NFL Player News

Hill (neck) is ruled out for Thursday's contest against Cincinnati.

Hill was not listed on Monday's injury report, but he's since missed back-to-back practices due to a neck issue and will be forced to remain sidelined Week 13. In his stead, Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali will stand to handle increased backfield roles behind Derrick Henry on Thanksgiving Day, a divisional matchup that could make for a high-scoring affair with quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) expected to return to the starting lineup for the Bengals.

Kamara (knee) didn't practice Wednesday, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Kamara missed the entire second half of this past Sunday's loss to the Falcons due to a knee injury, and after undergoing an MRI, he's been diagnosed with a sprained MCL. The Saints will post two more practice reports this week, and Friday's version in particular may provide some clarity as it pertains to his status for Sunday's game at Miami. Devin Neal is lined up to lead New Orleans' backfield if Kamara is limited or sidelined for Week 13 action.

Hunt's teammate Isiah Pacheco (knee) will return for Thursday's game at Dallas, but Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said he isn't sure how much Pacheco will play, ESPN's Nate Taylor reports.

Pacheco was Kansas City's lead runner before his knee sprain, but the role didn't amount to much in fantasy with Hunt stealing goal-line work and Brashard Smith taking a few touches each week. Hunt was far more valuable in Pacheco's absence, recording three straight games with at least 47 snaps, 12 touches and 12.5 PPR points. His playing time figures to decrease now, though to what extent is unclear.

Barkley (groin) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

Barkley was also listed as limited during Tuesday's walkthrough session, meaning he will have one more opportunity to upgrade his practice level Thursday, at which point the Eagles will decide whether to assign him an official injury designation for Friday's game against the Bears. It's entirely possible, of course, that the team is simply managing Barkley's reps while facing a short week of preparation. He carried the ball 10 times for 22 yards and secured seven of eight targets for 52 yards during the team's Week 12 loss to the Cowboys. Barkley also lost one fumble versus Dallas.

Jacobs (knee) does not carry an injury designation for Thursday's game against the Lions, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

Jacobs suffered a bone bruise in his knee early during Green Bay's win over the Giants in Week 11 and was forced to sit out the team's win over the Vikings in Week 12, but he'll take the field for Thanksgiving Day's road divisional showdown against Detroit. The fact that Jacobs has avoided an injury designation entirely bodes well for his odds of immediately returning to his usual workhorse role versus the Lions, though it's worth noting that he remained limited in practice Wednesday. As such, it's possible Emanuel Wilson handles greater touches than usual in his complementary No. 2 role, especially after his impressive performance versus Minnesota.

Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Wednesday that Hampton (ankle) and Kimani Vidal likely will be deployed in "some sort of 1-2 punch," Alex Insdorf of BoltBeat.com reports.

The good news for Hampton's fantasy managers is that Roman talked about the rookie as if he is ready to return for Sunday's matchup with Las Vegas. The bad news is that Roman suggested Vidal will remain involved, with the stipulation that the Chargers will "play that one by ear." Of course, the team's plan for Hampton's first game back from injured reserve won't necessarily be the plan for the rest of the season. Before any of that happens, he'll need to prove his health and fitness on the practice field.

Demercado (ankle) is not participating in the early portion of Wednesday's practice open to the media, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

Demercado didn't practice in any capacity prior to being ruled out for Week 12. He's recovering from a high-ankle sprain suffered Week 11 during Arizona's loss to the 49ers, so it wouldn't be surprising if Demercado remains on the sideline Thursday and/or Friday as well. Trey Benson (knee) had his 21-day practice window opened Week 12 and could be a candidate to action in time for Sunday's road matchup against the Buccaneers, and the Cardinals still have Bam Knight and Michael Carter on hand to contribute out of the backfield.

The Cardinals signed Johnson to their practice squad Wednesday.

The Florida product was dropped from the Eagles' practice squad in early September but has since found a new home in Arizona. Johnson has yet to make his NFL debut after posting 1,410 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 252 carries during his final two collegiate seasons.

Jacobs (knee) is expected to play in Thursday's game against the Lions, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Jacobs sat out the Packers' Week 12 win over the Vikings while managing a bone bruise in his knee and a thigh contusion, but he's now been listed as a limited participant on four consecutive injury reports and is trending in the right direction for Thanksgiving Day. While Jacobs seems likely to receive an official injury designation for Week 13 unless he's able to upgrade to full practice reps Wednesday, the bell cow running back is expected to suit up versus Detroit. If Jacobs does carry an injury designation, however, his availability won't be made official until Green Bay releases its inactive list 90 minutes prior to Thursday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff.

Perine was a full participant at practice Tuesday.

Perine was estimated as a full participant for the Bengals' walk-through practice Monday, and he was able to run full drills Tuesday, keeping him on track to play Thursday in Baltimore. After missing the Bengals' previous two games, Perine should step back in as the top change-of-pace option behind starting running back Chase Brown.