The NFL and NFLPA released a statement Wednesday about potential policy changes related to player participation during the national anthem.Commissioner Roger Goodell stated in a letter Tuesday that he believes every player should stand for the anthem, but both governing bodies wrote Wednesday that no amendments are to be added to the league's policy during meetings next week.

He's 32 years old and was deemed the third-best running back on the New Orleans Saints, but Adrian Peterson refuses to give into the notion that he's lost a step."I have so much left," Peterson told reporters Wednesday following his first practice since joining the Arizona Cardinals, as transcribed by Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "I look to play at least four or five more years, God willing. I have a lot left in the tank. Stay tuned. You guys will be able to see that first-hand."Peterson was traded to the Cardinals on Tuesday after four uneventful games with the Saints. The future Hall of Famer is averaging just 2.4 yards per carry over his last seven games, dating back to last season with the Minnesota Vikings, but he has little doubt "All Day" will re-emerge."Do I still got it?" Peterson said as he responded to a question. "Well I don't think it's that mentality, 'Do I still got it?' but that's all you hear from the media ... 'Oh, he lost it - this, that, and the other.' So, of course, in my mind (I) was like, 'OK, I know that's not the case.' When I go out there I'm always putting my best foot forward and I feel like it will speak for itself."In addition to his advanced age and the wear and tear his body has taken over the course of his career, Peterson will have to overcome a struggling offensive line in the desert to prove he still has the coveted "it."He's expected to make his debut with Arizona on Sunday, when the 2-3 Cardinals host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is going through a nightmare 2017 season, but still has prominent supporters lobbying for him throughout the league.Beckham fractured his ankle Sunday and will miss the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, the Giants remain winless despite being billed a sleeper Super Bowl contender.Although Beckham will be rendered inactive for the duration of the year, Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller believes the superstar wideout is due for a historic payday."Odell (Beckham) should be the highest-paid player ever in the National Football League," Miller said Wednesday, via ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "He should be the highest-paid player ever, regardless of position. That's just the type of player he is. It doesn't matter if it's quarterback, offensive line, receiver. It doesn't matter. The type of impact that he has on the globe, the type of viewers that he brings - just him as a player. That makes up for him not playing quarterback. So, he's a once-in-a-lifetime player. Definitely deserving."There's no reason that he won't come back and be the same type of player. That's just one of the guys that you invest in. When you get a guy like that, that's the guy that you invest in, that you want to keep around for his whole career."Miller said he's confident Beckham will return from injury better than ever, reflecting upon his own experience. The Broncos star tore his ACL in December 2013 and missed his team's appearance in Super Bowl XLVIII against the Seattle Seahawks."I talked to (Beckham) and it's just a tough situation," Miller said. "Every elite player in the National Football League has to overcome some type of injury once or twice in their career. The type of person that Odell is - I know him personally, so I know that he's going to come back even stronger and better."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's as if the Cleveland Browns didn't have their choice at the 2017 NFL Draft, when they passed on Deshaun in favor of DeShone."DeShone Kizer's on our team, Deshaun Watson's on their team," Browns coach Hue Jackson said Wednesday ahead of Cleveland's visit to the Houston Texans on Sunday. "We can't all of a sudden flip 'em."It's too late now, but back in April the Browns had plenty of opportunities to take Watson. They chose to pass on him and two other quarterbacks before selecting Kizer in the second round.Watson has gone on to thrive with the Texans, while Kizer - who earned the Browns' starting job out of training camp - has struggled. He was benched last week and will remain on the pine Sunday, as Kevin Hogan gets the starting nod.The Browns are 0-5 this season and are 1-20 under Jackson.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The woman who released a video of now-former Miami Dolphins offensive line coach Chris Foerster snorting an unidentified white powder has tried to justify her decision to release the incriminating footage.Foerster resigned Monday after the video was released Sunday.Related: Dolphins investigating video of OL coach appearing to snort substanceKijuana Nige said she released the video to highlight systemic inequality in the United States, a decision that was spurred by racial tensions, believing Foerster would've been immediately fired were he a minority."Unfortunately, a point has to be proven," Nige said on ESPN Radio's The Dan Le Batard ShowFoerster turned down a request to appear on the show.Nige insists Foerster would've been outed even if she didn't post the video."Even if he didn't send that video, it was going to be exposed because it needed to be exposed."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert is considering season-ending back surgery, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates.The 27-year-old caught four passes for 46 yards in the first two games of this season, but has missed Cincinnati's last three contests.He previously underwent back surgery in December, and has also battled a knee injury throughout the 2017 campaign.The Bengals have gone 2-1 in Eifert's absence, while backup tight end Tyler Kroft has seen his targets increase.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Zimmer was just as baffled as the viewing audience when tight end Kyle Rudolph and the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line and receivers broke out in a game of "duck, duck, goose" after a touchdown on Monday night."I saw them sitting on their butts over there and I just asked, 'what the heck are they doing?'" Zimmer said at his Wednesday press conference. "I didn't know what was going on. I know I hadn't see them practice it."The light-hearted moment even impressed Zimmer, a noted hard-ass."If we score a lot of touchdowns, I'll jump in with them," he said.The Vikings' Twitter team referred to the game as "Duck, Duck, Gray Duck," something Zimmer doesn't have a problem with."I am in Minnesota, so I'll go with gray duck," he said. "I've never heard of that before but I am a Minnesotan - I've probably shot a gray duck."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins running back Rob Kelley "has to make major strides" in his recovery from a sprained ankle in order to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Jay Gruden told reporters Wednesday, including ESPN's John Keim.Kelley started three of the four games he's played in this season. It seemed as though the Week 5 bye came at the right time, but the sophomore has yet to return to full health.Rookie Samaje Perine started in the only game Kelley has missed and would be in line for the start if Kelley is again absent.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

DeShone Kizer is trying to take the positives from his benching.After Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson announced Kevin Hogan would get the start this week behind center, Kizer vowed to do whatever it takes to get back out on the field."I don't play this game to sit on the bench, so now it's about accepting this as a challenge and doing whatever I can to get back out there and once again be the best quarterback and the best version of myself I can be,'' Kizer said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.Kizer has thrown nine interceptions as the Browns are off to an 0-5 start, but he's not the only one to blame for Cleveland being winless. The Browns lack talent at the skill positions around Kizer, though the rookie isn't making excuses."Nothing makes this easier,'' Kizer said. "I'm a competitor. I want to be out there playing. When I came out here and got drafted here, my ultimate goal was to be the starting quarterback for every opportunity that I could and I came a little short of that this week and I'm going to do whatever I can to get right back on the path that I was on."Kizer did note his relationship with Jackson is still good and his head coach is sticking by him."Nah, he's completely riding with me still,'' Kizer said. "He's just going to ride with me from a new angle. And he felt like this offense needed a spark and that they're going to be able to get that with Kevin. I believe that he's still going to ride with me throughout this time that I'm not the starter and making sure that I'm continuing to develop through reps in practice and learning from Kevin as he's out there leading this team."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It might be harder to spot Adrian Peterson when he takes the field for the Arizona Cardinals.Peterson will be wearing No. 23 with Arizona instead of his usual 28.

NFL owners will discuss how to handle protests during the national anthem next week at its fall meetings and the league is reportedly considering instituting a rule that would make standing for the anthem mandatory.At least one player believes that would not sit well with the workforce."I don't think guys are gonna like it," Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said to ESPN's Adam Schefter."I think it's gonna be an uproar if that is to happen because you're basically taking away a constitutional right to freedom of speech. If guys wanna have a, I guess you would call it a peaceful protest, I don't think it's right to take that away."McCoy has always stood for the anthem, but in Week 3, more than 200 NFL players demonstrated during the anthem after President Donald Trump called for owners to "get that son of a bitch off the field" if a player protested. Protests have continued in subsequent weeks, though in smaller numbers."I had two teammates who did it, in Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson. That's their right to do that," McCoy said. "And if they're gonna do it, they're gonna have support of the whole team."Commissioner Roger Goodell stated in a memo sent out to all 32 teams on Tuesday that "everyone should stand for the national anthem."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants are suspending cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie after he left the team Wednesday, head coach Ben McAdoo announced.Rodgers-Cromartie later confirmed he had an argument with McAdoo over playing time, but he claims he was suspended before he walked out.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was back on the practice field Wednesday after missing Tuesday's session with a shoulder injury, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.Brady is reportedly dealing with an AC joint sprain in his non-throwing shoulder that he aggravated in last week's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The injury isn't considered serious and the 40-year-old is expected to be behind center for Sunday's game against the New York Jets.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a foundation which works with the NFL to promote a more diverse workforce, is calling on Colin Kaepernick to break his silence.John Wooten provided a statement to ESPN's Josina Anderson on Wednesday, asking Kaepernick to speak on the intent and purposes of his protest during the national anthem, an act that has spawned a movement and drawn U.S. President Donald Trump into the conversation.

Each week, Monty Andrews breaks down some of the underlying betting mismatches on the National Football League slate, giving you an inside edge when handicapping the schedule and setting your daily fantasy lineup.

The writing was on the wall for Adrian Peterson.Though the veteran running back was scooped up by the New Orleans Saints in free agency, he hardly saw the field in his first four games with the team.Incumbent starter Mark Ingram nearly doubled his carries and rookie Alvin Kamara flashed as a receiving threat.It all led the Saints to trade Peterson to the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday, something New Orleans coach Sean Payton said made too much sense not to do."This was done just using common sense, and we had a chance to get a draft pick next year," Payton said, according to Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune. "I know Arizona was short at this position, and there's a confidence level we have with how Mark and how Alvin are playing."Though Peterson's time in New Orleans was brief, there doesn't appear to be any lingering animosity between the coach and his former player."Our relationship, I would say, has been fantastic, and (the trade) was an opportunity really where he was going to obviously get somewhere and be featured more," Payton said. "I'm happy that that opportunity has come up and we were able to make a trade."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kenny Stills, Michael Thomas, and Julius Thomas of the Miami Dolphins have been at the forefront of the debate on protests during the national anthem ahead of kickoff.The trio has been taking a knee during the anthem as a protest of injustices in America, and when team owner Stephen Ross instructed his players to stand during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" on Sunday, they remained in the locker room.On Tuesday, the three Dolphins met with the North Miami Police Department to foster relations between the two sides. They were joined by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The Dallas Cowboys held a team meeting following owner Jerry Jones' comments that any player disrespecting the flag would not play, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport notes the meeting was to discuss the anthem issue and to air out frustrations.Jones made headlines Sunday when he stated the Cowboys would "stand up for the flag.""But if there is anything that is disrespectful to the flag we will not play," Jones said. "You understand? If we are disrespecting the flag we won't play. Period. We're going to respect the flag."Jones' comments prompted Local 100 of the United Labor Unions to file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board over the issue.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL released a statement Wednesday morning ostensibly disputing claims that commissioner Roger Goodell is demanding players stand for the national anthem.Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that it was "about time" Goodell demanded players stand for the national anthem.

AFCLos Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his two-touchdown performance versus the New York Giants on Sunday. Gordon carried the ball 20 times for 105 yards and added six receptions for 58 yards and two scores, including the game-winning 10-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith recorded six tackles and a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown in Sunday's upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week accolades in the process. It's his third such career award.Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri added to his AFC Special Teams Player of the Week haul, earning the 17th award of his career, the most in NFL history. The veteran was a perfect 4-for-4 in field-goal tries and booted a game-winning 51-yard kick in overtime to lead the Colts over the San Francisco 49ers.NFCAaron Rodgers' latest heroics earned him the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for Week 5. The Green Bay Packers quarterback led the team to a last-minute 35-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys by throwing for three touchdown passes, including a 12-yard pass to Davante Adams with 11 seconds left in the game.Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week after he racked up six tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble in a win over the division-rival Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.Kenjon Barner accumulated 110 punt return yards, including a 76-yarder, for the Philadelphia Eagles, earning him the nod as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Ditka attempted to clarify comments he made recently about protests during the national anthem, where he said there was no oppression that he knew of in the last 100 years.The former Chicago Bears head coach released a statement Tuesday night, apologizing for offending anyone with his earlier commentary.

After five starts, rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer has been sent to the bench.Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson named backup Kevin Hogan as the starter for the team's next game against the Houston Texans."I've made the decision to start Kevin this week," Jackson said in a statement Wednesday. "We've liked what Kevin has been able to do within our offense when he's been in there and he will start on Sunday because that's what we feel is best for our team at this point in time."Kizer was benched during the team's Week 5 loss to the New York Jets. He went 8-for-17 for 87 yards and an interception thrown in the red zone. He also lost a fumble before being replaced by Hogan.Hogan went 16-for-19 for 194 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in relief.The Browns used their 52nd overall pick to draft Kizer in April and named him the team's starting quarterback after the preseason. Though he has shown flashes, he's also thrown nine interceptions and lost two fumbles in just five games."This does not change the way we feel about DeShone going forward," Jackson said of his decision to bench the rookie. "He has worked extremely hard and still very much has a bright future. Right now, it's better for him and his development to back up Kevin."The move spares the winless Browns from a matchup between Kizer and Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson.Cleveland passed on Watson and elected to take pass-rusher Myles Garrett with the first pick of this year's draft. Watson has started the past four games for Houston and led the team to a 2-2 record in that span, throwing for 11 touchdown passes and rushing for two more.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

President Donald Trump offered his support for Roger Goodell after the commissioner sent a memo to all NFL teams Tuesday.In it, Goodell stated that discussions on protests during the national anthem will be held next week during league meetings, and added that the NFL believes "everyone should stand for the national anthem."That was music to the president's ears.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's NFL Editors, including Michael Amato, Michael McClymont, Mitch Sanderson, and Arun Srinivasan.1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan1st1st1st1stPrevious Rank: 1stThe Chiefs have outgunned their opponents - leading the league in scoring to date - but face a dangerous stretch with the Steelers, Raiders, Broncos, and Cowboys up next. - McClymont2. Green Bay Packers (4-1)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan2nd2nd2nd2ndPrevious Rank: 2ndThere's no team the Packers can't beat with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, and Green Bay ranks in the top five at creating turnovers. That means more time for Rodgers to pick apart opposing defenses. - Amato3. Atlanta Falcons (3-1)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan3rd4th4th3rdPrevious Rank: 4thA couple disappointing defeats by other top teams let the stink fade from the Falcons' loss to Buffalo. And Julio Jones was afforded a much-needed chance to heal up during the bye week. - Sanderson4. Denver Broncos (3-1)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan5th3rd3rd4thPrevious Rank: 3rdWith the lowly Giants and Chargers up next, the Broncos could be 5-1 entering a juicy Monday night matchup against the Chiefs in Week 8. - McClymont5. Carolina Panthers (4-1)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan7th5th7th5thPrevious Rank: 9thAfter his mouth got him in hot water last week, Cam Newton's impressive performance against a solid Lions team was the best thing that could have happened to the Panthers. - Sanderson6. New England Patriots (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan4th10th5th6thPrevious Rank: 7thIt may have been premature to count out the Patriots' defense. Any unit overseen by Bill Belichick will always be in the mix. - Srinivasan7. Philadelphia Eagles (4-1)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan6th6th6th7thPrevious Rank: 10thThe Eagles are quietly pulling away from their NFC East foes, in large part due to the offense tailoring itself to Carson Wentz's strengths. Don't sleep on Philly any longer. - Srinivasan8. Detroit Lions (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan8th7th8th8thPrevious Rank: 6thDetroit must improve its 25th-ranked rushing attack to take some of the pressure off Matthew Stafford and to truly be considered an NFC contender. - Amato9. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan9th8th9th9thPrevious Rank: 13thThe Seahawks aren't ready to cede the NFC West just yet. That was a statement win against the oncoming Rams. - McClymont10. Los Angeles Rams (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan13th9th11th11thPrevious Rank: 8thThe Rams were a dropped Cooper Kupp touchdown away from taking down the Seahawks and taking control of the division. They're that close. - McClymont11. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan10th12th13th10thPrevious Rank: 5thYou can't lose to the Bears and get blown out at home by the Jaguars and still be considered one of the league's elite teams. - Amato12. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan16th11th10th12thPrevious Rank: 23rdStop concerning yourself with Blake Bortles so much. Leonard Fournette and the defense can win without relying on the quarterback for much more than handoffs. - Sanderson13. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan11th14th15th15thPrevious Rank: 22ndThe Ravens beat the Derek Carr-less Raiders, but scoring 30 points might be a sign the offense is busting out of its struggles. - Amato14. Buffalo Bills (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan15th13th17th13thPrevious Rank: 12thThe Bills will use the bye week to get healthy after trying to use a largely anonymous receiving corps to sneak by the Bengals ... to no avail. - Srinivasan15. Minnesota Vikings (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan12th15th18th16thPrevious Rank: 19thThe Vikes are proving they can win without Sam Bradford and Dalvin Cook. Don't write Minnesota out of the playoff picture just yet. - Amato16. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan14th18th12th18thPrevious Rank: 11thThe Cowboys will rue their missed opportunity to put away Aaron Rodgers and the Packers at home. Could this be the beginning of a downward spiral? - Srinivasan17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan17th16th16th14thPrevious Rank: 15thJameis Winston's performance last Thursday was ugly, but overall, the Bucs losing 19-14 to the Patriots while missing three of their top defenders wasn't that bad, if we're keeping expectations realistic. - Sanderson18. Washington Redskins (2-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan19th17th21st17thPrevious Rank: 18thWashington will begin its playoff push coming off a bye with a winnable game against San Francisco. It's time for the offensive fireworks to begin. - Srinivasan19. Houston Texans (2-3)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan23rd19th14th19thPrevious Rank: 16thLosing J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus puts the Texans in a hole defensively, though that could leave more room for the Deshaun Watson Show to get air time. - Sanderson20. New Orleans Saints (2-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan18th20th20th21stPrevious Rank: 20thWith Willie Snead finally back in the fold, the Saints' offense can operate as designed. Meanwhile, the defense needs to keep momentum from its London shutout alive. - Sanderson21. Oakland Raiders (2-3)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan21st22nd19th20thPrevious Rank: 14thIt was all good just three weeks ago, but the season has taken an ugly turn for the Raiders with Derek Carr's injury, reports of infighting, and even fighting with fans. - McClymont22. Tennessee Titans (2-3)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan24th21st22nd23rdPrevious Rank: 17thThe Titans need Marcus Mariota healthy, like right now. And if he could learn to play defensive back as well, that'd be great. - Sanderson23. Miami Dolphins (2-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan20th27th25th22ndPrevious Rank: 25thIt was an ugly win over the Titans, but they all count the same in the standings. - Srinivasan24. New York Jets (3-2)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan26th23rd24th24thPrevious Rank: 24thIt appears we're all skeptical of the Jets' three-game winning streak. The Patriots will likely provide a reality check Sunday. - Srinivasan25. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan25th26th23rd25thPrevious Rank: 21stBruce Arians appears to have lost this bunch, admitting he "obviously did something wrong." Will the addition of Adrian Peterson rescue the season? - McClymont26. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan22nd24th28th26thPrevious Rank: 28thA pair of wins have the Bengals back in the AFC North hunt and the offense is showing signs of life since Bill Lazor took over as coordinator; the Bengals are averaging 25 points per game since the switch. - Amato27. Indianapolis Colts (2-3)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan27th25th27th27thPrevious Rank: 26thJacoby Brissett deserves a lot of credit for boosting his trade value and keeping the Colts from being the Browns, but we all know what the problem in Indy is. - Sanderson28. Los Angeles Chargers (1-4)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan29th28th26th30thPrevious Rank: 30thThe Chargers are on the board! Their first win came at an opportune time, because games against the Raiders, Broncos, and Patriots are on deck. - McClymont29. Chicago Bears (1-4)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan28th29th29th28thPrevious Rank: 27thMitchell Trubisky didn't look much better than Mike Glennon in his debut, and the rookie pivot catching fire is likely the only way John Fox can save his job. - Amato30. New York Giants (0-5)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan31st30th30th29thPrevious Rank: 29thOdell Beckham's season-ending injury was just the latest nightmare in what's been a calamitous year for the Giants. With the Broncos and Seahawks ahead, New York could easily be 0-7 heading into November. - Srinivasan31. San Francisco 49ers (0-5)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan30th31st31st31stPrevious Rank: 31stThey've been in every game since the opener, but moral victories don't count in the win column. - McClymont32. Cleveland Browns (0-5)AmatoMcClymontSandersonSrinivasan32nd32nd32nd32ndPrevious Rank: 32ndCleveland has wasted chances to beat the Colts and Jets. There aren't many more winnable games on the schedule, making 0-16 a legitimate possibility. - AmatoCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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The Houston Texans are getting some help after losing two of their best defenders on Sunday.With season-ending injuries to defensive end J.J. Watt and linebacker Whitney Mercilus, the Texans are signing defensive linemen Kendall Langford and linebacker Lamarr Houston, according to Stephen Holder of the Indy Star and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Langford started the season with the New Orleans Saints, but was not active for any games. The 31-year-old had played the previous two years as a starter for the Indianapolis Colts.Houston, an Oakland Raiders second-round pick in 2010, played the last three years with the Chicago Bears, amassing a career-high eight sacks in 2015, though he only played in two contests last season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Local 100 of the United Labor Unions filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday after the owner threatened to not allow players who protest during the national anthem to play, according to documents obtained by Clarence E. Hill and Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram.The union, which represents workers in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, claims Jones violated the National Labor Relations Act and has asked the board to "investigate preemptively in order to prevent illegal firings of players."A portion of the filing states:

Hall of Fame head coach Mike Ditka questioned the validity of social activism and oppression in America on Monday, and Joe Namath was not going to let it stand.After the 77-year-old said, "there has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of," in regards to players protesting during the anthem, Namath called out Ditka's understanding of those very social issues on Tuesday."Look up the meaning of oppression," Namath told Fox News, according to John Bowden of The Hill. "Look up the definition of oppression, and you understand that it's obviously taken place."While Namath said he believes owners have the right to tell players not to protest at their workplace, he sympathized with Colin Kaepernick's protest and the initial reasoning for the quarterback's kneeling."Going back to what Colin Kaepernick initially did, it was to point out some injustice that’s being done to the black race," Namath said. "Or to people that obviously when you look - and I say obviously, some of these dash cams and shootings that were done to unarmed people. He was reaching out to try to get it more investigated. So that’s where this oppression thing comes in."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Trades in the NFL never seem to be expected, but they often seem rather obvious once they transpire.With the New Orleans Saints moving on from Adrian Peterson by sending him to the Arizona Cardinals after he slipped to third on their depth chart, we started thinking about who else should be traded this season.Here are the ten biggest names we came up with:TE Antonio Gates, ChargersAgreed. It would be super weird to see Gates in a uniform that is not the Chargers'. However, the 37-year-old has an expiring contract and is likely playing his last season in the league without the Super Bowl he deserves. Moving him to a team that has a chance to go the distance would be a nice finish for the future Hall of Famer.Potential destinations: Panthers, Falcons, BroncosCB Vontae Davis, ColtsThe Colts are cooked without Andrew Luck this season and Davis' contract is up at the end of the year. The 29-year-old can play a shutdown role, but in a secondary as inexperienced as Indianapolis', he would be better off moving on to let younger players get some snaps.Potential destinations: Packers, Lions, PatriotsWR Jarvis Landry, DolphinsNobody is disputing that Landry isn't one of the best slot specialists in the NFL, though Jay Cutler and Adam Gase are both more inclined to take deep shots than hit the 24-year-old on short routes. If the Dolphins aren't going to extend his deal soon, they should let him go to a team that might.Potential destinations: Ravens, Seahawks, BearsCB Malcolm Butler, PatriotsButler's name was floated in trade talks last spring, but the Patriots reportedly didn't like what was proposed. Now that the fourth-year cornerback is struggling and New England looks unlikely to give him a new contract, whatever they were offered doesn't look so bad. This would also be the typical mid-season wake-up call that Bill Belichick has pulled off when his teams have struggled in the past.Potential destinations: Saints, Raiders, EaglesLB NaVorro Bowman, 49ersBowman's name has been floated in trade rumors for a few seasons and now that Reuben Foster has arrived as one of the faces of the new-look 49ers, it may be time to pull the trigger on moving the 29-year-old four-time All-Pro.Potential destinations: Raiders, Bills, TitansRB Matt Forte, JetsWhile the Jets record sits at a surprising 3-2, Forte's presence on their roster is a waste. The former Bears workhorse joined the team on the advice of Brandon Marshall, who later requested his release, and now Forte has been stranded without hope of winning a Super Bowl before his 32nd birthday.Potential destinations: Packers, Rams, LionsCB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, GiantsNow that they're 0-5 without their two best receivers, the Giants have no reason not to start selling assets in preparation for the future. Rodgers-Cromartie, 31, has been competing with second-year corner Eli Apple for starting snaps and New York may as well let the younger player take over.Potential destinations: Chiefs, Patriots, RaidersCB Adam Jones, BengalsThough he has a sizable cap hit this season, the 34-year-old has less than $700,000 guaranteed after this year, and could be a productive piece in a defense that doesn't require him to face the opposition's top talent.Potential destinations: Chiefs, Falcons, JaguarsRB Chris Ivory, JaguarsClearly this is Leonard Fournette's backfield now. T.J. Yeldon can be the change-of-pace runner that spells the rookie powerback, leaving little reason to keep Ivory in the fold.Potential destinations: Redskins, Ravens, RamsLT Duane Brown, TexansThe Texans' offense does appear to be missing Brown since he decided to hold out in hopes of a new contract before the season. If he's not going to show up and Houston isn't inclined to increase his salary, they may as well get something in return from a team that needs left tackle help.Potential destinations: Seahawks, Giants, Cardinals(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has been one of the leading voices among NFL players about social activism, and he's not amused by the league's recent memo.After Roger Goodell sent a letter to players stating "everyone should stand for the national anthem," Jenkins responded Tuesday, letting the league know its suggestion isn't going to scare anyone."I think we've seen even over the last year that you can take a player out of the league, you can threaten to do whatever you want to do, that's not going to deter players from doing what's right, or doing what they believe is right," Jenkins said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Tim McManus. "You might be able to change the manner in which that looks but I don't see players stopping their pursuit for justice or equality."Along with Tuesday's suggestion, the NFL will reportedly consider a policy change to mandate players to stand for the anthem.Jenkins said players have had open dialogue with some owners and Goodell so they should know players will continue to use their platform to attempt to make change. If the league decides to mandate how players act during the anthem, Jenkins would be in disagreement, though he said it wouldn't stop players."I think that would be an unfortunate decision if (forcing players to stand is) all that came out of it, if there was no effort to replace the platform that guys have been using to draw attention to issues in our country," said Jenkins. "If there is no effort to assist players in that, I think it would be very, very unfortunate, and I don't think that would go over well."I don't think this would stop anybody from trying to push for change, push for justice. Players have always kind of moved around, found new ways."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his fourth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his early rankings for Week 6.Updated rankings (including PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Standard

In comes one former 2,000-yard rusher, out goes another.For the second time this season, the Arizona Cardinals released running back Chris Johnson, the team announced on Tuesday."(General manager) Steve (Keim) and I had been talking for the last couple of weeks about the running back position," head coach Bruce Arians said. "Chris Johnson is a great guy and I hate that it came down this way for him, but we had to do something to help our football team."While the first time Johnson was released was to cut the roster down to 53 players before Week 1, Tuesday's release was due to the team's trade for Adrian Peterson. Ironically, Johnson tweeted during Peterson's Week 1 game with the New Orleans Saints that the veteran should get more opportunities.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will be re-evaluated by his surgeon Monday to determine if the third-year pro can be removed from the physically unable to perform list and begin practicing, team trainer Eric Sugarman said Tuesday, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.Bridgewater hasn't played since the 2015 season after suffering major structural damage on a non-contact injury to his knee before the 2016 campaign. Bridgewater had to wait until the beginning of Week 6 before being eligible to come off the PUP list.The news comes at an uncertain time for the Vikings' in terms of their quarterback situation, as Sam Bradford re-aggravated a knee injury Monday night against the Chicago Bears in his first game since Week 1. Sugarman also confirmed that Bradford's injury Monday was due to wear and tear, not a bone bruise like he suffered Week 1. The trainer, however, wouldn't speculate on how long Bradford would take to recover.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka spoke about players protesting during the national anthem Monday night on Westwood One's Monday Night Football pregame show, saying there has been no oppression in the United States for the past 100 years."All of a sudden, it's become a big deal now, about oppression," Ditka said, according to ESPN. "There has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of. Now maybe I'm not watching it as carefully as other people."One of Ditka's former players disagrees with him. Linebacker Otis Wilson, who played with the Bears for eight seasons in the 1980s, said Ditka doesn't know what it's like for African-Americans."Well I guess if he walked in a black man's shoes, he would understand," Wilson said. "I would say all lives matter and the rules are not level for everybody. Let's say the average Joe on the street doesn't really have a platform. Colin [Kaepernick] has a platform, so he used his platform. That's his rights. Everybody has rights. So don't knock somebody for when they use it and how they use it because if it was against the laws or against the rules they would have sat him down and told him about that."This is America. You should be free to do what you want to do and leave it at that. Is America a lot easier than being in another country somewhere? Yes it is. But then on the other hand, being a black man, there's a lot of things you can't do. Not being black, he doesn't understand that."Former Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver, Steve Smith, didn't take kindly to Ditka's comments.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady suffered what's believed to be a sprained AC joint in his non-throwing shoulder during last week's win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Brady was not at practice Tuesday and instead underwent an MRI that came back negative, according to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston. He's expected to play Sunday against the New York Jets.Brady was sacked three times Thursday night and took a number of big hits in the contest. However, he still went 30-of-40 passing and racked up 303 yards and one touchdown against an interception in the 19-14 victory.The Patriots don't have to submit an injury report until Wednesday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tilman Fertitta was officially introduced as the new owner of the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, a little more than a month after spending an NBA-record $2.2 billion for the franchise.As NBA team valuations continue to rise into NFL territory, however, Fertitta says he wouldn't have spent the same money on a football team."I would have been scared to pay $2.2 billion for an NFL franchise at this point," the billionaire businessman said, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "The NBA is where it's at."While the NFL remains the undisputed king of the hill in the American pro sports' pecking order, there are legitimate long-term questions about the league and even the sport itself.Fertitta purchased the Rockets from Les Alexander, who paid $85 million for the team in 1993. That represents a 2,500 percent basic return on investment for Alexander.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was only a matter of time before Adrian Peterson's stint with the New Orleans Saints came to an end.The veteran running back isn't used to receiving less than seven carries per game, and signing with the Saints was a curious move from the start, so Tuesday's reported trade to the Arizona Cardinals was anything but unexpected.Peterson noted after his debut with New Orleans that he didn't sign up for nine snaps, and he figures to have a much bigger workload in the desert with David Johnson sidelined. The Cardinals are dead last in the NFL in rushing, averaging a measly 2.6 yards per carry, so Arizona will likely lean on Peterson to rectify that.Arizona's backfield is as crowded as it was in New Orleans, but far less talented. Andre Ellington hasn't delivered on a once promising career, Kerwynn Williams doesn't have the talent to be a No. 1 back, and Chris Johnson was released Tuesday, so nothing is standing in the way of Peterson getting the ball with regularity.The question is: Can he recapture his All-Pro form?Conventional wisdom says no, as he's 32 and has suffered multiple significant injuries during his career, including a meniscus tear that cost him 13 games a year ago. The counterpoint is that Peterson should be relatively fresh for a back his age, considering he missed the majority of the 2014 and 2016 campaigns.His 27 carries this season isn't enough of a sample size to see what the veteran has left to offer, especially when he posted more than 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground in his last full season in 2015. It's also important to remember Peterson was named MVP in 2012, only eight months after tearing his ACL and MCL, so he has rebounded from greater challenges.He'll now get possibly his last chance to prove what he has left in the tank. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Bruce Arians will give him 20-plus carries a game since the Cards' rushing attack has been so terrible. What does he have to lose?There will be closure on Peterson's career either way. The seven-time Pro Bowler is either going to show he's ready for retirement, or that he has what it takes to still play at a high level.It's clear he's ready for such a challenge based on his frustrations in New Orleans, as well as his response to being dealt to the Cardinals:

Each week during the pro football season, Covers Expert Art Aronson of AAA Sports looks at the NFL odds and tells you which spread to bet now, which one to bet later, and which total to watch as the week plays out.Game to bet now

Matt Williamson is a former scout for the Cleveland Browns and spent 10 years at ESPN as a scout and co-host of "The Football Today Podcast." Every Tuesday, Williamson will look at four major developments from the previous weekend of action in the NFL.Have the Eagles played their way into early Super Bowl contention?Yes - and to pat myself on the back a bit, I picked Philadelphia to win the NFC East in my preseason predictions.The biggest reason for my optimism at the time centered around Carson Wentz, with whom I am flat out smitten. But I also thought Philadelphia's defense - with the exception of the cornerback position - would be excellent this year. Both of these prognostications have come to reality, but what I didn't expect was the Eagles to run the ball as well as they have.An excellent offensive line deserves much of the credit, but so does the play-calling for sticking to the run throughout the course of games. The Eagles are for real and should stay that way for years to come. Their upcoming Thursday night battle against the Panthers could be one of the best games of the season. And oh, by the way ... I picked Carolina to win the NFC South.What should the Steelers do about Roethlisberger?There's nothing they can do. Roethlisberger is playing poorly, but of course he won't be benched. For the Steelers to get to where this team could be, however, the quarterback simply has to play better.Many are now suggesting Roethlisberger is washed up after he threw five interceptions against the Jaguars this past weekend. But he's actually played at that disturbing level all season long, even though the results hadn't been as disastrous until Sunday.Roethlisberger's deep passing has been especially worrisome, even as the Steelers insist on taking shots downfield. He not only isn't making "wow" plays like he once did, but is also missing far too many open throws. The answer is for Pittsburgh to do what it did about halfway through the 2016 season when it went on its huge winning streak.In short, this offense needs to go through Le'Veon Bell rather than the quarterback position. And strangely enough, this unit hasn't employed a lot of play-action passing - something it should be calling more often. When it comes to Roethlisberger, think late-career John Elway once he got Terrell Davis. That's what Pittsburgh's offense needs to become.Can Deshaun Watson challenge Kareem Hunt for offensive rookie honors?For sure. While I'm still not 100 percent on board the Watson train quite yet, Bill O'Brien has done a masterful job of designing Houston's offense around what the rookie passer does well. That's what strong coaching does for you.We also know that when award time comes around, quarterbacks always get the benefit of the doubt. Case in point was last year, as I thought Ezekiel Elliott should have beat out his teammate Dak Prescott, but that wasn't the case. Hunt has been outstanding this season and currently deserves to be the favorite while leading the NFL's best team, but he's dipped just a bit by his very high standards over the past two weeks.Meanwhile, if Jacksonville can reach the postseason, surely it will be on the backs of its defense and Leonard Fournette, so he isn't out of the race either. But the numbers and highlights that Watson has provided over the past two weeks are ideal for the Rookie of the Year award.Which team is likely to remain winless the longest?The Browns, Giants, and 49ers have all yet to win a game in 2017. Cleveland is the worst team in the NFL, so it shouldn't be a huge shock to see it along with San Francisco at the bottom of the standings. Both franchises are simply short on talent and clearly rebuilding.The Giants, on the other hand, are a surprise. They've played like a better-than-winless team thus far and have a few really tough defeats on their resume through five games. But further disaster has fallen on New York with the season-ending injury to Odell Beckham.It was proven last year that this offense goes as Beckham goes, and not only is he lost, but Sterling Shepard and Brandon Marshall also went down on Sunday. Meanwhile, this is one of the NFL's worst rushing offenses.The upcoming schedules for all three teams are not favorable whatsoever, so Cleveland, San Francisco, and New York should all be underdogs over the next month or so. However, the Giants do travel to San Francisco in Week 10. That game will be the first win for one of these three downtrodden franchises.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a letter sent from Roger Goodell to NFL players on Tuesday, the league took a stance against players kneeling during the national anthem.According to the letter obtained by ESPN's Adam Schefter, anthem protests will be a topic of discussion at league meetings next week, and it appears the NFL has strongly tipped its hand toward its desired result:

Sage Rosenfels is a former 12-year NFL quarterback who writes, does radio, and podcasts about the NFL and college football. Find him on Twitter @SageRosenfels18.It was a crazy week in the NFL, both on and off the field.Between shows of military support and patriotism, peaceful protests, a taxpayer-funded political stunt, Jerry being Jerry, Trump being Trump, a Manning homecoming, and a wild video of a respected NFL coach, I was mentally and emotionally exhausted when I went to bed Sunday evening.Oh, and there was some fantastic football, too.Here are my thoughts on what happened on the field in Week 6:Aaron Rodgers: Best Packers QB ever?I tweeted Sunday that while Brett Favre was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year, he's already just the second-best quarterback in Green Bay Packers history.I was lucky enough to play with Brett for the Vikings in 2009, his best season as an NFL quarterback. The things I got to witness that year were incredible. It was the best season I've ever seen from a quarterback. We also had a supremely talented team. Favre had many strong rosters during his best years in Green Bay, two of which ended up in the Super Bowl.Rodgers doesn't have those types of players around him. There's no Reggie White or Charles Woodson on this defense. He has turned teammates like Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery, and Jordy Nelson into known NFL names. He hasn't had a career like Favre's yet, but I believe he plays the game at a higher level than Favre did over any extended period in his career.The Sunday afternoon game was everything the NFL hoped for. Dak Prescott, part of a group of impressive young quarterbacks who are a pleasure to watch improve each week, put on an exceptional performance for Dallas. At the end of one of the best games of his career, he took a knee and watched how a great quarterback gets it done on a big stage.Rodgers has become so good in end-of-game situations that there was a major Twitter debate about whether Dallas' coaches should have left him with less time. Should they have taken a knee instead of scoring so fast? Could they have avoided scoring for a play or two and then just run it in on fourth down?Indeed, they left Rodgers with too much time. He hit a perfectly placed back shoulder fade to Adams on the first play, and the Packers were off to the races. He beat the Cowboys by spreading the ball around. He even tucked the ball and ran, breaking a couple of arm tackles for an 18-yarder that put Green Bay in striking distance.Once it was first down from the 12-yard line, it would've been surprising if Rodgers didn't find someone for a touchdown during the next four plays. That's the expectation we all have of him. He built that reputation, and he made it look easy Sunday. Again.Longevity a concern for J.J. WattJ.J. Watt is great for the NFL in every way. Yet, in what could be an alarming pattern, he'll have missed the majority of an NFL season two years in a row. Last year, it was back issues, and then surgery, that kept him off the field. Anyone who has played football, and has had a back issue, understands how worrisome this can be.On Sunday, Watt fractured his knee and will need season-ending surgery. Players who compete at extremely high levels, and who play the game violently like Watt, often break down, resulting in shortened careers. He plays as hard and reckless as anyone in the league, and we may have already seen the best of his talents.Bob Sanders, Sterling Sharpe, Joe Theismann, and Bo Jackson are four others that had their best years early in their careers and didn't play long because of injuries. Let's hope Watt comes back stronger and better than ever. His impact on the Texans and the Houston community is immeasurable.The Giants are doneIf you combine one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, an aging quarterback with limited mobility, and injured receivers, you have the New York Giants' offense. Even if any of these change overnight - and they won't - you still need all three to improve to have an effective offense.The offensive line isn't good; that's not a shocking revelation. But its incompetence is compounded by Eli Manning's inability to escape the pocket to create plays. He simply isn't, and never really was, a playmaker outside of the pocket. In 2017, this is the way the best quarterbacks are getting it done.Rodgers, Cam Newton, Matthew Stafford, Prescott, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, and Alex Smith are among the toughest quarterbacks for defenses to stop. Even Tom Brady, who now has a weaker line, is getting hit more often. Eli is the wrong quarterback to have when your O-line is leaky.During Eli's best years, between 2006 and 2011, his offensive line was as consistent as any in recent NFL history. Snee, Seubert, O'Hara, Diehl, and McKenzie were mainstays for Big Blue for the better part of six years. This simply doesn't happen in the NFL anymore due to injuries and free agency. Since that group began to retire, Manning's game hasn't been the same.His strengths are maximized when he has a legitimate running game, and time to throw the ball with play-action and drop-back concepts. He can outsmart a defense with a good team around him, but Manning isn't the type of quarterback to carry the offense. That's where he's different than his brother Peyton.Eli has never been a guy who tries to control the entire game like Peyton. Two brothers with two different skill sets, and four Super Bowl wins between them.The Chiefs are for realFootball is the ultimate team game, and the Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL's best all-around team.No opposing club looks forward to facing them. They're scary good on all three levels of their defense. Their offense has a running game, spread concepts usually used in college, and a quarterback who has had a rebirth. Let's not forget about special teams, as Tyreek Hill continues to scare kicking game coaches around the league.This team has very few weaknesses, and, as the season progresses, Andy Reid will do as good a job as anyone at covering up its flaws while maximizing its strengths. Offense, defense, special teams, coaching, and an incredible home-field advantage are a recipe for postseason success.I can't imagine the Chiefs not being in the picture in late January. Everyone assumes Smith will be gone next year, and I think that's getting ahead of ourselves. In 2004, when Philip Rivers was drafted to replace Drew Brees in San Diego, Brees, motivated by the snub, played at a Pro-Bowl level for the next two years before blowing out his throwing shoulder, finally opening the door for Rivers.Smith is the perfect quarterback for this offense. His extensive time in the spread system under Urban Meyer in college and decade of mastering traditional NFL offensive concepts have made him the poster child for what future "spread coast offenses" can look like. Imagine players like Marcus Mariota, Prescott, Wilson, and Watson running a system similar to what Kansas City is executing.Speed, power, and elusiveness make a dangerous combination. This is the Kansas City spread coast offense.Empathy over judgmentLastly, I must acknowledge the unfortunate situation with former Dolphins offensive line coach Chris Foerster.I played for Chris in 2004 in Miami. He was originally hired as the tight ends coach, and was thrust into the offensive coordinator role due to Norv Turner taking the head coaching job in Oakland in February. We struggled that season for a myriad of reasons, and the entire staff was fired.The first start of my career, in the last game of my fourth season, was with Foerster as offensive coordinator and play-caller. The first play he called turned into a 76-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Chambers. Foerster believed in me as a player to start the game with taking a shot. I'm going to take another shot and bet that he'll overcome the demons that got him to this spot in his life.Addiction is a real thing, and no player, coach, or human should be simply thrown to the side because of it. I hope to see another chapter in the book of Foerster's life. We expect NFL players and coaches to be robots, but, at the end of the day, they're flawed humans just like everyone else.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints traded former league MVP Adrian Peterson to the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday.In return, the Saints received a conditional 2018 sixth-round draft pick, league sources informed ESPN's Adam Schefter."We are always on the lookout for opportunities to improve our team and we look at this as one of those opportunities," Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said in a statement.The Saints scooped up the free agent this offseason but used him sparingly through the first four weeks of the season. Peterson had games of just six, eight, nine, and four carries, and has 81 total rushing yards.The future Hall of Famer has had to fight for snaps among a group of running backs that includes Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara.Peterson's displeasure with his usage was apparent immediately. He made his feelings known after getting just six carries for 18 yards in a revenge game against the Minnesota Vikings in the opening week of the season, stating afterward that he "didn't sign up for nine snaps."His situation didn't improve in the three games that followed.As for the Cardinals, they lost all-purpose running back David Johnson to a dislocated wrist in Week 1. The team signed veteran Chris Johnson and has also been relying on Andre Ellington and Kerwynn Williams at the position as a result.The returns have been lacking. The Cardinals own the worst rushing offense in the league, averaging only 51.8 yards on the ground per game.Peterson is 32 years old and coming off a season in which he was limited to three games. However, at 2-3 and a game behind both the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in the division, the Cardinals are hoping to revive a fading offense.With 37-year-old quarterback Carson Palmer at the helm, Arizona has scored just 81 points in five games, ranking 29th in the league in points per game.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ben Roethlisberger wants to make sure there's no confusion about his confidence level.After the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback facetiously said "maybe I don't have it anymore" following Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, he put out a much more resounding message Tuesday.

Every Tuesday during the season, theScore's NFL editors run down the recommended waiver wire pickups.Ownership percentages are based on Yahoo! leagues. FAAB bids are set at a $100 budget.QuarterbackCarson Palmer, CardinalsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. Buccaneers65%$6Palmer is salvaging a somewhat respectable season following his disastrous performance in Week 1. The Cardinals may not be winning, but garbage time is a fantasy manager's friend and Palmer continues to pile up the yardage.Blake Bortles, JaguarsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. Rams15%$5The better the Jaguars do, the less impressive are Bortles' fantasy contributions. He attempted just 14 passes and finished with less than 100 yards passing in the Jaguars' 30-9 demolition of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The offense is being powered by running back Leonard Fournette, but a smaller workload for Bortles will lead to fewer mistakes.Trevor Siemian, BroncosNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. Giants30%$3Siemian had a Week 5 bye to recover from his two worst statistical games of the season, throwing just one touchdown and two interceptions in two weeks. The depleted Giants will struggle to move the ball against the Broncos' ferocious defense, allowing Siemian to start each drive in excellent field position.Running BackAaron Jones, PackersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Vikings57%$50Jones secured a role for the rest of the season with his breakout performance in Sunday's win over the Dallas Cowboys. This was likely his peak performance, as Ty Montgomery will cut back into his workload upon return from a rib injury. But there's sustainable high-end RB2 upside.Rob Kelley, RedskinsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. 49ers51%$32Rookie Samaje Perine hasn't impressed when Kelley missed time with injuries, allowing "Fat Rob" to return to the lion's share of the rushing duties. Pass-catcher Chris Thompson is coming off his worst game of the season, illustrating the volatility of his role. Kelley returns as a steady weekly option with touchdown upside.Wendell Smallwood, EaglesNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Panthers52%$16The Eagles used a committee to complement LeGarrette Blount in Smallwood's Week 5 absence, with the likes of Kenjon Barner and Corey Clement failing to stand out. Smallwood will return to serve in a third-down and change-of-pace role to Blount as the Eagles' RB2. He warrants FLEX consideration in most matchups.Marlon Mack, ColtsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Titans8%$14Mack was inches away from his first career two-touchdown game, but he still managed to rush for a career-best 91 yards and his second score of the season, on just nine carries. He remains behind veteran Frank Gore in usage, but he made a strong case for a larger role.Javorius Allen, RavensNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. Bears57%$10Allen was used in a meaningful way for the first time since his Week 2 breakout, when he topped 100 total yards and scored a receiving touchdown. He ran for 73 yards and a touchdown on 21 rushing attempts in Week 5, without the benefit of a fluky big play. He dominated the backfield snap count over Alex Collins.Wayne Gallman, GiantsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Broncos39%$9Gallman split backfield work with Orleans Darkwa, with Darkwa actually racking up more yards. Gallman still managed to average 5.2 yards per carry on the day. Opposing defenses will be free to focus in on the Giants' run game with the injuries suffered by the receiving corps on Sunday, and Gallman's upside is limited while working behind a poor offensive line.D'Onta Foreman, TexansNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. Browns22%$5It's beginning to seem as though head coach Bill O'Brien's praise of Foreman as a three-down back was more for the purpose of motivation for incumbent starter Lamar Miller. Foreman has received just 17 carries over the past two weeks, while Miller has recorded his two best games of the season.J.D. McKissic, SeahawksNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidBYE30%$2The Seahawks head into the bye week without any semblance of a run game, in the wake of Chris Carson's season-ending injury. McKissic does have value in the passing game, and he could be given more of a chance as a rusher with Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls failing to make any impact.Wide ReceiverDanny Amendola, PatriotsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Jets63%$40Amendola has received at least seven targets in three of four games this season, including a season-high eight in Week 5. He has caught 23 of those 27 passes, and is averaging 11.6 yards per reception. He has just one touchdown and little scoring upside, but he has a chance for 1,000 yards.Devin Funchess, PanthersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. Eagles64%$33Funchess has three touchdowns in his past two games while catching 14 of 17 targets. He's a clear favorite of quarterback Cam Newton with tight end Greg Olsen sidelined, and he's the top red-zone option.Cooper Kupp, RamsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Jaguars47%$18Kupp was targeted in the red zone for what would have been a game-winning reception against the Seattle Seahawks, but he failed to bring it in. He has seen a total of 15 targets over the past two weeks, and he can't be fully blamed for catching just three of eight balls on Sunday, against one of the league's top pass defenses. Quarterback Jared Goff should continue looking to the rookie in key situations.Josh Doctson, RedskinsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. 49ers6%$12Similarly to Kupp, Doctson was also targeted for a game-winning catch prior to the Redskins' Week 5 bye. He wasn't able to maintain control as he hit the ground, but the third-down play in a critical situation was clearly drawn up for him, and the coaches and quarterback Kirk Cousins continue to build faith in the sophomore.Marquise Goodwin, 49ersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Redskins2%$2Goodwin rebounded from a quiet outing in Week 4 to rack up 116 yards on 11 targets against the Colts. He greatly benefited from a 51-yard reception, but it's an example of the upside he possesses at all times. Washington is one of 14 teams in the NFL to allow at least 15 plays of 20-plus yards.Tight EndGeorge Kittle, 49ersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat Redskins1%$1Kittle had a career day in Week 5, catching seven of nine targets for 83 yards and his first NFL touchdown. The 49ers won't get to play the Colts every week, but Kittle's now a notable piece of the offense.Nick O'Leary, BillsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidBYE0%$1O'Leary was the next man up, following Charles Clay's departure from Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. With the latter ruled out for multiple weeks, O'Leary should continue to be a useful fantasy option as he runs Clay's routes in an empty Bills receiving corps.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr. underwent surgery on his fractured ankle Monday night, the New York Giants announced Tuesday morning.The dynamic receiving threat suffered the injury to his left ankle on Sunday and has already been declared out for the rest of the season.However, he vowed to come back better than he was before.