NFL Player News

Miller (hamstring) was held out of practice Wednesday, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.

After he wasn't spotted during the open portion of the session, Miller officially didn't log any work to begin Week 1 prep. His absence from practice is somewhat concerning considering he also dealt with a knee sprain in mid-August, making it two injuries for the rookie third-round pick since the start of training camp. Miller will have two more opportunities to mix into drills this week before the Saints potentially make a decision on his availability for Sunday's game against the Titans. With Alvin Kamara serving a three-game suspension to begin the campaign, Jamaal Williams, Kirk Merritt and practice-squad members Tony Jones and Jordan Mims are New Orleans' healthy and available running backs at the moment.

Jackson could face competition for touches out of the backfield Sunday against the Jaguars from Zack Moss (arm), who was a limited practice participant Wednesday.

Prior reports had suggested that Moss was unlikely to be ready to make his season debut until Week 2 or 3, but he now seems to have at least some chance of being ready to play Sunday, per JJ Stankevitz of the Colts' official site. If so, Moss would likely work in some form of a committee with Jackson and possibly Evan Hull, giving Indianapolis the most unsettled backfield in the league. Jackson becomes a much more attractive Week 1 fantasy play if Moss ends up missing the game, though even in that scenario, Jackson is far from a bankable lineup option in most leagues.

Sanders (groin) wasn't listed on the Panthers' first Week 1 injury report released Wednesday.

Sanders tweaked his groin during an Aug. 9 practice, and despite getting back in full pads by Aug. 21, Carolina held him out for the entire preseason. On Tuesday, Sanders told David Newton of ESPN.com that his intention was to be available Week 1 in Atlanta, and his full participation in practice a day later confirms as much. Now that Sanders' health is no longer a question mark, he's slated to be the Panthers' lead back in 2023, with Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear on hand as depth options.

Miller (hamstring) wasn't seen on the field during the open portion of Wednesday's practice, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.

Miller hasn't been able to avoid the injury bug since the beginning of training camp, suffering a sprained knee in the first week of the preseason before missing last Wednesday's session due to a hamstring issue. Alvin Kamara is sitting out the first three games of the season due to suspension, so the Saints' current healthy options out of the backfield are Jamaal Williams and Kirk Merritt, with Tony Jones and Jordan Mims candidates to be elevated from the practice squad. Quarterback Taysom Hill could also factor into the mix for carries.

Patterson (undisclosed) returned to practice Wednesday, Jeff Schultz of The Athletic reports.

Patterson has been sitting out drills since at least Aug. 14 due to a unknown soft-tissue injury, but his ability to get back on the field Wednesday bodes well for his Week 1 status. If he's able to suit up Sunday against the Panthers, he'll be serving in a "Joker" role, as the Falcons termed him on their first official depth chart of the season Tuesday, per Amna Subhan of the team's official site. What exactly his role entails is uncertain, but with Atlanta lacking depth at wide receiver behind Drake London and boasting a strong running-back duo of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, Patterson may be used all over the formation in 2023.

Vaughn missed Wednesday's practice for personal reasons, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Head coach Todd Bowles sounded less than thrilled about the situation and said Wednesday that he wasn't sure if Vaughn would be available for Sunday's game against the Vikings. The fourth-year pro is listed as the No. 4 back on Tampa Bay's initial depth chart for the regular season, behind Rachaad White, Sean Tucker and Chase Edmonds.

Tucker is listed as the No. 2 running back on the Buccaneers' initial regular season depth chart, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

The depth charts printed on team sites are often handled by the PR staff, though in this case, Tucker seems to have the support of coach Todd Bowles, who relayed that the rookie earned his spot, per Smith. Tucker's apparent ascent isn't a total surprise, in part because Chase Edmonds and Ke'Shawn Vaughn -- listed third and fourth on the depth chart, respectively -- are less-than-formidable competition for reps behind starter Rachaad White. There's also probably something to the notion that Tucker is overqualified as an undrafted rookie; he was often projected as a mid-round pick before a heart condition put his playing future into question during the pre-draft process. He plans to continue playing with the heart condition and could get some touches Sunday at Minnesota in his regular-season NFL debut.

Moss (arm) is slated to practice Wednesday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

The Colts will issue their first practice report of the regular season later Wednesday, when the extent of Moss's participation will be known. In any case, the running back is making progress in his recovery from a broken arm and could be available to see some Week 1 snaps. If Moss is cleared to play in Sunday's game against the Jaguars, he would likely be part of a backfield committee that would likely include Deon Jackson and Evan Hull. With that in mind, head coach Shane Steichen suggested that he plans to ride the hot hand among his running backs rather than immediately anointing Moss, Jackson or Hull as the team's top option out of the backfield while Jonathan Taylor (ankle) is on the PUP list.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that Gibbs may not see a full workload in the season opener Thursday against Kansas City, Michele Steele of ESPN.com reports.

Campbell noted that the Lions want to be "smart" with Gibbs' usage in his NFL debut with an eye toward keeping the rookie running back healthy for the full 17-game season. While any work taken off Gibbs' plate likely means more action for David Montgomery, a lighter load doesn't necessarily preclude Gibbs from seeing enough high-value touches in the red zone and in the passing game to pay off in fantasy lineups. Not only has offensive coordinator Ben Johnson recently made headlines by saying that Detroit could utilize Gibbs in creative ways this season, but Johnson also mentioned how "vertical threats don't have to be receivers, so that's one thing to watch out for with Gibbs." With Jameson Williams (suspension) out for the first six games of the season, Gibbs could factor prominently into a passing game that currently has the likes of Marvin Jones, Josh Reynolds, and Kalif Raymond working as the top perimeter receivers alongside slot standout Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Edmonds (undisclosed) is viewed by the coaching staff as capable of handling multiple roles in the Buccaneers backfield, the team's official site reports.

Edmonds is expected to be available for the Week 1 matchup against the Vikings despite dealing with an undisclosed injury late in preseason, and practice reports later this week figure to serve as confirmation of such. When Edmonds does get on the field, it seems likely he'll fill a versatile role that matches his diverse skill set. Although the coaching staff clearly sees lead back Rachaad White as capable of thriving on all three downs, new offensive coordinator Dave Canales is planning on rotating Edmonds into some early-down rushing work in addition to his projected pass-catching duties. If that holds true, that could give Edmonds a regular edge in touches over fellow reserves Sean Tucker and Ke'Shawn Vaughn, both of whom Canales describe as having "a lot of value on first and second down as runners" more so than as safety valves out of the backfield on passing downs.