News: Cardinals running back William Powell signed his exclusive-rights tender offer, making him a part of the roster.
Analysis: Powell will vie for a spot along the RB depth chart this summer. He's not worth your time in Fantasy.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell collected 14 carries for 52 yards -- both team highs -- during Arizona's 27-13 loss at San Francisco in Week 17. With Beanie Wells (no carries) glued to the sideline, Powell finished with his highest yardage output since Week 6 against Buffalo (70) and averaged 3.7 yards per attempt. He also finished with one reception for minus-four yards on his lone target from quarterback Brian Hoyer.
Analysis: The Cardinals have shuffled between several players at a couple of different positions this season as Powell appeared to be the latest option in the backfield. His 14 carries represented a career high as he surpassed his yardage total from the previous four games combined (48). With Wells likely on the way out of Arizona, Powell could factor into the mix for carries next season when the Cardinals hope to welcome back Ryan Williams. Still, he isn't an key Fantasy target unless he earns the starting job and is not worth drafting in 2013.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell made the most of his touches in Week 16 against the Bears. He gained 6 yards on three carries and also caught three passes for 21 yards in the 28-13 loss.
Analysis: Powell has disappointed in Fantasy since rushing for 70 yards back in Week 6 and will likely continue to split carries with LaRod Stephens-Howling and Beanie Wells in the season finale. Continue to ignore the 24-year-old in the majority of formats at this point.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell led his team in rushing in Week 14 against the Seahawks. He gained 20 yards on five carries in the 58-0 loss. Powell also caught two passes for 13 yards and returned three kicks for 62 yards.
Analysis: The Cardinals couldn't get much of anything going on offense Sunday and totaled just 43 yards on the ground. Powell has seen minimal carries since Beanie Wells has returned from injury and has not done much for owners since rushing for 70 yards in Week 6. Heading into Week 15 against the Lions, continue to ignore Powell in the majority of Fantasy formats.
News: Arizona running back William Powell recorded four carries for 18 yards during the Cardinals' 7-6 loss to the Jets in Week 13. Despite the presence of running back Beanie Wells for the second straight game, Powell maintained a spot in the backfield rotation and posted his second-highest yardage total of the season. He gained 70 yards on 13 rushing attempts during a loss to Buffalo in Week 6.
Analysis: Along with LaRod Stephens-Howling (one yard) and Wells (22 yards), the Cardinals' running backs accounted for only 41 rushing yards against the Jets -- one more yard than the total amassed by defensive back Rashad Johnson, who gained 40 yards on a fake punt. Powell also kept his spot on special teams Sunday, but could still earn carries in the backfield. However, he is not expected to make a major impact with his limited attempts and should not be viewed as a worthwhile Fantasy option for the rest of the season at this point.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell had one of his better performance of the season in Week 12 against the Rams despite Beanie Wells returning from a foot injury. He gained 63 yards on six catches and also carried the ball three times for 11 yards in the 31-17 loss. He had a long reception of 25 and averaged 10.5 yards per grab. Powell also returned three kicks for 68 yards in the defeat.
Analysis: Powell saw a larger role on offense Sunday with LaRod Stephens-Howling banged up so owners should keep an eye on his status going forward. While he would not stand to see a ton of carries with Wells back, the 24-year-old could be worth a look in deeper Fantasy formats as the backup for Arizona. Owners in deeper leagues might want to take a flier on Powell heading into Week 13 against the Jets.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell again didn't make much of a contribution in relief of LaRod Stephens-Howling Week 11 at Atlanta. He ran the ball four times for 10 yards. He has a total of nine carries in the team's last four games.
Analysis: Beanie Wells, who is working his way back from turf toe, has a chance of returning next week, so Powell could be on the verge of moving even further down the depth chart. He has some potential, but the Cardinals clearly aren't willing to trust him with a significant role right now. He belongs on waivers in most Fantasy formats.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell was limited to one carry for 3 yards Week 9 at Green Bay.
Analysis: Powell has been pretty non-existent in the Cardinals' running game since totaling 70 rushing yards Week 6. He has just five carries in his last three games as the Cardinals have leaned on LaRod Stephens-Howling to pace the rushing attack until Beanie Wells (toe) is healthy. Powell is just a handcuff Fantasy option for LSH owners. The Cardinals are on a bye until Week 11 at Atlanta.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell did not stat in Week 8 against the 49ers. He received zero touches in the 24-3 loss. LaRod Stephens-Howling led Arizona in rushing with 6 yards in the defeat.
Analysis: Powell was one of the favorites to see touches after Ryan Williams and Beanie Wells went down with injuries but Stephens-Howling has moved ahead of him on the depth chart. While things could change going forward, plan on having Powell reserved in all Fantasy formats for Week 9 against the Packers.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell gained just 13 yards on four carries his last time out and could be in for another slow performance in Week 8 against the 49ers. San Francisco ranks 10th in the league in run defense, giving up under 99 yards per game, and has held opposing running backs to an average of 10.3 Fantasy points.
Analysis: After leading the Cardinals in rushing a couple of weeks ago, Powell took a backseat to LaRod Stephens-Howling last week and appears to be falling behind in Arizona. While things could change if Stephens-Howling struggles, Week 8 is looking like a bad matchup for the 24-year-old. Plan on keeping Powell reserved in the majority of Fantasy formats Monday night.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell rushed four times for 13 yards in a Week 7 loss to the Vikings. He also caught one pass for five yards. His backfield-mate, LaRod Stephens-Howling, broke out for 104 yards on 20 carries.
Analysis: Stephens-Howling's big day pretty much pushed Powell into "backup" status. A week after Powell led the way with 13 carries to Stephens-Howling's 11, the numbers looked far different, with Stephens-Howling carrying the ball 20 times to Powell's four. Powell didn't even get his first carry until the second quarter, at which point Stephens-Howling had already rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Powell fumbled a kickoff return in the first quarter, but Stephens-Howling had already been on the field as the starter in the prior series, so Powell's lack of carries may not have been due to the slippery fingers. With clearly-defined roles now for the Cardinals running backs, it looks safe to drop Powell in all but the deepest of formats.
News: Arizona running back William Powell gained 70 yards on 13 carries against the Bills in last Sunday's 19-16 loss. But he has a much tougher task in Week 7 against Minnesota, as the Vikings are a top-10 rush defense, allowing just 96 rushing yards per game. The bright side to all of this is that Powell was far more productive than his would-be backfield-mate, LaRod Stephens-Howling, who gained 22 yards on 11 carries.
Analysis: Arizona has essentially used four running backs in their offense this year, and only twice in six games has the entire team rushed for more than 100 yards. They currently rank 22nd in rushing attempts and 27th in rushing yards. Granted, they have played against the Dolphins, Seahawks, and Patriots -- three of the top six rushing defenses (in terms of yards allowed per game) in the NFL. And they did manage 102 yards rushing against the Pats, but 34 of those yards came from Patrick Peterson and Kevin Kolb. Essentially, the Cardinals have drawn some tough run defenses early in the season, and Minnesota is one of the best, bottling up Maurice Jones-Drew (77 yards), Donald Brown (45), Frank Gore (63), Mikel Leshoure (26), Chris Johnson (24), and Alfred Morris (47) so far this season. While Powell may get the majority of the carries, it may translate into a 40-yard day for him. He's little more this week than a flex start in deep leagues for desperate owners.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell was fairly productive in Week 6 against the Bills. Powell, who split carries with LaRod Stephens-Howling, finished with a team and career-high 70 yards rushing on 13 carries. He had a long of 17 yards, which came on Arizona's lone touchdown drive near the end of the second quarter and also contributed in the passing game as he finished with one reception for 8 yards. Powell averaged 5.6 yards each time he touched the ball.
Analysis: While Powell did not get the start Sunday, he certainly saw a decent number of touches and was Arizona's top option in the running game. The 24-year-old showed some nice vision on more than one of his runs and also proved tough to bring down as he broke several tackles on the afternoon. While Stephens-Howling may continue to be used as the starter, Powell should once again see a healthy number of touches when the Cardinals head out to Minnesota to take on the Vikings in Week 7. However, Minnesota has been stingy defending the run thus far, so consider Powell more of a low-end option heading into his next matchup.
News: As expected, Cardinals running back William Powell was officially ruled active for Week 6 against the Bills. Powell was able to practice in full all week after suffering a head injury in Arizona's loss to the Rams last Thursday. He is expected to split carries with LaRod Stephens-Howling and Alfonso Smith against Buffalo.
Analysis: Powell is expected to see some carries this week and looks to have a fairly favorable matchup on tap as Buffalo enters the contest surrendering 171.8 yards on the ground per contest. The Bills have allowed nine rushing touchdowns while yielding an average of 26.2 Fantasy points to opposing running backs, which ranks 29th. Still, because he is expected to share the workload, only owners in deeper formats should consider taking a flier on Powell vs. the Bills.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell was able to practice in full for the third consecutive day Friday and is expected to play in Arizona's Week 6 matchup against the Bills. With Ryan Williams now out for the season and Beanie Wells still recovering from a toe issue, Powell will likely split carries with LaRod Stephens-Howling and Alfonso Smith this week, albeit there are conflicting reports about who will get the start. ESPN.com reported Wednesday that Powell would be the starting back while the Arizona Republic suggested Thursday that Stephens-Howling would start if he was healthy enough to play.
Analysis: It appears that Powell, Stephens-Howling and Smith will all see carries this week, though there seems to be some confusion as to who will start for the Cardinals Sunday. Powell might offer the most upside as he produced some buzz with his strong preseason numbers. He topped 70 rushing yards in two of his five exhibition games -- against Kansas City and Tennessee -- while posting a sturdy average of 5.9 yards per carry. Buffalo enters the contest surrendering 171.8 yards on the ground per contest. The Bills have allowed nine rushing touchdowns while yielding an average of 26.2 Fantasy points to opposing running backs on the year. Fantasy owners should keep an eye on who coach Ken Whisenhunt names as the starter leading up to kickoff. Powell looks to have a very favorable matchup on tap, his value will remain limited if he ends up splitting carries. Only owners in deeper formats should consider taking a flier on the 24-year-old as a flex option in Week 6.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell was able to practice in full for the second straight day Thursday and is expected to play in Arizona's Week 6 matchup against the Bills. With Ryan Williams now out for the season and Beanie Wells still recovering from a toe issue, Powell will likely split carries with LaRod Stephens-Howling and Alfonso Smith this week, albeit there are conflicting reports about who will get the start. ESPN.com reported Wednesday that Powell would be the starting back while the Arizona Republic suggested Thursday that Stephens-Howling would start if he was healthy enough to play. Buffalo enters the contest surrendering 171.8 yards on the ground per contest. The Bills have allowed nine rushing TDs while yielding an average of 26.2 Fantasy points to opposing RBs on the year.
Analysis: While there seems to be some confusion as to who will start for the Cardinals Sunday at running back, it appears Powell, Stephens-Howling and Smith will all see carries this week. Powell might offer the most upside as he produced some buzz with his strong preseason numbers. He topped 70 rushing yards in two of his five exhibition games -- against Kansas City and Tennessee -- while posting a sturdy average of 5.9 yards per carry. Fantasy owners will have to keep an eye on who coach Ken Whisenhunt names as the starter in the days leading up to kickoff. While Powell looks to have a very favorable matchup on tap, his value will remain limited if he ends up splitting carries. Only owners in deeper formats should consider taking a flier on the 24-year-old as a flex option in Week 6.
News: For the second time in the past two weeks, the Cardinals will have to adjust their backfield situation after coach Ken Whisenhunt announced Monday that Ryan Williams will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury. That could result in additional carries for running backs William Powell, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Alfonso Smith while Beanie Wells continues to recover from a toe issue on injured reserve. He is eligible to return Nov. 25. "I feel good about the guys that we’ve got," Whisenhunt said. "We’re always going to look to get better at every position and if that opportunity is there, then we’ll certainly try to act on that."
Analysis: Among the healthy remaining running backs, Powell might offer the most upside as he produced some buzz with his strong preseason numbers. The 24-year-old topped 70 rushing yards in two of his five exhibition games -- against Kansas City and Tennessee -- while posting a sturdy average of 5.9 yards per carry. He also reached the end zone in three straight games at one stretch. But Powell has been overlooked early in the regular season and tallied just three carries over two games. He is an active member of the passing game and notched five receptions for 26 yards. It's still unclear who the starter will be for Week 6 against Buffalo, but Powell is worth taking a flier on in deeper formats if he earns the job.
News: Cardinals running back William Powell was not much of a factor in Week 4 against the Dolphins. Powell finished with just 2 yards rushing on two carries in the 24-21 overtime loss. He also caught a pair of passes for 6 yards but was unable to find the end zone against Miami.
Analysis: Powell saw his first action of the season Sunday, but was unable to make much of an impact. He will likely serve as the team's third-string running back for the foreseeable future, but could end up being Ryan Williams' backup once again in Week 5 at St. Louis if LaRod Stephens-Howling is unable to suit up. Either way he likely won't see a ton of touches so continue to ignore the 24-year-old in the majority of formats against the Rams.
News: With Beanie Wells out for the season and LaRod Stephens-Howling's status in doubt with a hip injury, running back William Powell is expected to see his first action of the regular season in Week 4 against the Dolphins. Powell, who was listed as fourth on the team's depth chart at the start of the season, is expected to backup Ryan Williams. “It’ll be the same routine that I’ve been doing just getting ready for each game. The only thing different (is that I) will be in the locker room getting ready for kickoff,” Powell said. The Dolphins have allowed an average of just 66.3 yards on the ground over the first three games of the year.
Analysis: While Williams is expected to see the bulk of the carries Sunday, Powell should see at least a handful of carries Sunday. However, he could have a hard time finding many running lanes against the Miami's run defense. The Dolphins have surrendered just two rushing touchdowns on the year while yielding an average of of 18 Fantasy points to opposing RBs. Fantasy owners looking for a last-second option at running back for Week 4 may want to think about scooping up Powell.
News: The Cardinals made 27 cuts on Friday to get down the to league-mandated 53-man roster for the start of the season. Among those cut was veteran punter Ben Graham. The cuts also included safety Jared Campbell, cornerback Fred Bennett, center Ben Claxton, quarterback Brodie Croyle, linebacker Will Davis, cornerback Marshay Green, defensive end Kenny Iwebema, tackle Cliff Louis, nose tackle Ricky Lumpkin, fullback Reagan Maui’a, defensive end Jeremy Navarre, wide receiver Aaron Nichols, cornerback Bryant Nnabuife, linebacker Cyril Obiozor, center Kris O’Dowd, guard Tom Pestock, running back William Powell, tight end Steve Skelton, linebacker Kendall Smith, linebacker Pago Togafau, cornerback Thad Turner, safety Matt Ware, wide receiver Isaiah Williams and tackle D.J. Young. Guard Floyd Womack (shoulder) and wide receiver Sean Jeffcoat (shoulder) were also placed on injured reserve.
Analysis: None of the players listed had a realistic chance of being in a situation to contribute for Fantasy owners this season. They can be left on the waiver wire in all formats.
News: The Arizona Cardinals have re-signed defensive end Kenny Iwebema and running back William Powell and cornerback Thad Turner. The Cardinals released cornerback Desia Dunn and punter Derek Epperson.
Analysis: None of these players are expected to make a huge Fantasy impact. Continue to ignore them in all formats.
