NFL Player News

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.

Tucker is in the mix along with Chase Edmonds and Ke'Shawn Vaughn to see complementary work behind top back Rachaad White during the upcoming season, Buccaneers' official site reports.

When it comes to how the touches that don't go to White will be divided, offensive coordinator Dave Canales expects to employ a committee approach. With that in mind, Edmonds has a chance to make his mark in passing situations, while some combination of Tucker, White and Edmonds could be used to spell White on early downs. In that context, Tucker doesn't have a clearly defined role as Sunday's season opener at Minnesota approaches, but the undrafted rookie out of Syracuse profiles as a player to monitor in order to see how the Buccaneers' backfield pecking order shakes out as the 2023 campaign progresses.

McLaughlin could have an immediate impact this season as Denver's No. 3 running back, Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post reports.

After an outstanding training camp and preseason, McLaughlin has done everything he can to impress the Broncos' coaching staff and earn a spot as one of the team's three running backs behind Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine. The undrafted rookie has proven to be a playmaker, and it's possible that head coach Sean Payton, who is known to use multiple backs, could find ways to get him touches. McLaughlin's speed, vision and acceleration through holes make him an attractive option out of the backfield and should have him in the mix as a kick returner, as well. Though the 22-year-old has shown great potential, he'll likely be difficult to rely on for consistent fantasy production barring an injury to Williams or Perine.

Achane (shoulder) is practicing Monday without a red non-contact jersey, Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald reports.

Achane taking contact again represents a significant step forward in his recovery from a lingering shoulder injury. The rookie third-round pick will continue to do all he can to gain clearance for Sunday's game against the Chargers, as, with Jeff Wilson (abdomen) on IR, he would face significant opportunity if healthy. If Achane can't go Week 1, however, Salvon Ahmed (neck) could get a chance to work as the top backup to Raheem Mostert.

Coach Shane Steichen noted Monday that Moss, who is bouncing back from a broken right arm, is "progressing well," James Boyd of The Athleticreports.

The report adds that Steichen didn't provide a definitive statement on whether Moss will be available for Sunday's season opener against the Jaguars. If the 2020 third-rounder isn't ready to play this weekend, Deon Jackson and rookie fifth-rounder Evan Hull would be in line to lead Indy's backfield, with practice squad members Jake Funk and Jason Huntley options to be elevated ahead of Week 1 action.