The Bears elevated Brown to their active roster Saturday.

The UCLA product's elevation provides the Bears with much-needed depth at running back, as D'Andre Swift (groin) and Roschon Johnson (back) are both dealing with injuries. Expect Brown to play a depth role in Chicago's backfield while also contributing on special teams in the Week 9 matchup against the Bengals.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Saturday that Knight will be the "first one out there" at running back against the Cowboys on Monday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Knight will get the first backfield touches for Monday's game, though Gannon relayed that the Cardinals will go whichever running back in Knight, Emari Demercado and Michael Carter is most effective. Knight was the Cardinals' lead back for the two games prior to the Week 8 bye and posted 25 carries for 91 yards (3.6 YPC) and a touchdown while adding four catches (on six targets) for 27 yards over that span. Week 9 might be Knight's last opportunity for an expanded role on offense if Trey Benson (knee) has recovered enough to be activated off injured reserve for Week 10.

Johnson (hamstring) was a full participant at Friday's practice and is listed as questionable leading up to Week 9 against Denver.

Johnson, who was designated to return from the injured list earlier in the week, logged full practices Thursday and Friday. The fullback was considered as one option to fill in for tight end Dalton Schultz (knee, shoulder), but that doesn't appear to be needed as Schultz logged a full practice Friday and is likely to play Sunday. Johnson has appeared in three games but does not have a carry over 40 snaps on offense. He's also a component on special teams, where he has one tackle and one blocked punt over 36 snaps.

Ouzts (ankle) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Commanders, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

The rookie fifth-round fullback was a full participant in practice all week, and head coach Mike Macdonald said Friday that Ouzts will play Sunday night, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Ouzts will need to be activated from injured reserve before being cleared to play Week 9, but he's set to return from a four-game absence due to an ankle injury he sustained in Week 3 against the Saints.

Carter, who currently is on the Cardinals' practice squad, took the initial running back reps in practice Thursday and Friday, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Following Arizona's Week 8 bye, the team released Carter on Monday and then re-signed him to the practice squad one day later. The Cardinals still have two elevations to use on Carter this season, so the transactions seemingly were procedural to open up a spot on the active roster for one of the players currently on a reserve list. Elsewhere in the backfield, Emari Demercado (ankle) returned to practice this week in a limited capacity, indicating that he's closing in on his first game action since Week 6. The order of RBs in practice has been Carter, Demercado and then Bam Knight, so the team may be preparing to run with the backfield of Carter on early downs and Demercado in obvious passing situations Monday in Dallas, assuming the latter is able to suit up.

Demercado (ankle) practiced in a limited capacity Friday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Demercado has cobbled together back-to-back capped sessions to begin the week as he seeks his first game action since he suffered a left ankle injury Week 6 in Indianapolis. He'll have one more chance to practice in full Saturday, or else risk heading into Monday's contest at Dallas with a designation. If Demercado is able to return to action Week 9, he'll be in the mix for touches behind the backfield tandem of Bam Knight and practice-squad member Michael Carter.

Marks (calf) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's contest versus the Broncos.

Marks showed up as limited due to a calf injury on Thursday's practice report, but a full session Friday has cleared him for Week 9 action. Since the Texans' Week 6 bye, he's turned 28 touches into 146 yards from scrimmage and one TD over the last two games, while veteran RB Nick Chubb has combined for 25 touches for 80 total yards and no TDs during that stretch.

With Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) ruled out for Sunday's game against the Falcons, TreVeyon Henderson and Jennings are currently the only healthy running backs on the Patriots' active roster, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports.

In that context, Henderson, who broke out for a career-high 75 yards on 10 carries in last week's win over the Browns, a game in which Stevenson recorded 14 carries and a catch on two targets, figures to see an uptick in touches Sunday, with Jennings available to mix in. Additionally, D'Ernest Johnson, Jonathan Ward and Rushawn Baker are candidates to be elevated from the practice squad, but with Stevenson's timetable for a return not yet outlined, Jennings might be worth a speculative add by those in deeper leagues who have the roster flexibility for such a move.

Smith is poised for more work Sunday at Buffalo with Isiah Pacheco (knee) ruled out for that contest, Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star reports.

Pacheco wasn't able to practice this week due to the right MCL sprain that he sustained during Monday's win against the Commanders. Kareem Hunt is the obvious player to help fill the void in Pacheco's absence, but Smith also should benefit in what has been mostly a two-pronged Chiefs backfield this season. While Smith hasn't been very productive on the ground through the first eight games of his career (25 carries for 75 yards), the rookie seventh-round pick has hauled in 14 of 18 targets for 122 yards. He's also still in search of his first TD as a pro.

Vaki (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Vikings.

With Craig Reynolds (hamstring) ruled out, Vaki could be in line to serve as the Lions' RB3 behind Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery if Vaki is cleared to play.