Returner Recap and Latest News: Week 14

Photo: Frank Victores, USA Today Sports

Individual returner projections for each week are included in your MyFBG projections and rankings automatically. My returner projections are included in the default projection set with David Dodds' offensive predictions. Choose David as the source, and then choose a scoring system in which you have included points for return yards.

The base return projections for a week can be seen on this page. You can also go to the content for the week and use the Returner Projections link to get to that page.

UPDATES

So far this week Colts returner Josh Cribbs is not practicing with a knee issue. His status should be watched prior to Sunday's game against Cleveland.

Bengals returner Adam Jones is in the league's concussion protocol but is participating in practice already on a limited basis.

Bobby Rainey showed up to Bucs practice Wednesday in a walking boot, but was without it on Thursday. It looks like Solomon Patton may replace him this week as returner.

Texans kick returner Danieal Manning has a hamstring issue and is questionable to play this week.

Week 13 Recap

Top Performers

Recent acquisition Josh Cribbs continued to reward the faith placed in him by the Colts as he led the NFL in Week 13 with 169 combined yards, including 5 kickoff returns for 156 yards. This was a big week for big name returners, as Atlanta's Devin Hester and Baltimore's Jacoby Jones joined Cribbs atop the weekly leader board with 159 and 143 yards respectively in a week that no returners found the end zone.

Hester was the top punt returner, picking up 68 yards on his 2 punt returns, while Odell Beckham returned 5 punts for the Giants, picking up 48 yards to come in second for the week.

Returns this year continue to lag slightly behind the 2013 season, though have gradually been closing the gap in some categories. 2014 is already seeing more yards per kickoff return, if slightly fewer returns than last year. Punt returns are nearly even in number, but returners are picking up almost a full yard less this season.

All Week 13 Returners

Here are all returners for Week 13.

Returners Year to Date

Here are the top 40 returners for the year based on total return yards.

Week 14 Outlook

Job Changes

Bobby Rainey handled both punt and kick returns for Tampa Bay, following the release of Marcus Thigpen.

Thigpen, meanwhile, saw the majority of returns for Buffalo after they picked him up off of waivers. Although C.J. Spiller may begin practicing soon, he cannot be reactivated from IR until Week 16.

Travis Carrie resumed his job as punt returner for the Raiders, though kickoffs were handled by George Atkinson III. Atkinson could lose them back to Latavius Murray if the latter is healthy.

Bishop Sankey continued to see kickoff returns for Tennessee despite Leon Washington being active.

INJURIES OF NOTE

Primary returners made it through Week 13 without adding many new injuries of significance. Previously injured returners to keep an eye on include 49ers dual returner Bruce Ellington, Bears dual returner Chris Williams, Browns kick returner Marlon Moore, and Raider sometimes kick returner Latavius Murray.