said he expected more from impending free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall this season, and added the team could look to upgrade the position in the offseason. "The season Rashard had was not what we would have hoped for," Rooney said. "Obviously, we knew he was coming back from an injury so there were some unknowns there. So, without getting into the real specifics with Rashard, it's fair to say that we are going to need a better performance out of the running back position if we're going to be successful. Whether it's Rashard or Jonathan [Dwyer] or Isaac [Redman} or somebody else, we have to be better at that position, as well as others, but certainly at that position. In this offseason that's something we've got to look at and decide how we get better and who we get better with."

Huddle Up: Doesn't sound like Mendenhall will be back in Pittsburgh next year--and if he is, it will likely be with competition. He could benefit from a change in scenery, but all indications are he needs to be a quantity back with a high volume of carries to be a fantasy factor.

Posted: 1/17/2013 7:52pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall is not expected to return to the team next season. General manager Kevin Colbert said Mendenhall's decision to skip a game this season was 'unacceptable.' The team isn't very happy with their other RBs, Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman, either.

Huddle Up: After Mendenhall's 182-yard performance in 6 games and the up-and-down play of Dwyer and Redman, the RB position is suddenly a need in Pittsburgh, who have most definitely lost their ground-and-pound identity of old.

Posted: 12/17/2012 5:14pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall returned to the team Monday, Dec. 17, after serving a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall may return more focused, but it only futher blurs a running back situation that is hard to peg week to week.

Posted: 12/11/2012 11:40pm et

The Pittsburgh Steelers suspended RB Rashard Mendenhall on Tuesday for Sunday's Week 15 game for conduct detrimental to the team. In a corresponding move, RB Baron Batch was promoted to the active roster.

Huddle Up: 174 total yards and 1 TD in 4 games -- that's been it for Mendenhall in a lost season that has seen him slip to third on the depth chart in recent weeks. Apparently the frustration is now boiling over for the RB, making him totally unrosterable.

Posted: 11/16/2012 1:48pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') is expected to start in Week 11. RB Isaac Redman is expected to serve as the short-yardage, third-down back. RB Jonathan Dwyer is expected to be the change-of-pace back.

Huddle Up: This is the equivalent of pouring a gallon of purified water into a muddy stream. We know what we're starting with, but we don't know what we're going to get. Mendenhall seems to have the most value going forward assuming everyone is healthy, but it's anyone guess as to what kind of fantasy output the three of these running backs will have. It is likely to be inconsistent.

Posted: 11/15/2012 4:00pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Isaac Redman said it appears like RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') will be the starting running back in Week 11.

Huddle Up: It's still very much a case of wait-and-see, but the chances of Mendenhall playing for the first time since Week 6 are looking pretty solid.

Posted: 11/14/2012 3:25pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Isaac Redman said he expects RBs Jonathan Dwyer (quadriceps) and Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') to be active for Week 11 in addition to himself.

Huddle Up: The Pittsburgh backfield is back to being the muddy mess we all expected when all the running backs were healthy. Neither Redman nor Dwyer had a good game last week anyway, and Ben Roethlisberger's injury will negatively impact all aspects of the offense. Stay away if you can.

Posted: 11/12/2012 7:23pm et

The Pittsburgh Steelers have declared WR Antonio Brown, QB Charlie Batch, CB DeMarcus Van Dyke, OT Marcus Gilbert, RB Rashard Mendenhall, LB Stevenson Sylvester, SS Troy Polamalu inactive for Week 10.

Huddle Up: As expected, Mendenhall (Achillies') will miss his fourth straight game and seventh overall, leaving the rushing workload in the hands of capable fill-ins Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer.

Posted: 11/10/2012 11:13pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') is listed as doubtful for the Week 10 game against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday, Nov. 12.

Huddle Up: It looks like Mendenhall will miss a 4th straight game, leaving the rushing chores in the hands of Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer.

Posted: 11/8/2012 10:43am et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall will be the starting running back once he returns to the lineup, according to running backs coach Kirby Wilson. "Rashard has always been our lead dog and our top runner," Wilson said. It remains unknown at this point, however, whether Mendenhall will play in Week 10. There is a chance the Steelers will go with a running back-by-committee approach, and Wilson repeated what head coach Mike Tomlin said earlier in the week about giving the ball to the running back who is having the most success during the game. Wilson indicated the first opportunities would go to Mendenhall. "Rashard is the complete package--power, speed, explosiveness," Wilson said. "He is the guy who can take a 10-yard run and make people miss and get 20 more. We think Jonathan has things that he is great at. Isaac has some things that he is great at. But Rashard is the complete package. Rashard has proved that he can do it over the long haul."

Huddle Up: Well, that's clear as mud. Buried in all that coach speak is the dreaded "hot hand" theory, and seeing as both Dwyer and Redman have posted 100-yard games while Mendenhall has been sidelined with his Achilles' tendon injury they're clearly capable of getting hot. Mendenhall is worth a stash in fantasy leagues if he's been kicked to the curb during his latest injury, but he has some hurdles to clear in addition to getting healthy before he can be trusted with regular fantasy starts.

Posted: 11/3/2012 10:21pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RBs Rashard Mendenhall (Achillies') and Jonathan Dwyer (quad) are listed as doubtful for Sunday's Week 9 game against the New York Giants.

Huddle Up: It's looking like Mendenhall will miss his third-straight game, while Dwyer will be sidelined after back-to-back 100-yard outings. That leaves Isaac Redman, who's listed as probable coming off an ankle injury, as the Steelers' main back with Baron Batch and Chris Rainey expected to chip in.

Posted: 10/31/2012 10:38pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') was limited in practice Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall at least got in a little work to start the week, but the next few days will be telling. Meanwhile, fellow RB Jonathan Dwyer (quad) was held out of practice Wednesday, while Isaac Redman (ankle) was able to practice in full.

Posted: 10/30/2012 5:07pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') is unlikely to play again in Week 9. RB Jonathan Dwyer (quadriceps) is expected to return to practice Thursday, Nov. 1, and the feeling is that Dwyer will start with RB Isaac Redman (ankle) serving as the third-down or short-yardage back.

Huddle Up: Dwyer gets one more week of run as a primary contributor for the Steelers, but Mendenhall will eventually be back. We do not think any of the Pittsburgh running backs are worth starting once all three are healthy, but Dwyer will be a serviceable fantasy starter once more this week.

Posted: 10/28/2012 12:51pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jonathan Dwyer is starting in Week 8 against the Washington Redskins with both RBs Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') and Isaac Redman (ankles) inactive again.

Huddle Up: Dwyer looks to build on his solid effort last wek.

Posted: 10/26/2012 1:37pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') will not play in Week 8 against the Washington Redskins, but he's on schedule to return in Week 9.

Huddle Up: This was not unexpected, and it gives Jonathan Dwyer a boost once again heading into the weekend. Whether or not Isaac Redman plays is the next piece of the puzzle; if Redman goes, Dwyer's value for this weekend plummets.

Posted: 10/25/2012 4:30pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) did not participate in practice Thursday, Oct. 25.

Huddle Up: Looks like Mendy is moving sideways since his return from injury. Can't feel to confident about starting him even if he does go.

Posted: 10/25/2012 12:08pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall is in the final year of his contract, and continued improvement by RB Jonathan Dwyer could push Mendenhall out of town. How Mendenhall's knee holds up over the final 10 games of the season might go as far as determining how much he is going to be worth on the open market next year.

Huddle Up: Running back is a disposable position in the NFL. Mendenhall will be seeking big money, but with the knee injury already on his resume and the Steelers managing to get by without him on the field it may not be Pittsburgh shelling out that money.

Posted: 10/24/2012 7:38pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RBs Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles'), Isaac Redman (ankle) and Jonathan Dwyer (non-injury related) did not practice Wednesday, Oct. 24.

Huddle Up: It's still early, but Mendenhall and Redman are going to have to demonstrate some progress over the next couple days to have any shot at a Week 8 return. If not, the Steelers will put the ball in Dwyer's capable hands for a 2nd-straight week.

Posted: 10/23/2012 2:30pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RBs Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') and Isaac Redman (ankle) could return to action in Week 8 against the Washington Redskins, but it's unknown which running back will start if they're both active.

Huddle Up: You'd also have to think that Jonathan Dwyer might've earned himself a spot in the rotation following his impressive 122-yard effort against the Bengals this past Sunday. Stay tuned for (hopefully) some further clarity.

Posted: 10/19/2012 1:55pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RBs Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') and Isaac Redman (ankle) did not practice Friday, Oct. 19, and will not play in Week 7.

Huddle Up: This clears up the picture a bit for the Pittsburgh backfield; Baron Batch and Jonathan Dwyer should get the bulk of the work with Chris Rainey involved as well. Both Dwyer and Batch are RB3/flex options at this point, with Dwyer possessing the better upside. If you have other decent options, it might be best to stay away from the Pittsburgh backfield this weekend, but either of these guys will make decent bye-week fill-ins if you need one.

Posted: 10/18/2012 7:01pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') did not practice Thursday, Oct. 18. Also sitting out practice were RB Isaac Redman (ankle), LB Chris Carter (hamstring) and OT Marcus Gilbert.

Huddle Up: The questions continue to swirl around the Steel City RB situation and offensive line as injuries have hit both hard. It sounds like Mendenhall has a better chance of playing than Redman, but if neither can go, Baron Batch, who filled in with TD in Week 6, would be called upon to make his first pro start.

Posted: 10/17/2012 6:11pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') did not participate in practice Wednesday, Oct. 17.

Huddle Up: It increasingly looks like Isaac Redman and Baron Batch will be carrying the load this weekend for the Steelers. Monitor Mendenhall's status through the rest of the week.

Posted: 10/15/2012 3:55pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles') has a good shot at playing in the team's Week 7 game.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall owners will likely be very gun-shy about inserting him in the starting lineup after he was a non-factor last week. But with bye weeks in full swing some may have no choice but to gamble.

Posted: 10/13/2012 6:46pm et

Updating a previous report, the Achilles' injury for Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall is not considered major, according to a person who has spoken with the player. The Achilles' tightened up in the Week 6 game against the Tennessee Titans Thursday, Oct. 11.

Huddle Up: Good news for Mendenhall's fantasy owners who feared they had lost the RB a week after his 2012 debut following offseason knee surgery. He'll have a few extra days to try to get ready for Week 7 with the Steelers having played Thursday night.

Posted: 10/12/2012 2:18pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall's (Achilles') injury appears to be the most serious of their injuries to come from their Week 6 game Thursday, Oct. 11, but it's unclear how much time he might need to miss.

Huddle Up: Hopefully it is not as serious as it sounds for Mendenhall, who broke loose for a big game in his first action since tearing his ACL last week. This would be a big blow to the Steelers' backfield, though Isaac Redman and Baron Batch did an admirable job in his stead against the Titans. If Redman has been dropped, it might be time to pick him up off waivers.

Posted: 10/11/2012 11:34pm et

RBs Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman left Thursday night's Week 6 game against the Tennessee Titans with injuries and and did not return. Mendenhall carried once in the third quarter before leaving with an Achilles' injury. Later in the quarter, Redman injured an ankle and hobbled off the field. They were replaced by special-teams player Baron Batch.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall, playing in only his second game, after returning from offseason knee surgery, had 6 yards on 6 carries and a reception for 11 yards. Redman, meanwhile, had enjoyed considerable more success with 105 yards on 4 catches and 14 yards on 5 rushes. Batch, though, capped an 80-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter.

Posted: 10/9/2012 4:07pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall had a successful season debut in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but offensive coordinator Todd Haley is likely to continue with a committee approach at running back for now.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall had 14 carries in Week 5 while Isaac Redman had 13, but Mendenhall by far had the better fantasy day with 81-41 advantage in rushing yards and scoring the Steelers' lone TD. As long as Mendenhall remains on the top side of that divide, he definitely belongs in starting lineups.

Posted: 10/8/2012 1:53pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said RB Rashard Mendenhall is not dealing with any issues with his knee after playing Week 5.

Huddle Up: Good news for Mendenhall who found his starters role safe and sound after missing the first 3 games.

Posted: 10/7/2012 7:56pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 81 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall also added 20 yards on a pair of catches and, in all, accounted for half of the Steelers' RB carries as Pittsburgh rushed for a season-high 136 yards.

Posted: 10/6/2012 7:01pm et

The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled in the running game so far this season, ranking 31st in the league and averaging just 65 yards rushing in three games. Furthermore, RBs Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer have averaged only 2.4 yards per carry and don't have a run longer than 13 yards. The return of RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) should help in that area. In the past three seasons, he has had 23 runs of 20 yards or longer, including 11 in 2010.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall definitely should help, but don't expect too much too early from the RB who is coming off offseason knee surgery.

Posted: 10/5/2012 9:52pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall said he's likely to share touches with RBs Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer in his first start of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5. Redman and Dwyer averaged only 2.5 yards per carry in Mendenhall's absence.

Huddle Up: Nothing unexpected here with Mendenhall still coming back sooner than expected from knee surgery. Unless you're desperate for RB help, it might be best to keep all Steeler backs on the bench until we can glean some fantasy clarity.

Posted: 10/5/2012 3:46pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) is listed as probable for Week 5.

Huddle Up: If you have been stashing Mendnenhall while he made his way back from a torn ACL, this is the time to deploy. Well, actually, you might want to wait a week to see how he responds to full contact, but this is nice for anyone who took a chance on him.

Posted: 10/3/2012 4:37pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) said he believes he will play in the team's Week 5 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Huddle Up: This was expected considering the Steelers did not put Mendenhall on the reserve/PUP list to start the season and their bye came in Week 4. He has been practicing in full for weeks now, so he should not be rusty. The Steelers hope he can give their run game a boost. Fantasy owners who own him hope the same for their teams.

Posted: 10/1/2012 2:50pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) thinks his speed and his ability to make cuts has returned after undergoing offseason knee surgery. He thinks his biggest adjustment will be learning offensive coordinator Todd Haley's new offense.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall is in line to play week 5, draft and stash owners will no doubt be anxious to see if he returns to his feature back role.

Posted: 10/1/2012 10:53am et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall is expected to play in the team's Week 5 game.

Huddle Up: The Steelers prematurely activated Mendenhall in the preseason; had he remained on the PUP list he would still be a couple weeks away from returning to action. So you have to think the Steelers had Week 5 as their target for him to get back in the mix. Isaac Redman has already indicated he thinks Mendenhall will return to the feature back role, but with Redman and Jonathan Dwyer having flashed some ability during Mendenhall's absence it may be more of a committee approach in Pittsburgh.

Posted: 9/21/2012 6:34pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) will not play in Week 3 against the Oakland Raiders despite making solid progress in practice this week.

Huddle Up: While Mendenhall has put in some practice reps over the past few weeks, the Steelers aren't going to push it with a bye week ahead in Week 4, thereby giving the RB an additional 2 weeks to get ready.

Posted: 9/20/2012 11:32am et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall is expected to return in Week 5, after the team's bye week. Even though Mendenhall has been taking on a heavier load in practice, the team will likely push back his regular season debut for another two weeks.

Huddle Up: The Steelers have been getting by with Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer, but neither has looked so good that Mendenhall won't likely return to the majority of the touches when he's back after the Steelers' bye in Week 4.

Posted: 9/19/2012 4:38pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) fully participated in practice Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Huddle Up: It's deja vu all over again for Mendenhall as he practices in full this week again. It is increasingly likely that the Steelers are waiting to bring him in until after their bye, but Mendenhall could be pressed into action if Jonathan Dwyer is out.

Posted: 9/18/2012 6:44pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) is progressing from offseason knee surgery and has been cleared to take contact in practice for the first time this week, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. 'We'll thud him up a little bit the day we're allowed to carry our pads,' Tomlin said. The Steelers rank 30th in the league in overall rushing yardage (141) and average yards per carry (2.6) after the first two weeks.

Huddle Up: Mendenhall's return to game action will likely come this week or next, and that's only going to further muddle the fantasy outlook for the Steelers' backfield, which has been manned the first 2 weeks by Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer.

Posted: 9/14/2012 4:12pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) practiced in full Friday, Sept. 14, but is doubtful for Week 2.

Huddle Up: The same thing happened in Week 1 after Mendenhall practiced in full. Considering C.J. Spiller's outburst against the Jets—albeit some of that in garbage time—Jonathan Dwyer becomes an intriguing option this week as his role in the offense grows.

Posted: 9/13/2012 7:20pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) practiced in full Thursday, Sept. 13.

Huddle Up: It sounds like Mendenhall is closer to returning, and when he does, the Steelers' RB situation has the makings of a fantasy quagmire with Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer also in the mix. Fantasy GM owning any part of this trio likely will be best served by keeping them on the bench and see what develops.

Posted: 9/12/2012 5:39pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) fully participated in practice Wednesday, Sept. 12.

Huddle Up: This is interesting considering the news that Jonathan Dwyer missed practice. Of course, Mendenhall practiced in full last week and was a "healthy" scratch on Sunday. He is still making his way back from a torn ACL, and he does not quite have the Wolverine healing capabilities that Adrian Peterson apparently possesses. If Dwyer is out and Mendenhall is in, expect a split with Isaac Redman.

Posted: 9/7/2012 4:14pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) is listed as doubtful for the Steelers' Week 1 game.

Huddle Up: This is not unexpected despite Mendenhall's return to practice. This also clears up the backfield situation a bit, with Jonathan Dwyer possibly getting the start and the most carries with Isaac Redman hurting.

Posted: 9/6/2012 11:18pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) is not expected to have a big role if he is active Week 1 even though he has been a full participant in practice Wednesday, Sept. 5, and Thursday, Sept. 6.

Huddle Up: Regardless of how much playing time Mendenhall gets in Week 1, it's clear that he's well ahead of schedule in his return from last season's ACL tear. And while he doesn't belong in starting lineups this week, he does deserve a roster spot in almost all leagues.

Posted: 9/5/2012 5:05pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) fully participated in practice Wednesday, Sept. 5.

Huddle Up: This is rather startling news out of Pittsburgh. No wonder Isaac Redman doesn't know whether he is the Week 1 starter or not. The fact remains that Mendenhall is returning from a torn ACL and he has not been practicing with the team all preseason like Redman. Do not start Mendenhall, but definitely pick him up if he is available in your league.

Posted: 9/4/2012 11:24pm et

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) took regular snaps with the starting offense Monday, Sept. 3, and he looked 'incredible,' according to DL Brett Keisel. Head coach Mike Tomlin is thinking of possibly starting Mendenhall over RB Isaac Redman in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. However, Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette doesn't expect Mendenhall to play and thinks Tomlin is trying to get the Broncos 'thinking a little bit.'

Huddle Up: Mendenhall may be ahead of schedule in returning from his ACL tear suffered in the 2011 regular-season finale, but there's definitely a little gamesmanship going on here. Those planning on starting Redman against a suspect Broncos run defense Sunday night should do so without hesitation.