Returner Recap and Latest News: Week 8

Photo: 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 there.

UPDATES:

Jets kick returner Chris Owusu is going through the concussion protocol. His status will need to be checked closer to game time.

The Packers may be without Ty Montgomery to handle their kickoff returns. He has been downgraded to Doubtful.

Week 7 Recap

Top Performers

Dwayne Harris had seen Shane Vereen cutting into kickoff returns for the Giants over the last few weeks, but Harris put a stamp on the job in Week 7 with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Harris led all returners for the week with 149 yards total on his 3 kickoff returns. Pittsburgh's Dri Archer was second best with 4 kickoff returns for 116 yards. Travis Carrie returned to action for Oakland after having missed time to an injury, and led punt returners with 5 returns for 50 yards.

I mentioned in Week 5 that kickoff returns were down by nearly one-third compared to previous seasons. The rate has been gradually increasing since but still trails past seasons. Return touchdowns, meanwhile, had been occurring at a phenomenal rate with a half-season's worth of touchdowns being scored in the first four weeks. That pace has cooled off since and 2015's touchdown rate is drawing closer to previous seasons.

All Week 7 Returners

Below are all returners for Week 7.

Returners Year to Date

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

Week 8 Outlook

Job Changes

Nick Marshall served as the primary kick returner for Jacksonville now that Corey Grant is on Injured Reserve. 

San Francisco left punt returner Jarryd Hayne inactive, with Reggie Bush handling punts in Hayne's absence. Though starting running back Carlos Hyde is injured, he is expected to play through it which may further hurt Hayne's chances of being active this week.

The kick returner situation for the Giants has changed gradually week by week. Shane Vereen had been in the mix over the last few weeks after Dwayne Harris started the year handling all of the returns. In Week 7 Harris returned the bulk of the kickoffs including scoring a touchdown. As most NFL coaches enjoy having touchdowns scored, this should go a ways toward keeping the job in Harris's hands.

INJURIES OF NOTE

There has been speculation whether Percy Harvin has considered retirement over lingering injuries. Some in the media have suggested the team listing his absence as non-injury related may be positioning the team to be able to recoup part of Harvin's signing bonus if he does retire. In any event, it is difficult to count on return yards for Harvin while this situation remains unsettled.

With Harvin sidelined, for whatever reason, the Bills used running back Dan Herron as their kick returner. Denarius Moore continued to handle punts. 

Ty Montgomery had an extra week to rest his ankle during Green Bay's bye week, but is still being held out of practice early in the week. His status will need to be watched as we get closer to game time.

Emmanuel Sanders has resumed practicing for the Broncos. Sanders suffered a shoulder injury before Denver's bye week.

Both of the Raiders primary returners are back from injury, with Taiwan Jones again handling kickoffs while T.J. Carrie fields the punts. Amari Cooper may continue to get a few punt return opportunities alongside Carrie.

Chris Owusu had kick returns of 28 and 30 yards in his first game back from dealing with a leg injury, and will likely continue to handle returns ahead of Zac Stacy now.