It seems like Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore has been around forever. When he was with the San Francisco 49ers he was one of the best running back in all of football for several seasons, but flew under the radar most of the time. Now that he’s 32, it’s clear he’s not as good as he used to be, but he’s a very effective runner.
Earlier in the season the Colts were limiting Gore’s carries in hopes of keeping him healthy and fresh for the postseason. But now that the Colts are 4-5, they need to end the last quarter of the season with several wins in order to make the playoffs. That’s why coach Chuck Pagano has decided to start giving Gore as many carries as he can handle from here on out.
Against the Denver Broncos Fore had 28 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. The week before, against the Carolina Panthers, he had 22 carries for 70 yards.
"If he’s rolling like that," Pagano said, according to the Indianapolis Star, "and we’re staying balanced and he feels good, we’re going to do what we have to do to win the ball game."
Gore should be considered a RB2 against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11. So far this season he has 148 rushes for 599 yards and four touchdowns. He is averaging four yards per carry. He also has 20 receptions for 135 yards.
The Detroit Lions are determined to stop rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper when the two teams face off in Week 11. Safety Glover Quin told MLive that Darius Slay will shadow the rookie this week.
Slay has had success shutting down top receivers over the past month, but Cooper should still be considered a WR2. Quarterback Derek Carr loves his rookie receiver and looks his way often.
Through nine games Cooper has hauled in 50 footballs for 732 yards and four touchdowns. That’s not too shabby for a rookie. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a huge game against the Lions despite Detroit’s efforts to shut him down.
In other news, Ex-Cowboys and Seahawks running back Christine Michael has passed through waivers unclaimed. At one time people considered Michael the heir apparent to Marshawn Lynch in Seattle, but he hasn’t been able to prove himself on a consistent basis when given opportunities.
Michael will likely land on a team eventually, but he isn’t worth owning in any fantasy football leagues right now.