NFL Player News

Rivers caught his only target for four yards during Sunday's 30-23 loss to the 49ers.

With Cam Akers (coach's decision) a surprise inactive, Rivers was elevated to the primary backup role behind starter Kyren Williams. That role turned out to be basically non-existent, as Williams was used as a true three-down back for all but one of the Rams' drives. Rivers will likely serve as the primary backup to Williams again in a Week 3 tilt against the Bengals barring any sudden changes with Akers' situation.

New Orleans elevated Jones from its practice squad to the 53-man roster ahead of Monday's game at Carolina.

It appears Jones is probably going to suit up for a second consecutive game Monday. He saw just one carry in Week 1, and there's not much reason to believe he'll see significantly more work in Week 2 barring an injury to starter Jamaal Williams.

Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Ahmed's groin injury is "not [an] overly long situation," Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

McDaniel also ruled out a groin tear. It looks as though Ahmed has a chance of being back on the field for Week 3's matchup against the Broncos, though his availability ultimately will depend on how much work he's able to get done on the practice field. Prior to leaving Sunday's win over the Patriots in the second quarter, Ahmed was putting together a relatively productive showing (six touches, 41 total yards) behind Raheem Mostert.

Mitchell did not see the field in Sunday's 30-23 win over the Rams.

Mitchell's lack of playing time wasn't due to a role reduction, but rather a lack of need after starter Christian McCaffrey stayed on the field for every offensive snap Sunday. The only other San Francisco running back used was Jordan Mason, who logged 17 snaps in his usual role on special teams. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has been leaning on McCaffrey heavily early on, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Mitchell get involved as the season progresses in order to keep the starter fresh.

Johnson rushed once for eight yards and caught his lone target for nine yards during Sunday's 17-9 loss to the Chiefs.

The 27-year-old rushed for minus-four yards on his only offensive snap in the season opener, but he received two touches on six offensive snaps Sunday. No. 2 tailback Tank Bigsby saw more of the field but didn't touch the ball, as starter Travis Etienne was the only back to be a real factor. Johnson appears locked in as Jacksonville's tertiary option in the backfield.

Bigsby played 12 offensive snaps during Sunday's 17-9 loss to Kansas City.

The rookie third-round pick had seven carries for 13 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut last week, but he was much less involved in the offense Sunday. Bigsby saw a similar snap count, but Jacksonville running backs recorded just 13 carries compared to 26 in the season opener. The 22-year-old still appears to be No. 2 on the depth chart, but he's unlikely to have much fantasy value week-to-week while Travis Etienne, who battled cramps versus the Chiefs, remains healthy.

Coach Dan Campbell said Monday that Montgomery (thigh) is day-to-day, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Montgomery said after Sunday's overtime loss to the Seahawks that he expects to need "a couple weeks" to fully recover from his bruised thigh, but Campbell offered a more optimistic timetable. It may be that Montgomery is day-to-day in terms of actual game-time availability, meaning he could be on the field Week 3 versus the Falcons, but that truly getting back to full health will require more time. If Montgomery needs to miss game action or is limited when on the field, rookie backfield mate Jahmyr Gibbs will have a path to increased touches.

Spiller carried the ball once for three yards in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Titans.

With Austin Ekeler (ankle) out, the Chargers relied heavily on Joshua Kelley (54 snaps) and mixed in Elijah Dotson (nine snaps), with Spiller tallying just four. At this point, it appears as if the 2022 fourth-round pick has been completely cast aside, especially considering he was a healthy scratch in Week 1.

McLaughlin carried once for five yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 35-33 loss to the Commanders.

Despite playing just three offensive snaps in Week 2, McLaughlin made the most of his one carry by finding the end zone for the first time in a regular-season contest. The rookie running back has now seen the field for eight offensive snaps through two weeks, but he is continuing to prove that he can be a playmaker for Denver's offense. Unfortunately, McLaughlin remains difficult to trust for fantasy purposes, as his minimal usage likely won't afford him enough opportunities for consistent production. If either Javonte Williams or Samaje Perine were to miss time due to injury, the 23-year-old would likely carve out a solid role in the Broncos' backfield. McLaughlin and the Broncos will head to Miami for a matchup with the Dolphins in Week 3.

Dotson carried the ball four times for six yards in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Titans. He also caught two passes for 13 yards.

Dotson only played nine offensive snaps total, so that he touched the ball in six of those is impressive. Perhaps more crucially for fantasy managers, the undrafted rookie does appear to be the clear backup to Joshua Kelley, who himself filled in for the injured Austin Ekeler (ankle). Expect a high-octane offensive game in an interesting Week 3 matchup against the Vikings.