Redskins coach Mike Shanahan declined to update Alfred Morris' (ribs) status at Monday's presser.

It means we might not hear anything until next week, as Washington is on bye for Week 5. For what it's worth, Morris said Sunday that he expects to be ready for Week 6. Owners should still be doing their best to add Roy Helu.

Alfred Morris told reporters late Sunday his rib injury is not a fracture and he will be ready after Washington's Week 5 bye.

Both coach Mike Shanahan and Morris himself said Alf avoided a fracture, according to preliminary X-rays. If it's just a contusion, Morris should indeed be ready to face the Cowboys in Week 6. Morris owners should still have Roy Helu rostered; he should be rostered in all leagues in the event Alf misses more time. Through four games, Morris is on pace for 224 carries, 1,184 yards, and eight touchdowns with 12 receptions. He's a back-end fantasy RB1.

Alfred Morris is done for the day in Week 4 at Oakland with a rib injury.

The Redskins initially deemed Morris questionable to return. He went to the locker room for X-rays, and emerged without his shoulder pads and in a baseball cap. It's possible the X-rays showed cracked ribs, although that's just speculation based on what's happening. Roy Helu will close out Sunday's game as Washington's primary back. The Redskins have a bye in Week 5.

Alfred Morris exited Sunday's Week 4 game with a third-quarter rib injury.

Roy Helu has taken over as Washington's primary back. The Redskins, for now, are calling Morris' return questionable due to a rib "contusion," or a bruise. He's being taken to the locker room for X-rays to check for a fracture. Morris was moving around very gingerly as he walked along the sideline and into the tunnel. This is why we recommend stashing high-ceiling backups like Helu at the end of fantasy benches.

Alfred Morris rushed 13 times for 107 yards in Washington's Week 2 loss to the Packers, adding two catches for 13 yards.

Morris was a bright spot for the Redskins on an otherwise discouraging afternoon, gaining five or more yards on seven of his 13 carries. Thus far, Morris has looked every bit the excellent runner he was a rookie, but has found carries hard to come by with the Redskins getting blown out in back-to-back weeks. Until Washington gets its read-option attack into a groove, he'll be more RB2 than RB1.

Alfred Morris rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in Monday night's Week 1 loss to the Eagles.

Beat writer John Keim calls Alfred Morris "a better runner than a year ago."

As a sixth-round rookie out of Florida Atlantic last year, Morris ranked second in rushing yards (1,613), second in touchdowns (13) and fifth among feature backs in YPC (4.8). He also avoided/broke 57 tackles and gained 1,001 yards after contact, both good for third-best in ProFootballFocus' rankings. We don't doubt that he can be even better now that he has a year of big-time football under his belt. There aren't going to be any "Shanahanigans" with Morris' role despite the eye-opening play of backup Roy Helu.

Alfred Morris rushed for 16 yards on four carries in the Redskins' third preseason game against the Bills.

Morris played a couple of series in the regular season dress rehearsal just to get some work in before giving way to Roy Helu. Morris looked like his usual self, showing tremendous patience and turning bottled up runs into positive yards. Through three preseason games, Morris has rushed for 28 yards on eight carries (3.5 YPC). He's locked in as a top-ten fantasy running back.

Coach Mike Shanahan said Alfred Morris has improved as a receiver.

Morris caught just 11 passes last season despite playing 789 snaps. "He's elevated his game and he will be able to catch the ball and be a lot more instrumental in our passing game," Shanahan said. Morris will still cede third-down duties to Roy Helu, but it's safe to project a handful more receptions this time around. We know Alf is going to push for 300+ carries and get all the goal-line work in the Redskins' zone-blocking scheme.

Alfred Morris averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2012 on non-zone-read runs.

We've seen it suggested that Morris was purely a product of the Redskins' 2012 zone-read offense, but this statistic supports the more factual notion that he's more than that. Despite a 4.72 forty time coming out of Florida Atlantic, Morris has showed just enough burst, wiggle, and quick cutting ability to have success. His vision and violent tackle breaking are what make him special. In 2012, Pro Football Focus credited only Adrian Peterson (1,369) and Doug Martin (1,005) with more yards after contact than Morris (1,001). Marshawn Lynch (872) and Arian Foster (766) were a distant fourth and fifth, respectively.

Alfred Morris said he feels more comfortable in the Redskins' offense this season.

Morris started all 16 games as a rookie and is entering his second season in OC Kyle Shanahan's system. "Last year, I was going in there lost," Morris said. "This year, having had that experience and gaining that knowledge, I'm a lot more confident."

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said Alfred Morris is "as good a back as I've been around."

The theory that Morris is an unproven back so he's subject to "Shanahanigans" is unfounded. Alf more than proved himself last year by coming off the pace to win the starting job at training camp and ranking second in the NFL in yards and 12th in YPC. Evan Royster, Roy Helu, Chris Thompson and Jawan Jamison will merely battle for scraps at training camp.

Coach Mike Shannahan says running back Alfred Morris is in better shape this year.

Despite reporting to OTAs 10 pounds heavier (five of which he's already lost), Shannahan says his workhorse back "looks great" and "is in better shape" than he was for last year's camp. He also praised Morris for approaching practice the right way, and competing at a high level. As long as he stays healthy, Morris is in for another big season.

Alfred Morris says he "left a lot of yards on the field last year."

Alfred Morris rushed 16 times for 80 yards in the Redskins' Wild Card round loss to the Seahawks.

Morris carried the ball eight times for 49 yards in a dominant first quarter. The Redskins went away from their bell cow, giving him just five totes in the second half while averaging just over two yards per play in the final three quarters. Fantasy's No. 5 back, the rookie finished near the top of the list in yards after contact and forced missed tackles while showing excellent feet and top-notch patience. He should be a borderline first-round pick in 2013 fantasy leagues.

According to Pro Football Focus, Alfred Morris caused 57 missed tackles in the regular season.

That's third-most in the league behind only Adrian Peterson (64) and Marshawn Lynch (58). While not considered especially elusive, Morris' total is nearly double the 29 missed tackles Arian Foster caused. Morris continues his impressive rookie season on Sunday against the Seahawks' tenth-ranked run defense.

Alfred Morris capped off his sensational rookie season in emphatic fashion in Week 17, rushing 33 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns as the Redskins clinched the NFC East with a 28-18 win over Dallas.

The Cowboys simply had no answer for the Redskins' sixth-round pick, who chewed up their injury-ravaged front seven for a Redskins' rookie record for rushing yards. The eye-popping night leaves Morris with a regular-season ending 1,613 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Only Adrian Peterson enters the postseason with more yards on the ground. Although Morris' 4.8 yards per carry is just a tad south of elite and he offers very little in the passing game, there's no question the Florida Atlantic product was one of the league's best backs this season. Now he'll have to contend with one of the league's best run defenses in the Seahawks in next week's Wild Card game.

Alfred Morris needs 104 yards in Week 17 to set the Redskins' single-season rushing record.

Morris, a sixth-round rookie out of Florida Atlantic, has been overshadowed in D.C. by Robert Griffin III. But he's put together a special rookie season, averaging 4.67 YPC while surpassing the likes of Terry Allen, John Riggins and Earnest Byner. His sights are now set on Clinton Portis, who currently owns the record with 1,516 yards in 2005. "I'm actually rooting for him," Portis said. "You never really hear him boast and brag about his accomplishments."

Alfred Morris rushed 22 times for 92 yards with a touchdown in the Redskins' Week 16 win at Philadelphia.

Morris' special rookie season continues. Despite some tough sledding early, he wore down the Eagles' defense by plowing through arm tackles and always falling forward. It's Morris' sixth straight game with at least 20 carries -- all Redskins wins -- and the eighth time he's gone over 90 rushing yards this season. The sixth-round rookie out of Florida Atlantic will take 1,414 yards into the regular season finale against the Cowboys.

Alfred Morris now owns the Redskins' record for both rushing yards and touchdowns by a rookie.