NFL Player News

Kiner turned six carries into 11 yards during Wednesday night's 13-10 loss to the Seahawks.

Kiner operated as the Patriots' No. 2 running back behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson with TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) unavailable. Kiner was on the field for eight of the team's 71 total offensive snaps, with Stevenson (60) handling the lion's share. If Henderson is sidelined again in Week 2, Kiner will likely operate in a similar role against the Steelers.

Larison reverted to New England's practice squad Thursday, per the NFL's transaction log.

Larison was elevated for Wednesday's season-opening loss to Seattle and logged three offensive snaps, catching both of his targets for nine yards. The 24-year-old also returned two kickoffs for 49 yards. Larison's opportunity came as a result of TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) missing Wednesday's contest, and Henderson's status for Week 2 will likely factor into Larison's likelihood of being elevated for that game. Even if Larison gets elevated again, though, he'll likely continue to work behind Rhamondre Stevenson (60 snaps Wednesday) and Corey Kiner (eight).

James (coach's decision) is officially inactive for Thursday's game against the Rams, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The 2025 fifth-rounder will not suit up in Week 1, leaving Christian McCaffrey and rookie third-rounder Kaelon Black as the only healthy running backs active for the 49ers on Thursday. James' role moving forward may depend on how effective Black is to start the season.

Estime (thigh) did not participate at practice Thursday.

The thigh injury that landed Estime on the Saints' official injury report Wednesday kept him sidelined Thursday. He'll probably need to practice in some form Friday to have a realistic chance of playing Sunday at Detroit.

Strong, who is on Green Bay's practice squad, is currently managing a hamstring issue, Bill Huber of SI.com reports.

Strong had been a candidate to be elevated for the Packers' season opener Sunday versus Minnesota since Josh Jacobs is on the Commissioner's Exempt List, but that's presumably no longer in play. It's not clear how severe Strong's injury is, and given that Jacobs could be out multiple games, Strong could still be a gameday practice-squad elevation down the line once he gets healthy.

Love (ankle) remained a limited practice participant Thursday, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

Love has been tending to a high-ankle sprain since preseason Week 1, and while he displayed small signs of progress in recent weeks, he finally has been able to log back-to-back capped sessions to begin prep for the regular-season opener. Friday's injury report will reveal his chances to suit up for Sunday's game at the Chargers, with the range of possibilities going from full clearance to getting ruled out. More than likely, the Cardinals will list Love as questionable for Week 1 action. If Love is inhibited or sidelined Sunday, Tyler Allgeier would be in line to lead Arizona's backfield, with Bam Knight on hand for most of the remaining RB reps.

Mitchell (hamstring) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.

The Chargers put a cap on Mitchell's reps for a second straight day, but his ability to practice in any capacity on consecutive days to kick off Week 1 prep is an encouraging sign for his chances of playing in Sunday's season opener versus the Cardinals. If he's cleared to play against Arizona, Mitchell would likely be in line for a complementary role behind lead back Omarion Hampton.

Tucker (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis Thursday.

With days of signing a new one-year contract with the Buccaneers on Aug. 30, Tucker wasn't practicing due to an undisclosed health concern, which was revealed to be a knee injury when he went down as a DNP on Wednesday's injury report. His ability to mix back into at least individual drills is a positive sign ahead of Sunday's visit to Cincinnati, but Friday's report will unveil whether or not he enters the weekend with a designation for that contest.

Croskey-Merritt (groin) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday.

Croskey-Merritt has been tending to a lower-body injury since picking it up during an Aug. 22 practice. He's been back on the field since Sept. 1 but hasn't been able to do enough yet to be considered a full participant. Friday's practice report may provide a sense of Croskey-Merritt's odds to suit up for Sunday's regular-season opener at Philadelphia.

Allen (hip) was a limited practice participant Thursday.

Allen missed the second half of training camp due to what the Jaguars had previously labeled as a soft-tissue injury before he was listed with a hip issue when the team released its first Week 1 injury report Wednesday. The 22-year-old remained sidelined for Wednesday's practice, but he was able to go through individual drills during the open portion of Thursday's session, per Rachel Phillips of First Coast News. Allen's level of activity was enough for him to get upgraded to limited participation, but he may still need to put in a full practice Friday to have a realistic shot at playing in Sunday's season opener versus the Browns. When available, Allen projects to serve as the Jaguars' top passing-down back, though Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez will both be prioritized ahead of him on the ground.