Abdullah (shoulder) did not play in Thursday's preseason game against the Bengals.
As expected, Abdullah sat out a second straight exhibition, allowing Theo Riddick to make another start. The Lions have mostly kept quiet when it comes to their presumed lead back, but we do know that Abdullah has been practicing in some capacity for the majority of training camp. Although the second-year back could conceivably return for Detroit's third exhibition, he doesn't necessarily need to play in the preseason in order to enter Week 1 as the lead ball-carrier. With Riddick locked in as a pass-catching specialist, Zach Zenner and Stevan Ridley are competing for a role that could be similar to Joique Bell's from last season. There isn't an obvious handcuff, though Zenner does seem to have an early edge over Ridley, while Riddick has the advantage of possessing stand-alone value in PPR league.