NFL Player News

Hubbard (hamstring) returned to practice Tuesday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

The running back may not end up being a full participant, but he's on the field with his helmet as the session gets underway. Hubbard has been hampered by a hamstring injury since mid-August but has been progressing well, and he's trending in the right direction to be ready for Week 1.

Johnson is in line to be Kenneth Walker's backup to begin the season for Kansas City .

Former Cardinals running back Emari Demercado was waived during final roster cutdowns, clearing a path for Johnson after the rookie out of Nebraska impressed throughout training camp and the preseason. Kansas City also has Brashard Smith on the roster, but Johnson may be the better backup for fantasy managers to stash.

Croskey-Merritt (lower body) is dressed for Tuesday's practice, Tashan Reed of The Washington Post reports.

This is a big positive for Croskey-Merritt, who had been working through a lower-body issue late in the preseason. He is now trending in the right direction for Week 1, but official injury reports the week of the game will give final confirmation. If healthy, Croskey-Merritt is in line for a prominent role yet again in the Washington backfield.

Jeanty (ankle) is working off to the side during Tuesday's practice, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.

This marks the first time Jeanty has been participating during a media viewing period since the running back sustained an ankle injury during practice Aug. 23. Jeanty was initially not out with the team for Tuesday's session but has since gotten on the field to work with trainers. There are still some hurdles to be cleared before Jeanty's Week 1 status is confirmed, but the second-year back appears to be making progress.

Jeanty (ankle) was not spotted at Tuesday's practice, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.

Head coach Klint Kubiak said Friday that he's "counting on" Jeanty to be available for Week 1, but the second-year running back will need to get back on the practice field first. The Raiders will open their season with a Sept. 13 game against the Dolphins, so Jeanty still has time to heal up from his sprained ankle. Rookie Mike Washington would be in store for an expanded role versus Miami if Jeanty is out or limited for that contest.

General manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday that he anticipates Jacobs (personal) playing for the Packers at some point in 2026, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.

Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List on Sunday, three days after he was formally charged with two misdemeanors stemming from his May arrest for a domestic incident. The 28-year-old running back is scheduled to make his first appearance in court Nov. 17 and won't be eligible to practice or play while he remains on the exempt list, though head coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that Jacobs will be present at the team facility, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. While Jacobs is out, the Packers will have MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson as their available backfield options, with Lloyd being the favorite to lead the trio in touches.

The Texans signed Jordan to their practice squad Monday.

A sixth-round pick in 2024, Jordan has spent his entire three-year career in the Texans organization, despite having been waived on three occasions. He spent most of his first two seasons on the practice squad and didn't make his NFL debut until Week 15 of the 2025 campaign, when he ran for 101 yards on 15 carries and added two receptions for 17 yards in a win over the Cardinals. Jordan received playing time in the remaining three contests of the regular season, churning out 92 yards on 28 carries to go with five catches for 17 yards, but he went unused during the Texans' two-game playoff run. After he was unable to win a spot on the roster coming out of the preseason, Jordan will likely rank as the Texans' top choice to receive a promotion from the practice squad if David Montgomery or Woody Marks miss time at any point in 2026.

The Texans signed Whittington to their practice squad Monday.

After signing with the Texans in May as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon, Whittington took part in training camp and the preseason, but was unable to secure a spot on the final roster heading into Week 1. Though Whittington will stick around in the organization, Jawhar Jordan will likely rank as the Texans' preferred choice to elevate to the roster if the team's depth in the backfield gets tested at any point.

The Falcons signed Jones to the practice squad Monday, Will McFadden of the team's official site reports.

The Falcons have only two running backs on their initial 53-man roster, with Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson set to carry the full workload. This roster construction likely means practice squad players such as Jones or Tyler Goodson will have consistent chances for elevation on a week-to-week basis. If Jones can stay consistent in practice, there is a good chance he will see some minor NFL action in 2026.

Hull signed a contract with the Cardinals to join the practice squad Monday, Zach Gershman of the team's official website reports.

Hull spent part of training camp with Houston before being cut in early August. He was claimed by Arizona shortly thereafter and impressed during the preseason slate, rushing 38 times for 189 yards and two touchdowns while catching all four of his targets for 29 yards over four games. Hull will now provide depth on the practice squad and could see time on the 53-man roster at some point if the Cardinals experience injuries in the backfield.