Tag: Ronnie Rivers

Rams rookie RB Ronnie Rivers hits $514K jackpot at Vegas casino

Rams rookie Ronnie Rivers hit big in Las Vegas, winning more than $500K in poker

Rams running back Ronnie Rivers was in Las Vegas this weekend and he won big at the casino. According to FOX5, Rivers won $514,837 on three-card poker, hitting a mega jackpot for the huge win.

Rivers was in Vegas celebrating his and his mom’s birthday, so the timing couldn’t have been better. He won while at Caesars Palace on Saturday and he told FOX5 that he plans to buy a house with his winnings.

Here’s Rivers celebrating his huge win.

Rivers came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2022, signing with the Cardinals out of Fresno State. He was cut and landed with the Seahawks, but Seattle also released him before the season began.

Eventually, he signed to the Rams’ practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in November, playing eight games the rest of the way. He even got one start at running back, rushing for 21 yards and catching four passes against the 49ers in Week 8.

For a player who didn’t get the guaranteed money that draft picks do, it’s awesome to see him win big at the casino this offseason.

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Sean McVay explains why Ronnie Rivers started over Darrell Henderson Jr. vs. 49ers

Sean McVay clarified why Ronnie Rivers started at RB over Darrell Henderson in Week 8 vs. the 49ers.

It was surprising to some to see Ronnie Rivers start at running back for the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday versus the San Francisco 49ers instead of Darrell Henderson. After electing to begin the game with Rivers in the backfield, Sean McVay explained why Henderson wasn’t the starter against the 49ers.

It was due to Henderson’s breathing issues at the beginning of the game after experiencing the flu during the week.

Rivers began the game with the starting offense and he would finish with 12 total touches for 36 yards while playing on 36 percent of the offensive snaps. Meanwhile, Henderson ended the game with six total touches for 30 yards on 41 percent of the offensive snaps.

Henderson entered Sunday’s game with an illness that caused him to miss practice on Wednesday and log a limited practice session on Thursday. So with the former third-round pick not at 100%, McVay elected to mix in Rivers to give Henderson a decreased workload.

Despite the illness, Henderson still managed to get more snaps than Rivers and Malcolm Brown. With the Rams searching for a spark in the running game, it remains to be seen if Rivers continues to rotate with Henderson and Brown barring a deadline trade.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Tua Tagovailoa  382-19 3
 Kyler Murray 326-36 3
 Jalen Hurts 285-10 4
 Dak Prescott 250-34 3
 Marcus Mariota 253-43 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Derrick Henry 33-219
1-9		 2
Alvin Kamara 18-62
9-96		 3
Tony Pollard 14-131
1-16		 3
Christian McCaffrey 18-94
8-55		 3
D’Onta Foreman  26-118 3
Wide Receivers Yards TD
A.J. Brown 6-156 3
Jaylen Waddle 8-106 2
DeAndre Hopkins 12-159 1
D.J. Moore 6-152 1
Tyreek Hill 12-188 0
Tight Ends Yards TD
Tyler Conklin 6-79 2
Kyle Pitts 5-80 1
Isaiah Likely 6-77 1
Evan Engram 4-55 1
George Kittle 3-39 1
Placekickers XP FG
Nick Folk 1 5
Younghoe Koo 4 3
Chase McLaughlin 1 3
Jason Meyers 3 2
Mike Badgley 3 2
Defense Sack – TO TD
Seahawks 5-2 0
Cowboys 4-1 1
Eagles 6-2 0
Vikings 4-3 0
Falcons 1-1 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

RB Mark Ingram (NO) – Knee
WR Christian Watson (GB) – Concussion
WR Cooper Kupp (LAR) – Ankle
WR DeVante Parker (NE) – Knee
WR Richie James (NYG) – Concussion
TE Irv Smith (MIN) – Ankle
TE Tyler Higbee (LAR) – Neck

Chasing Ambulances

After 26 years of writing this article every Monday, I honestly cannot recall a Sunday with so few notable injuries. That’s a wonderful thing to say.

WR Cooper Kupp (LAR) – Twisted his right ankle and left the loss to the 49ers.  According to Kupp, the ankle feels “pretty good.” and the hope is that he avoided any serious injury. The next few days will be key with how he responds to treatment. The Rams already had their bye in Week 7, and three of the next four games are on the road. If he misses any time, it increases the targets for Allen Robinson, Van Johnson, and Ben Skowronek.

RB Mark Ingram (NO) – Ingram injured his knee in the win over the Raiders after just one reception. There was no immediate word as to how badly is was hurt, though he was ruled out of the game. Dwayne Washington filled in but Alvin Kamara needed no help on Sunday.

WR DeVante Parker (NE) – Left after the first offensive play with a knee injury that was initially termed “questionable” to return and then he was ruled out. His status will be known when the Patriots have to issue injury reports on Wednesday.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Van Jefferson (LAR) – Was finally taken off injured reserve after he  healed his knee. He was active in the loss to the  49ers and listed as a starting wide receiver. Jefferson was slated to have “a normal workload” but was never thrown a pass. With Cooper Kupp banged up, he needs to show up this week in Tampa Bay. If Kupp is injured with any severity, it sparks the chance that the Rams would trade for another receiver like Brandon Cooks.

TE Isaiah Likely (BAL) – Back on Thursday, Mark Andrews left with a shoulder injury and Isiah Likely filled in with six catches for 77 yards and a score to lead the Ravens. HC John Harbaugh said that the shoulder injury for Andrews wasn’t serious but practice this week will confirm it. And Andrews has from last Thursday until this Monday to heal. But Likely is already impressive as a rookie and ends up as a great handcuff for the Andrews owner. And worth stealing if you have a dead roster spot.

Tight Ends are not dead – The position experiences a major difference between Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce, as compared to all other NFL tight ends. This week had six tight ends not named Andrews or Kelce lead their team in receiving – Isaiah Likely, Greg Dulcich, Evan Engram, Kyle Pitts, T.J. Hockenson, and Pat Freiermuth. The position typically gets weaker as receivers as the season progresses. But this may well be yet another way this season is just different.

RB Travis Etienne (JAC) – James Robinson did not play in Week 7 and was traded away. And for two weeks, Etienne is on fire with his larger workload. He rushed for 114 yards and one score on 14 runs versus the Giants and  Sunday, he gained 156 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in London. He added three catches for six yards. Etienne keeps improving as a runner which played into letting Robinson go to the Jets.

RB D’Onta Foreman (CAR) – He ran for 118 yards on 15 carries in Week 7 after Christian McCaffrey left. On Sunday, he again rushed for exactly 118 yards only on 26 carries. And he scored three times. McCaffrey only totaled three scores over his first six games this season. Foreman was a capable replacement for Derrick Henry last year and gained over 100 yards in three games when he took over in the second half of the season in Tennessee.

RB Tyler Allgeier – Caleb Huntley (ATL) – This is a free agent idea for Week 9 with six NFL teams on bye. The Falcons like to run the ball. Maybe it is because they don’t pass that well, but they prefer to run. Against the Panthers, Tyler Allgeier ran for 39 yards on 14 carries and caught three passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Huntley gained 91 yards on 16 carries. It will remain a committee approach, but consider their next opponents and where they rank against running backs – Chargers (28), Panthers (23) again, and Bears (31).

RB Tony Pollard (DAL) – With Ezekiel Elliott out, Tony Pollard took over as the primary back with spectacular results. He ran for 131 yards and three scores that included a 54-yard touchdown as the final score in the game. And that was with the Cowboys giving Malik Davis eight carries and two receptions in his NFL debut. Jerry Jones quickly mentioned that Ezekiel Elliott remains the primary rusher when he is healthy. Pollard’s fine performance happened at home against the No. 31 defense versus running backs, but it was still thoroughly impressive.

TE Dalton Schultz (DAL) – Even though he’s been playing injured for the last two weeks, reuniting with Dak Prescott resulted in 11 catches for 123 yards over those two games and he didn’t even finish Week 7. There is at least one fantasy owner in your league who was not a fan of Cooper Rush.

RB D’Andre Swift (DET) – After missing five games, Swift returned against the Dolphins. He only ran for six yards on five carries, and caught five passes for 27 yards and one fantasy-salvaging touchdown. Jamaal Williams gained 53 yards and two scores on his ten runs and added three catches for 23 yards. By this point, Williams is not the handcuff for Swift. It is Swift being just a throw-in for the Williams’ owner.

WR Rondale Moore (ARI) – Marquise Brown has been gone for two games, and Robbie Anderson was acquired but has yet to catch a Kyler Murray pass despite four targets. DeAndre Hopkins has been back for two weeks and topped 100 yards in each as an instant upgrade for the passing attack. But Moore has stepped up too and benefits from the defensive focus on Hopkins. He caught seven passes for 92 yards and a score in the loss to the Vikings and even gained 12 yards on two rushes.

RB Alvin Kamara (NO) – He’s gained around 100 total yards per week, but hadn’t scored for 2021. He fixed that against the Raiders when he rushed in one touchdown (18-62, TD) and scored twice as a receiver (9-96, 2 TD) which is how it was always supposed to be. It’s good to see the Saints turning to Kamara as the primary receiver since Jarvis Landry and Michael Thomas cannot stay healthy.

QB Zach Wilson (NYJ) – This changes everything.  At least it did on Sunday. The Jets’ first game without Breece Hall did not go nearly as well as hoped. Instead of a guaranteed 100 yards and a touchdown, the Jets backfield sputtered between Michael Carter (7-26) and James Robinson (5-17) but that forced Wilson to pass for 355 yards and two scores – but three interceptions. And that let Garrett Wilson finally come back to life with  six catches for 115 yards. Wilson was held to around 25 yards per game while Wilson was just handing off to Hall. And Tyler Conklin had been held to nearly no catches for the last month. He gained 79 yards and scored twice on his six receptions. The Jets team fell back a step with the loss of Hall, but at least it is perking the fantasy values of Wilson and Conklin back up.

QB Malik Willis (TEN) – Ryan Tannehill is likely to return this week, but Willis had his debut as the guy that gives the ball to Derrick Henry (32-219, 2 TD). Willis only completed 6-of-10 for 55 yards and one interception. He ran for 12 yards on five rushes as well. It was Henry’s day, as it always is when they face the Texans. Willis gets a mulligan on that start.

QB Sam Ehlinger (IND) –  His debut included  201 passing yards and no scores. To his credit, the top three receivers were all wideouts so he didn’t just check down to a running back or tight end.  He even ran for 15 yards on six rushes. The Colts lost to the Commanders, but only in the final seconds. Ehlinger played far better than a rookie (see above, Malik Willis).

RB Ronnie Rivers (LA) – The Rams backfield ranks No. 32 in the NFL for fantasy points and adding Rivers only mixed up the mediocrity with eight rushes for 21 yards. Darrell Henderson (4-16) and Malcolm Brown (5-10) also spent time not helping. Kyren Williams wasn’t taken off injured reserve, but they still have a couple of weeks to make that decision. He fell in the draft as being too small (5-9, 194 pounds) and slow (4.65) but was highly productive as the two-year starter in Notre Dame. The Rams say that they may welcome Cam Akers back when he discovers that no other team wants him. It’s all a mess and only getting worse.

Huddle player of the week

Alvin Kamara –On a day that saw several monster games – Christian McCaffrey, A.J. Brown, Derrick Henry, etc., Kamara stands on top. He had not scored a touchdown this season, but when he faced the visiting Raiders (or whatever that was in silver and black on the field), Kamara ran for 62 yards and caught nine passes for 96 yards along with three total touchdowns. He looked like the same Kamara that wrecked opponents back when Drew Brees played.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Taylor Heinicke 308 2 QB Derek Carr 100 0
RB D’Onta Foreman 118 3 RB Brian Robinson 20 0
RB Nyheim Hines 49 1 RB Josh Jacobs 53 0
WR Damiere Byrd 67 1 WR Davante Adams 2 0
WR Zach Pascal 57 1 WR Courtland Sutton 13 0
WR Devin Duvernay 64 1 WR DeVonta Smith 23 0
TE Isaiah Likely 77 1 TE Mark Andrews 33 0
PK Nick Folk  1 XP   5 FG PK Daniel Carlson nope
Huddle Fantasy Points = 130 Huddle Fantasy Points = 18

Now get back to work… and keep your helmet on…

Rams surprisingly start Ronnie Rivers at RB in Week 8 vs. 49ers

Rams elected to start Ronnie Rivers at RB on Sunday vs. the 49ers instead of Darrell Henderson.

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The Los Angeles Rams have lacked consistent production in the running game this season and they are trying everything to get a spark. In a somewhat surprising development, Ronnie Rivers began Sunday’s game versus the San Francisco 49ers as the starting running back.

Cam Akers is involved in trade rumors ahead of the trade deadline while the Rams aren’t ruling out the idea of keeping him if they can’t conduct a trade. Meanwhile, Darrell Henderson dealt with an illness during the week and was limited in practice, so he could see a reduced role on Sunday.

Rivers signed with the Rams’ practice squad at the beginning of the season and he was elevated to the active roster in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, where he caught one pass for 14 yards. For the time being, it appears that Rivers will be the starting running back for the Rams.

Rashaad Penny tests positive for COVID-19, will miss Dallas game

According to coach Pete Carroll, Penny has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Friday night’s preseason game against the Cowboys.

Few NFL players have had worse injury luck the last few years than Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny. While he finished the 2021 season on a strong note, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy yet this year. Penny has missed the first two preseason games due to a groin injury and will now have to sit out the third.

According to coach Pete Carroll, Penny has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Friday night’s preseason game against the Cowboys.

The Seahawks are also without their No. 2 running back, rookie Ken Walker – who’s out due to a hernia.

The run game has still been strong even in their absence, though. Seattle’s backups and offensive line have produced what has been the league’s most-efficient rushing offseason so far this preseason.

Yesterday the team signed undrafted rookie Ronnie Rivers to add some depth at this spot.

Penny is the second Seahawks player to miss time this month due to COVID-19. Quarterback Drew Lock had to sit out last week’s game against the Bears for the same reason.

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Seahawks sign another RB, place LB Jon Rhattigan on PUP list

The Seahawks announced two roster moves today.

The Seahawks announced two roster moves today.

Undrafted rookie running back Ronnie Rivers has been signed. He played his college football at Fresno State, where he totaled 40 rushing touchdowns and 3,417 yards in 52 games. He got several offers from NFL teams to attend rookie minicamp, eventually settling on the Cardinals. However, Arizona released him as part of their cuts from 90 down to 85 players.

Rivers (5-foot-9, 195 pounds) gives Seattle’s backfield more depth while top-two options Rashaad Penny (groin) and Ken Walker (hernia) are out. The team has one more preseason game to go and they likely don’t want another injury at this spot to affect their plans for the regular season.

To make room for Rivers on the roster, linebacker Jon Rhattigan was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Rhattigan is still recovering from the season-ending knee injury he suffered late last year. He will be required to miss the first four games of the 2022 season.

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New Mexico Bowl Prospect Preview: UTEP Miners vs. Fresno State Bulldogs

New Mexico Bowl Prospect Preview: UTEP Miners vs. Fresno State Bulldogs #PicksUp #GoDogs

The second game up on the Saturday bowl slate features the UTEP Miners (7-5) of the C-USA against the Fresno State Bulldogs (9-3) of the Mountain West. Fresno State is favored by double digits, but after losing their starting quarterback to the transfer portal and their head coach to Washington, this game maybe more up for grabs than the experts think.

Both teams feature pretty exciting passing offenses, but the Bulldogs of the Mountain West have had more reliable success as evidenced by their 4-1 record against the spread the last five games, but that is not why we are here. Let’s breakdown the top prospects!

Team Preview: Fresno State offense will test Oregon’s young secondary

Fresno State’s offense has plenty of weapons to provide Oregon some problems in the Ducks season opener.

If Mario Cristobal’s goal is to schedule good competition for his Oregon Ducks football team right away in Week 1, mission accomplished.

It would be easy to invite a team from the Football Championship Subdivision such as Portland State to begin the first normal season in two years, but Oregon will welcome Fresno State Sept. 4. When the two teams take the field, it will be 644 days since a full Autzen Stadium will witness a game.

The Bulldogs come into the contest already with a win under their belt as they blew out Connecticut 45-0 last week. Granted UConn didn’t play last season and the Huskies looked more than sluggish, but Fresno State was able to show their overall team speed and an accurate quarterback that will test Oregon’s young secondary.

“They’re a team that’s impressive and you can tell they return a lot of starters,” Cristobal said of Fresno State in his weekly press conference. “They’re explosive on offense and it relates to a couple of different things. At running back, they’re as good as you’ll find. They also have a very experienced quarterback that came over from Washington and can tell by the efficiency of their passing game, the timing and precision, and their ability to protect and launch it down the field when they want to.”

That quarterback from Washington is senior Jake Haener. He transferred from the Huskies to the Bulldogs after the 2018 season where he appeared in four games in Seattle. Haener sat out the 2019 season per NCAA transfer rules, but when he was able to step out on the field for Fresno State, he delivered.

In 2020, Haener was an All-Mountain West honorable mention, leading the conference in averaging 337 yards a game. He also completed nearly 65 percent of his passes. Haener threw for 14 touchdowns in the six games the Bulldogs played last season. In the 2021 season opener, Haener picked up right where he left off going 20-of-26 for 331 yards and three scores.

The Fresno State tailback Cristobal mentioned was senior Ronnie Rivers, a 5-foot-9, 195-pounder from Brentwood, Calif. Although he had a slow day against UConn (13 carries for 58 yards), Rivers has been spectacular in his career.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Rivers was a first-team all-conference tailback last season where he scored seven rushing touchdowns and nine total. Rivers’ next touchdown, his 45th, will make Rivers the all-time leading touchdown scorer in school history.

Fresno State’s deep threat was on full display last week with receiver Jalen Cropper. The 6-0, 172-pounder from Parlier, Calif. had an 86-yard touchdown against UConn where his speed was just too much for the Huskies’ secondary to handle. But that was the first time Cropper has exploded for a score in his career. Far from it.

Cropper has 55 catches in his two-plus-year career and is averaging almost 15 yards per reception. He caught 37 passes last year, good for 520 yards and five touchdowns in the six-game season.

As for their next game, inside a full Autzen Stadium, Fresno State offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb knows Oregon will provide a more difficult challenge than UConn did.

“Jake (Haener) is going to have to get that ball out on time,” he said of his quarterback avoiding sacks. “I think a big part of it is staying in rhythm and not getting ourselves in a position where Jake has to throw the ball. The O-line has to play well and know where the matchup is. We’re looking for a heavy dose of a pass rush and we just have to stay firm up there.”

A lot of offensive coordinators have said the same thing when facing the Ducks defense led by defensive Kayvon Thibodeaux and have walked away wondering what went wrong. Fresno State could be in that same position about three hours after kickoff.

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