The best running back in the National Football League is on bye this week. And that’s bad news for about 10 percent of the nation’s fantasy football teams.

Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor is in the running for NFL Most Valuable Player, along with New England quarterback Drake Maye, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and a few others. He’s on pace for 25 touchdowns and could make a run at 2,000 yards for the AFC-leading Colts.

So many fantasy league leaders need a RB replacement for this week, and there aren’t many decent prospects left. Here’s the best you could probably do this week:

Sean Tucker (Buccaneers) — He has taken a bigger share of the workload since Bucky Irving’s injury. Over the past two games he has 21 rushes for 95 yards and one TD, outshining Tampa’s presumed No. 2 back, Rachaad White. And the Bills’ run defense he’ll see this week stinks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker (44) runs the ball during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)

Tyler Allgeier (Falcons) — Bijan Robinson is Atlanta’s star back, but this fellow is getting most of the goal-line work. This former Brigham Young standout tallied 11 carries for 57 yards and two TDs last Sunday.

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during an NFL football game in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Dave Shopland/AP Content Services for the NFL)

Emari Demercado (Cardinals) — With all of Arizona’s injuries, Demercado is probably now their best backfield option. He topped 100 yards last week on only seven touches, and he’ll get much more work than that if Zonovan Knight is still hobbled this week.

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) lunges at Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado (31) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ben VanHouten)

Devin Singletary (Giants) — The former New York starter is getting more work since Cam Skattebo’s season-ending injury. He had 11 touches last week for 73 yards. And since he’s still scoreless this season, he’s certainly due.

New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) reacts after getting a first down during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Blake Corum (Rams) — The former Michigan Wolverine is getting an increased workload for one of the league’s top offenses. Over the past three weeks he has 38 carries for 151 yards. He’ll see more work as Rams try to lighten workload for Kyren Williams.

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (22) runs the ball against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)

Sitting stars

Sure, it’s almost sacrilege, but we wouldn’t count on Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes against Denver with so many good QB options on waivers this week. … Same goes for Detroit’s Jared Goff versus that Philly defense. … The running will be tough for the Jets’ Breece Hall against New England and Rams’ Kyren Williams versus Seattle. … Vikings WR Jordan Addison will lose more market share to teammate Jalen Nailor against Chicago. … Now that Keenan Allen set the Chargers’ career receiving record, he’ll have a quiet week against the Jaguars. … And as bad as Packers QB Jordan Love looked Monday night against the Eagles, he won’t look a whole lot better against the Giants.

Buffalo Bills defensive ends Greg Rousseau, right, Michael Hoecht (55) and Joey Bosa (97) sack Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Matchup game

Packers will need to run to rebound against the Giants, and Josh Jacobs will have a big game. … Other RBs who will shine this week are Carolina’s Rico Dowdle vs. Atlanta and Steelers’ Jaylen Warren vs. Bengals. … Eagles will need WR A.J. Brown to regain his mojo in shootout against Detroit. … Taking advantage of meager pass defenses will be Arizona WR Marvin Harrison Jr. versus depleted Niners and Raiders tight end Brock Bowers against Dallas. … Also feasting on poor defenses will be two under-the-radar QBs: Cincinnati’s Joe Flacco versus Pittsburgh and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa facing the Commanders in Spain.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs with the ball during an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles,, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

Injury watch

The big injury this week was Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, making a disappointing season even worse. … Could this be the week Brock Purdy returns as the 49ers’ QB? … The long list of questionables includes three running backs (Denver’s J.K. Dobbins, Patriots’ Tre’Veyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson), seven pass catchers (Rams’ Davante Adams, Green Bay’s Romeo Doubs and Matthew Golden. Tennessee’s Calvin Ridley, New England’s Kayshon Boutte, Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas, Buffalo TE Dalton Kincaid) and three quarterbacks (Houston’s C.J. Stroud, Vegas’ Geno Smith and the Giants’ Jaxson Dart).

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) in action against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland (26) during an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Brad Penner/AP Images for Panini)

Deepest sleeper

Among many surprises for first-place New England is wide receiver Mack Hollins. The eight-year veteran had six catches for 106 yards last Sunday, and he led the Patriots with 10 targets in their victory over Tampa Bay. He’ll be busy again Thursday night against what’s left of the New York Jets’ defense.

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) makes a catch against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum (27) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

The Thursday pick

Jets at Patriots (-11½)

Pick: Patriots by 17

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) scrambles for yardage against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

You can hear Kevin Cusick on Thursdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on X– @theloopnow. He can be reached at kcusick@pioneerpress.com.

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The Wild are familiar with what a young San Jose team can do. Led by budding star forwards Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, the Sharks came into Tuesday night’s game at Grand Casino Arena.

In the last two meetings between the teams, the Sharks scored a combined 15 goals while going 1-1 in St. Paul. And San Jose entered Tuesday’s game on a three-game winning streak and averaging 3.3 goals a game, 12th in the 32-team NHL.

So, a 1-0 lead midway through the third period, no matter how hard-fought, was delicate. And it broke.

Smith scored on a third-period power play to knot the game 1-1, and Collin Graf converted on a 2 on 1 during the 3 on 3 overtime to give the Sharks a 2-1 victory.

Celebrini had the first assist on both goals.

The Wild worked hard to hold the Sharks scoreless, and to just 13 shots on goal, midway through the third period. But their lead was precarious, 1-0 on Matt Boldy’s second-period power-play goal. It was unlikely that would be enough to win the game, and everyone in the arena knew it.

So when defenseman David Jiricek was penalized for slashing, the other shoe seemed about to drop, and it did. The Sharks’ top line of Tyler Toffoli, Celebrini and Smith went tic-tac-toe to knot the game on Smith’s one-timer from the right circle with 10 minutes, 3 seconds left.

The Wild dominated the second period, outshooting the Sharks 15-5, and putting together 10 scoring chances. But Minnesota could only convert on goaltender Yaroslav Askarov once on Boldy’s one-timer from the right circle off a cross-ice pass from Mats Zuccarello on a man advantage at 5:02.

That made it 1-0, and it seemed the Wild would build on that as they kept the pressure on for the rest of the period. But the Sharks started putting on pressure of their own.

San Jose Sharks right wing Collin Graf, center left, celebrates with center Macklin Celebrini after scoring the game-winning goal during overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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The competition was supposed to be much tougher, but the result stayed the same as the Gophers women’s basketball team again won with ease.

Grace Grocholski scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Tori McKinney scored 16 points, and Minnesota routed Marquette 90-47 Tuesday night at Williams Arena.

Brylee Glenn scored 13 points and Mara Braun added nine points, seven assists and six rebounds for the 3-0 Gophers, who beat North Dakota 91-47 and Manhattan 99-36 last week.

Sophie Hart had 14 points inside, and Amaya Battle grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and had seven assists. The Gophers shot 50.7%, outscored the Golden Eagles 48-12 in the paint and had a 47-28 rebounding advantage.

Picked to finish second in the Big East Conference behind national power Connecticut, Marquette was led by 13 points from Lee Volker. This was the second straight Big Ten opponent for the Golden Eagles, who erased an eight-point deficit in the final three minutes Friday to beat Wisconsin 65-62 in overtime.

The game’s opening seconds set the tone in this one.

Marquette won the tip, but McKinney made a steal and scored on a layup a mere eight seconds in.

McKinney had seven points in an 11-0 Minnesota run to start the game. The Golden Eagles (2-1) got within three, but a 7-0 run capped by a Grocholski 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Minnesota a 22-12 lead.

Four players scored in an 11-2 second-quarter surge as the Gophers shot 45.2% in the first half with a trey by Makena Christian providing a 19-point lead at the break.

A 21-3 run over the final six minutes of the third quarter and first three of the fourth upped Minnesota’s lead to 70-37.

Marquette shot 32.7% from the field and had just three free-throw attempts.

Minnesota welcomes the New Jersey Institute of Technology at 5 p.m. Friday before travelling to Kansas on Nov. 19.

Minnesota forward Finau Tonga, center, drives to the basket between Marquette guard Olivia Porter, left, and forward Jada Bediako in the first half during an NCAA basketball game on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Since the Gophers lost Mara Braun to a foot injury, sophomore Minnesota’s Grace Grocholski, right, ledas the team in scoriing with a 12.7-point average. (Brad Rempel / Gophers Athletics)

National Signing Day for the fall period is Wednesday, as high school seniors can sign with the college of their choice.

Below is our list of the East Metro athletes committing to scholarship-level programs this week

Have a name to add? Email jfrederick@pioneerpress.com

Baseball

Sam Abrahamson, Hudson, St. Thomas

Andrew Gette, Mounds View, Miami

Kashton Bodden, Lakeville South, Minnesota State Mankato

Jack Drieman, Cretin-Derham Hall, Sioux Falls

Harrison Falk, Cretin-Derham Hall, San Francisco

Joe Fenlon, Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Thomas

Connor Finn, Mahtomedi, Texas Tech

Davis Fleming, Cretin-Derham Hall, Minnesota

Brodie Gibart, Farmington, Augustana

Ethan Hagman, Farmington, New Mexico State

Brody Illa, Eagan Minnesota State Mankato

Patrick Karlen, Two Rivers, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville

Cody Loida, Mahtomedi, Sioux Falls

Stephen Loshek, Woodbury, Iowa South Eastern

Brandon Lunneborg, Eagan, Concordia-St. Paul

Jace Mataczynski, Hudson, Auburn

Chase Sanders, East Ridge, Sioux Falls

Bennet Skinner, East Ridge, Minnesota

Basketball, Men’s

Kevin Kemp, Eagan, St. Cloud State

JoJo Mitchell, Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Thomas

Nolan Myren, Spring Lake Park, Bemidji State

Colin Piper, White Bear Lake, Florida Institute of Technology

Cedric Tomes, East Ridge, Minnesota

Basketball, Women’s

Vienna Murray, East Ridge, Oklahoma

Callie Oakland, St. Croix Lutheran, Northern Iowa

Violet Otto, Prescott, St. Cloud State

Amaya Pahl, Lakeville South, Minnesota State Mankato

Haley Quinn, River Falls, Augustana

Ashlyn Williams, Lakeville South, Rollins

Cross Country, Men’s

Eli Firchau, Park, Augustana

Oliver Halvorson, River Falls, Michigan Tech

Lliam Merrell, Burnsville, St. Thomas

Cross Country, Women’s

Carley LaMotte, Burnsville, Minnesota

Sofia Oliart, East Ridge, St. Cloud State

Dance

Bella Haugen, Spring Lake Park, Minnesota

Football

Henry Bern, East Ridge, St. Thomas

Godson Rufus-Okomhanru, Mounds View, North Dakota State

Ben Knaup, East Ridge, Minnesota-Duluth

Ben Mugisa, Mounds View, Minnesota State Mankato

Golf, Women’s

Emma Fitzmorris, Hill-Murray, North Dakota State

Addison Timm, River Falls, Concordia-St. Paul

Maddy Vang, White Bear Lake, Concordia-St. Paul

Gymnastics, Women’s

Stella Guth, Hill-Murray, Utah State

Sophia Mapstone, Hill-Murray, Illinois State

Hockey, Men’s

Carter Ernst, Lakeville South, St. Thomas

Hockey, Women’s

Brooke Gnetz, Woodbury, Minnesota-Duluth

Maddie Lee, White Bear Lake, St. Cloud State

Sophie Olson, Hill-Murray, St. Cloud State

Makena Underwood, Farmington, St. Michael’s

Lacrosse, Men’s

Ashton Boehmer, Rosemount, Rockhurst

Zach DeVaan, Park, Lewis

George Genereaux, Hudson, Rockhurst

Jake Godbout, Hill-Murray, Rockhurst

Austin Griffith, East Ridge, Anderson (S.C.)

Brooks Furney, Farmington, North Greenville

Caden Hennes, Farmington, Rockhurst

Luke Hudson, St. Thomas Academy, Bucknell

Bradley Johnson, East Ridge, Adelphi

JP Marx, St. Thomas Academy, Flager

Tony Minks, Farmington, Northwest Nazarene

Parker Nivala, Farmington, Queens-Charlotte

Oliver Rivera, Hudson, Rockhurst

Payton Sickel, Rosemount, Lewis

Lacrosse, Women’s

Alayna Deering, Hill-Murray, Eastern Michigan

Katey Getting, Farmington, Missouri Western State

Josie Jones, Hudson, Siena

Reagan Kubler, Hudson, Adelphi

Ruby Kuhn, Rosemount, Rockhurst

Gigi Nelson, Hill-Murray, Rockhurst

Molly Oehlerts, Lakeville South, Butler

Josie Ramsden, East Ridge, Concordia-St. Paul

Jaida Steffes, Farmington, Liberty

Alexia Tempelis, Mahtomedi, Rockhurst

Rowing, Women’s

Annika Winke, Mahtomedi, Texas

Soccer, Women’s

Ivella Barba, Woodbury, Valparaiso

Harlow Berger, Mahtomedi, St. Thomas

Evie Birk, Eagan, Minnesota State Mankato

Ingrid Birkeland, Highland Park, Northern Iowa

Cecelia Cernohous, Eastview, Minnesota-Duluth

Brooke Goerish, Spring Lake Park, Colorado

Olivia Halunen, Woodbury, South Dakota

Izzy Kapanke, St. Croix Lutheran, Iowa State

Woodbury senior goalie Sam Mattes, makes a save for the Royals in net during the 2025 season. (Courtesy of Rich Peterson)

Samantha Mattes, Woodbury, South Dakota

Nina Meyer, Hill-Murray, Charleston Southern

Ana Oenning, Eagan, St. Thomas

Liv Penmen, East Ridge, Belmont

Natalie Ramthun, Hudson, Augustana

Allie Rippentrop, Mahtomedi, Bemidji State

Karsen Schlattman, Woodbury, Winona State

Maddie Thompson, White Bear Lake, Concordia-St. Paul

Oceane Tsopzang Chekouo, Math and Science Academy, Bemidji State

Marissa Weilert, Spring Lake Park, North Dakota State

Jacquelyn Worden, Mahtomedi, North Dakota

Softball

Alayna Adamez, Park, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville

Allyson Grobner, Park, Minnesota State Moorhead

Trinity Jensen, Lakeville South, Iowa State

Lila Johannsen, Farmington, Wisconsin

Lily Martin, White Bear Lake, Minnesota-Duluth

Chloe O’Neil, South St. Paul, Bemidji State

Kate Rapp, Woodbury, Sacred Heart

Kayla Schweich, Farmington, St. Cloud State

Lena Wilcox, East Ridge, Hampton

Julia Wigley, Rosemount, Bemidji State

Swimming and Diving, Men’s

Grady Evenson, Lakeville South, Wisconsin-Green Bay

Swimming and Diving, Women’s

Ellie Bina, Mounds View, Notre Dame

Ana Clemon, Lakeville South, Illinois-Chicago

Addison Forshee, Woodbury, South Dakota

Malea Johnson, East Ridge, Northern Iowa

Kami Karel, Mounds View, Nebraska-Omaha

Caroline Mulrooney, Rosemount, Notre Dame

Track and Field, Men’s

Kavari Flowers, Rosemount, South Dakota State

Track and Field, Women’s

Aly Hollister, Mounds View, Colgate

Vanessa Oguamanam, Farmington, St. Thomas

Isabelle Russell, River Falls, Southwest Minnesota State

Eva Welsch, Lakeville South, Duke

Volleyball, Men’s

Will Berran, Eagan, Jamestown

Tate Sorensen, Mounds View, Lewis

Volleyball, Women’s

Romi Chlebecek, Lakeville South, Denver

Olivia Doerre, River Falls, Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Madi Kraft, Eagan, Minnesota

Victoria Kurilov, Mounds View, Wisconsin-Green Bay

Marisa Michaelis, New Life Academy, South Dakota State

Kendall Worwa, Woodbury, North Dakota State

Wrestling, Men’s

Aidan Carlson, Mahtomedi, Minnesota State Mankato

Spencer Lee, Eastview, Minnesota State Mankato

JD Minder-Broeckaert, Hudson, Augustana

Davis Parrow, Farmington, Nebraska

Kamdyn Saulter, Rosemount, Upper Iowa

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