Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB feeling good after big day vs. Chargers

The Cleveland Browns can breathe a sigh of relief regarding running back Trent Richardson. After suffering a rib injury, his status for Sunday against the San Diego Chargers was in doubt, but he played anyway... and he played well. According to head coach Pat Shurmur, Richardson did not suffer any setbacks in the game and is no worse for wear.

Richardson ran for 122 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in leading the Browns to their narrow 7-6 victory. It was the team's second win of the season. He's quickly becoming the key figure in this offense and, as noted by SB Nation's primary fantasy hub, he will be relied upon heavily against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9.

A setback was always a possibility, given that Richardson was listed as questionable heading into the game, and the fact that he was pulled from the previous game against the Indianapolis Colts. He wasn't running well in that game and was eventually put on the bench with the injury.

Browns vs. Chargers inactives: Mohamed Massaquoi still out for Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns have released their inactive list for their Week 8 contest with the San Diego Chargers -- a list that includes wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, defensive backs Dimitri Patterson and Tashaun Gipson, running back Brandon Jackson, fullback Owen Marecic, defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin and offensive lineman Jarrod Shaw.

Running back Trent Richardson is active despite being limited during the week with a rib injury.

Massaquoi practiced this week but has once again been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. He has nine receptions for 145 yards on the season, but has not played since Week 3.

For the Chargers, wide receiver Eddie Royal, defensive tackle Antonio Garay, cornerback Shareece Wright, running back Curtis Brinkley, safety Brandon Taylor, linebacker Jonas Mouton and tight end Ladarius Green are all inactive for Week 8.

Royal is out with a hamstring injury he suffered in practice this past week. He has 13 receptions for 98 yards and one touchdown this season.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns running back likely to play vs. Chargers

Browns running back Trent Richardson is expected to play today, according to a report.

Browns RB Trent Richardson listed as questionable in Week 8 injury report

The Cleveland Browns released their official injury report on Friday, running back Trent Richardson (ribs) is listed as questionable for the team's Week 8 matchup against the San Diego Chargers.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB improves in practice, according to Pat Shurmur

Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson has been battling a rib injury, but Brown coach Pat Shurmur said on Thursday that the rookie is getting better in practice and should be ready for this Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers (via Cleveland.com):

"Trent (Richardson) had a good day of practice yesterday. He did a lot of work and you just do as much as you can to get them as good and as ready as they can be for 1:00 on Sunday."

Shurmur also said that compared to last week, Richardson looked much better overall:

"Yeah, he did way more yesterday than he did last Wednesday."

Richardson tried to play with the pain last Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, but the results were not successful. He rushed for just 8 yards on eight carries before aggravating the injury in the second quarter. He wound up sitting for the remainder of the game.

Richardson has had an up-and-down rookie season, with several strong performances interspersed with lackluster efforts and the injuries. His best overall game came Sept. 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals, when he rushed for 109 yards and one score to go along with 36 receiving yards and a touchdown. That was also the Browns' only win so far this season.

Cleveland and San Diego are set to kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET this Sunday.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB says he's not been 100 percent all season

The Cleveland Browns didn't expect to be contending for the playoffs in 2012, with an offense that prominently features two rookies and can boast four or five at any given time depending on how many wide receivers happen to be on the field. But they were hoping for a bit more out of the third overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, running back Trent Richardson.

That being said, Richardson hasn't been healthy all season, at least according to his words, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

"Missing four [preseason] games took a toll. I wasn't me when I first got out there. I still haven't been 100 percent just yet. I mean, I had two surgeries in less than [six] months. It's frustrating because I want to be out there all the time. The league hasn't seen me at 100 percent yet."

Richardson had arthroscopic knee surgery on Aug. 9 that caused him to miss a large portion of training camp and all of the team's preseason. It was more preventative than anything, but Richardson says he hasn't been up to par yet this season. He's falling short of expectations, but his injury talks are legitimate and there's no reason to hit the panic button just yet.

On Wednesday, Richardson was limited at practice with a rib injury suffered in the team's loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. He says there's no chance he's going to miss Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers, but smart money is on him not being 100 percent again, if he does play.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB participates in practice

Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson participated in a walkthrough with his teammates on Wednesday morning even though he continues to deal with a rib injury, as Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan reports. The running back was noticeably limited in last Sunday's Cleveland loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

While Richardson struggled against the Colts on Sunday with just 8 yards on eight carries, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur insists that the running back didn't re-injure himself or suffer any significant setbacks during the game. Richardson will continue to practice even as the team hopes the injury improves.

Richardson could still miss the team's next two games, take advantage of the bye in Week 10 and return much healthier on Nov. 18, according to previous reports, but it's hard to imagine Shurmur going without one of his key players. The Browns are facing the San Diego Chargers and the league's leading rush defense this weekend.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns may shut down RB for next 2 games

Unable to finish out his team's Week 7 game on Sunday due to a rib injury, Cleveland Browns tailback Trent Richardson could potentially be shut down for the next two games according to a report by Ed Werder of ESPN.

Despite wearing protective padding, Richardson re-aggravated his rib injury against the Colts late in the first half and did not return, giving way to backup Montario Hardesty to open the third quarter. The 5'9, 230-pound rookie gained just eight yards on eight carries before exiting, but was hit squarely in the ribs by a defender and is now faced with a more serious timetable.

There remains a good chance that Richardson will be shut down until Cleveland's Week 10 bye in order to keep him fresh for a final push to the season, but Werder reports that there could be some internal conflict in the organization.

"The fear being that if they don't, he'll be debilitated by his injury all year long," Werder said. "Pat Shurmur has to win some games here. They've only got one victory and Jimmy Haslam the new owner says he wants a stronger finish if he's going to bring back the coaching staff."

Richardson's injury is clearly much more serious than some originally anticipated, so it makes perfect sense that shutting him down temporarily is the smartest move from a long-term perspective. Even though Shurmur likely wants to keep his dominant interior runner on the field at any cost in order to hopefully save his job, Richardson could theoretically have a much bigger second-half impact if he is completely fresh entering Week 11.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB possibly out through Week 10

The Cleveland Browns may elect to sit running back Trent Richardson through their Week 10 bye, allowing the rookie to heal from a rib injury.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB limited against Colts with ribs hurting

Cleveland's prized rookie had a minimal impact on Sunday before re-aggravating his rib injury.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns running back aggravates rib injury, return questionable

Nursing a rib injury entering Sunday's game has hampered the Browns' leading rusher.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB will wear protective padding over ribs vs. Colts

Even though he did not reveal if he broke a rib in Sunday's game, Cleveland Browns tailback Trent Richardson confirmed to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal that he will wear protective padding this weekend against the Colts.

The rookie running back was knocked out of his team's Week 6 win over Cincinnati late in the first half, and reported trouble breathing after the hit according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Richardson carried the ball just 14 times for 37 yards before being shut down for the day, allowing backup Montario Hardesty to pile up a respectable amount of yardage with the Browns actually ahead on the scoreboard late in the game.

Richardson may be less than 100% for Sunday's Week 7 showdown at Lucas Oil Stadium against fellow rookie Andrew Luck, but the 5'9, 230-pound back is hardly the type of player to let an injury diminish his impact level in a game. Despite being surprisingly adept at shutting down opposing quarterbacks, Indianapolis's defense has yielded 159 rushing yards per game so far this year, offering a great opportunity for Richardson to topple the 100-yard rushing mark for the 2nd time in his career.

#Browns RB Trent Richardson declined to say whether he broke rib Sunday. Plans to wear special padding on ribs vs. #Colts.

— Nate Ulrich (@NateUlrichABJ) October 17, 2012

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB practicing, recovering from rib cartilage injury

Cleveland Browns rookie running back Trent Richardson participated in the team's walk-through this morning and will practice this afternoon, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Browns head coach Pat Shurmur added that Richardson is "coming along great" after suffering a rib cartilage injury last weekend.

Richardson had 14 carries for 37 yards against Cincinnati last Sunday before suffering the injury. He was relieved in the game by Montario Hardesty who had 15 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown.

The Browns beat the Bengals, 34-24, for their first win of the 2012 season and also snapped an 11-game losing streak dating back to last year.

Richardson, the third-overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft, leads the team in rushing with 95 carries for 340 yards and four touchdowns. He also leads the team in receptions with 22.

Richardson is currently listed as questionable for this Sunday's game when Cleveland travels to Indianapolis to take on the Colts.

Trent Richardson injury: Pat Shurmur says Browns RB is 'fine'

Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson left Sunday's game against the Bengals with a rib cartilage injury, but he is expected to play this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts.

The rookie stayed in the game after suffering the injury on the team's first offensive series, but exited in the third quarter. Montario Hardesty filled in, gaining 56 yards on 15 attempts.

But coach Pat Shurmur is confident that he'll have his top running back this weekend, telling the media, "Trent's fine." Richardson is also quite certain that he won't have to miss time because of this injury, but that might not be his call.

Richardson could be in for a big weekend against the Colts, who allow 159 rushing yards per game on average. Last weekend, the Colts surrendered 161 rushing yards to Jets running back Shonn Greene.

The Browns' rushing attack has struggled this year. They average just 83.2 yards per game, which is sixth-worst in the NFL.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB day-to-day with rib cartilage issue

The Cleveland Browns picked up their first win of the season on Sunday, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 34-24, but they didn't escape unscathed. Rookie running back Trent Richardson left the game in the third quarter after taking a helmet to his ribs. According to Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland on Twitter, head coach Pat Shurmur said that Richardson has a right rib/cartilage injury and that he's day-to-day.

Montario Hardesty came off of the bench and put up 56 yards and a touchdown in relief of Richardson, and the Browns are confident in his ability. That said, Richardson stated immediately after the game that he didn't think his injury was serious and that he'd be ready for Week 7.

Prior to the injury, Richardson carried the ball 14 times for just 37 yards with no touchdowns. At 0-5 heading into the game, the Browns weren't expected to beat Cincinnati the way they did. They relied mostly on a tough defense, picking off Andy Dalton three times, and a two-touchdown effort from quarterback Brandon Weeden to get by.

This story originally appeared at SB Nation.

NFL Injury Report: Trent Richardson severly limited with rib injury

Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson was limited during the Browns' 34-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering a rib injury on the opening drive.

Trent Richardson injury update: Browns running back will have MRI on Monday

Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson was injured Sunday in the Browns' first win over the Bengals, bruising his ribs in the first half. The team initially announced it as a "flank" injury, but after the game, Richardson said it was just a shot to the ribs and he could have continued to play. He made a point of downplaying the injury after the game, telling reporters that he only needed the initial X-rays and did not need an MRI.

But it didn't take long for a conflicting report to emerge, as ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted Sunday night that Richardson would indeed be going in for an MRI on Monday. The first-round pick has been a bright spot for the Browns through the interminable first five weeks of the season, reeling off a number of highlight runs and catches from fellow rookie Brandon Weeden. In his absence, Montario Hardesty got the lion's share of the carries against the Bengals and filled in admirably. Hardesty's up-and-over touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave the Browns the lead for good in the fourth quarter.

We'll have more on the results of Richardson's MRI as details become available.

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB expects to be back next week

Unable to finish out his team's Week 6 game against Cincinnati due to a rib injury, Cleveland tailback Trent Richardson does not believe his injury is serious and expects to ready for Week 7, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Richardson gained just 37 yards on 14 carries in Sunday's surprise win, and left in the third quarter after having an opponent's helmet smash directly into his rib cage on a big hit. Richardson's backup, Montario Hardesty, quickly took advantage of his opportunity by churning out 56 yards on the ground with a touchdown, but the 5'9, 230-pound rookie does not believe he will be further slowed by the injury.

Though he only played a portion of the game, the talented runner was still held out of the endzone for the first time since Week 1. In addition to mentioning that he believes he could have re-entered the game if needed, Richardson confirmed to The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot that his rib injury will only require x-rays and not an MRI. Hardesty's role could definitely increase in Week 7 if Richardson is less than 100 percent, even though it remains quite clear that Richardson is the workhorse of the offense.

#Browns RB Trent Richardson on right side/ribs injury: "I took a shot but I'll be back. I'll be ready for next week." #NFL

— Nate Ulrich (@NateUlrichABJ) October 14, 2012

Trent Richardson injury: Browns RB hurts ribs in victory

According to the Cleveland Browns, the rib injury Trent Richardson sustained against the Cincinnati Bengals will require more evaluation.

Reported by Jason LaCanfora, the Browns will hope it's nothing more than a bruise as they look to build some momentum following their first win of the season. Richardson accounts for over 75 percent of Cleveland's team rushing yards, and if they lost him for any period of time it would be a huge blow to their offense.

In a backup role, Montario Hardesty was serviceable, finishing with 56 yards and a touchdown, but he is not a long term option. The Browns are trying to take as much pressure off their rookie QB as possible, by supporting Brandon Weeden with a strong North-South running game to branch their offense from. It's important to note that Richardson is also one of Cleveland's leading receivers, so his absence will be felt in numerous ways, provided he's unable to play.

This story originally appeared on SBNation.com.