Bilal Powell carried the ball only three times for six yards in New York's Week 7 win over the Patriots, and was held without a catch.

Just like that, the Jets sent Powell to the bench, giving him three touches to Chris Ivory's 35. It's unclear if Gang Green will stick with the same approach for Week 8 - Ivory averaged only 3.1 yards per carry - but Powell can no longer be considered more than a desperation FLEX option. He doesn't provide the power the Jets suddenly appear to be craving in their run game.

Bilal Powell (neck) is practicing in full for Week 7.

Powell tweaked his neck/shoulder area in Sunday's loss, but insisted on Monday that he was fine. His practice status would support that. He'll be an RB2/FLEX in a tough matchup with the Patriots.

Bilal Powell suffered a shoulder injury late in Sunday's Week 6 loss to the Steelers, but insists he's fine.

The injury was unknown until coach Rex Ryan's post-game press conference. "I just took a little hit, came out and took a breather," Powell said afterwards. "Came in and everything is good." Assuming Powell was only dinged, he'll remain the Jets' lead back going forward and could benefit in box scores to come if Mike Goodson's knee injury is revealed as severe as feared on Monday's MRI.

Bilal Powell rushed for 38 yards on 12 carries in Monday night's Week 5 win over the Falcons.

Bilal Powell rushed for 66 yards on 14 carries and caught three passes for 42 yards in Sunday's Week 4 loss to the Titans.

Powell picked up chunks of yards with ease, but the Jets fell behind early and were forced to call 39 pass plays. Powell barely played in the fourth quarter with FB Tommy Bohanon handling backfield work as Geno Smith continued to sling the ball around. Look for Powell to continue to play the lead-back role in the Jets' backfield next week, even with Mike Goodson returning from suspension. After four games, Powell is on pace to rush for 1,168 yards and four touchdowns on 264 carries. He's on pace to reel in 44 passes for 432 yards. We doubt he'll reach those numbers with Chris Ivory also re-entering the mix when healthy.

Bilal Powell (illness) returned to practice Thursday.

Bilal Powell (illness) missed Jets practice Wednesday.

It's not a concern. Powell is a borderline flex play this week against the Bills. He offers minimal upside. Powell has 77 yards rushing and one touchdown on 25 carries through two weeks. He and Chris Ivory are in a timeshare.

Bilal Powell got the start in New York's Week 2 loss to the Patriots, rushing 13 times for 48 yards and a touchdown.

He added two catches for 22 yards. Powell got New York's opening series to himself, but rotated with Chris Ivory thereafter. Ivory looked like the better pure runner, hammering out 52 angry yards on 12 carries, but neither player separated from the other. Powell remains the Jets' exclusive third-down back, and got the Jets' only goal-line carry, which he executed for a touchdown on a read-option play. The duo is doomed for another timeshare in Week 3 against the Bills, making each a low-end FLEX play.

Bilal Powell rushed 12 times for 29 yards and caught four passes for 35 yards in the Jets' Week 1 win over Tampa Bay.

He saw 16 touches to Chris Ivory's ten. Powell, at least for the moment, is the Jets' lead back in a two-man committee and passing-down specialist. Because he lacks heavy workloads and big-play ability, and the Jets' offense isn't going to be very good, Powell has very limited appeal in fantasy football.

Coach Rex Ryan says Bilal Powell "earned the right to start" Sunday's opener against the Bucs.

Ryan said Chris Ivory will get "substantial work." Ivory missed too much training camp and preseason action to get a firm grip on the starting job. However, as long as he stays healthy, his far superior talent should have no trouble uprooting Powell sooner rather than later. Expect Ivory to handle much of the early-down work this week, while Powell "starts" and works in on passing downs.

Bilal Powell is listed as the starting running back on the Jets' Week 1 depth chart, with Chris Ivory at No. 2.

ESPN New York reports Bilal Powell has been struggling to catch the ball out of the backfield and in pass protection.

Beat writer Rich Cimini is handing the third-down job to Mike Goodson once he returns from his four-game suspension. The Jets need someone to fill the role while he's out. Powell's "had a couple of drops and pass-protection issues." Cimini thinks Gang Green could look to ex-Jet Leon Washington to fill the role if he ends up getting cut by the Patriots. Powell has minimal upside and isn't worth a roster spot in standard 10- and 12-team leagues.

Jets RB Bilal Powell rushed for 68 yards on seven carries and caught a five-yard pass in Saturday night's preseason game.

Powell remains a replacement-level talent, but he looks to have dropped some weight and is exhibiting slightly more burst than last season. He also padded his stats with an untouched 37-yard run against a brutal Jaguars defense while being used often to take direct snaps in a Wildcat formation. The Jets may open the year using Chris Ivory and more versatile Powell in a timeshare. Through two preseason games, Powell has 82 yards on 16 carries (5.13 YPC) and three catches.

Jets RB Bilal Powell rushed nine times for 14 yards and caught two passes for one yard in Friday night's preseason opener.

A crisp 1.36 yards-per-touch average. If this is the Jets' Week 1 tailback (it won't be), they're in a world of trouble. Powell is a plodding runner who needs big-time blocking to gain yards. He was listed first on New York's initial camp depth chart, but Chris Ivory will take the job when he gets healthy.

Bilal Powell is listed as the No. 1 tailback on the Jets' initial training camp depthc chart.

For some perspective on the worthlessness of these pre-preseason depth charts, the Packers listed DuJuan Harris as their starting running back and he hasn't even practiced in training camp. Powell will be overtaken quickly once Chris Ivory's hamstring heals up. Powell offers some versatility, but is a plodding, third-string caliber back with zero big-play ability. The Jets didn't trade a fourth-round pick for Ivory to sit him behind Bilal Powell.

With Chris Ivory (hamstring) out, Bilal Powell played every down with the Jets' first-team offense in Saturday night's scrimmage.

"[Powell] did run the ball hard," coach Rex Ryan said. "Now, obviously with the opportunity he's been given, he's really taken the reins." Powell toted the rock six times for 41 yards against the Jets' first-team defense. Ivory hasn't practiced since coming up lame on the first day of training camp, and he's always been injury-prone. The Jets would like Ivory to win the starting job, but he can't if he's sitting on the trainer's table. Powell is an ordinary back, but he can pass protect and catch the ball out of the backfield. He's worth an add in deeper leagues.

ESPN New York is projecting Bilal Powell as the Jets' No. 2 running back.

ESPN New York believes Bilal Powell will have to "find a niche" to keep his roster spot.

The Jets are giving Bilal Powell an opportunity to push Mike Goodson for the third-down back job.

Goodson is the heavy favorite, with beat writer Rich Cimini noting he shows "a burst whenever he gets the ball in his hands." Powell, on the other hand, is painfully sluggish as a runner. He's merely competing for a roster spot.

Bilal Powell rushed 12 times for 56 yards and caught two passes for 12 yards in the Jets' Week 17 loss to Buffalo.

Powell made obvious strides in his second NFL season, but not nearly enough to indicate he's capable of becoming a foundation running back in New York. The 24-year-old finished with 437 yards and four touchdowns on 110 carries (3.97 YPC) while chipping in 17 receptions. Powell was unable to overtake fellow plodder Shonn Greene for the Jets' starting job. Ideally, Powell would return to New York in 2013 as a No. 2 or No. 3 running back. He can play in the passing game and on special teams, but lacks explosive running ability.