NFL Player News

Pierce (ankle) is expected to miss Sunday's matchup against Kansas City, Brooks Kubena and Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Pierce suffered a left ankle sprain during Sunday's 27-23 loss to Dallas. While he was able to play through the issue in Week 14, he's expected to miss at least one game and it's believed he could be sidelined for up to three contests, per DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com. The rookie running back had totaled 1,104 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns this season, so his absence would be a big blow to Houston's offense. Rex Burkhead and Dare Ogunbowale figure to handle most of the backfield work in Pierce's absence, but the Texans may also elevate Royce Freeman and/or Gerrid Doaks from the practice squad as well.

Doaks signed with the Texans' practice squad Tuesday.

Doaks was cut from the team's practice squad Nov. 17 after they claimed Eno Benjamin off waivers from the Cardinals. Now, the team has brought back Doaks after cutting Benjamin on Tuesday. With Dameon Pierce (ankle) unlikely to play Sunday against the Chiefs, the 24-year-old could find himself with the active roster Week 15.

The Broncos placed Boone (ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday, Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post reports.

Boone will miss Denver's final four games of the season while he heads to IR for a second time, with both stints being the result of high-ankle sprains. He returned from his first five-week absence in Week 13, lasting just two games before injuring the ankle again. Boone is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will conclude the 2022 campaign with 24 carries for 102 yards and nine catches for 96 yards on 15 targets over his nine appearances. Denver is now left with Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack as the lone backs on its 53-man roster.

Wilson (hip) was listed as a non-participant Tuesday on the Dolphins' first Week 15 injury report, Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald reports.

Tuesday's report was merely an estimate since the Dolphins didn't take the field for practice, but Wilson wouldn't have been available to take part in drills had the team held a session. The running back will have two more chances to get in some practice reps before the Dolphins return to action Saturday at Buffalo, though at this stage of the week, Wilson looks questionable to play, at best. If Wilson is sidelined for the Week 15 contest, Raheem Mostert would take on a more pronounced role as Miami's lead back, while one of Salvon Ahmed or Myles Gaskin could have a role as a secondary option out of the backfield.

McCrary was cut from the Panthers' practice squad Tuesday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

McCrary joined the team Nov. 1, but he never worked his way to the active roster. He was let go to make room for Tae Hayes, who was signed to the practice squad Tuesday in a corresponding move. McCrary, who spent last season with Baltimore, will now work to earn an opportunity elsewhere.

Jones was on the field for the Packers' unofficial practice session Tuesday following the team's Week 14 bye, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

In the Packers' last game against the Bears, Jones was managing a shin injury that caused him to exit the contest at one point, but he was ultimately cleared to return and finished with 50 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches (nine carries, five receptions) in Green Bay's 28-19 win. Though Jones was less than 100 percent by the end of the Bears game, the week off appears to have him in a better spot on the health front heading into Week 15. Jones should be positioned to deliver a bounce-back performance Monday against a depleted Rams squad that could be missing standout defensive tackle Aaron Donald (ankle).

Kelley tallied four carries for 29 yards and also caught one of his two targets for six yards in the 23-17 win over the Dolphins on Sunday.

Kelley scampered for a 22-yard run early in the second quarter, accounting for one of the more explosive gains on the ground all year for the Chargers. The third-year back saw a season-high 32 offensive snaps Sunday, confirming the platooned back up running back situation has essentially been dissolved.

The Texans waived Benjamin on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Benjamin logged his first touches with Houston during Sunday's loss to Dallas, when he had three carries for one yard and was on the field for eight snaps. The 2020 seventh-round pick was waived by the Cardinals in mid-November before being claimed by the Texans, and he will now need to search for a chance at a depth role with another organization.

Pierce suffered a "relatively mild" left high-ankle sprain in Sunday's 27-23 loss to the Cowboys and could miss 1-to-2 weeks, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

According to Wilson, Pierce went in for an MRI on Monday that revealed no structural damage, though his tests confirmed that he's dealing with the high-ankle sprain. The Texans haven't confirmed the diagnosis, but the standout rookie appears likely to miss at least the team's Week 15 game against Kansas City at a minimum. If Pierce sits out this weekend, the Texans would be left with Rex Burkhead and Dare Ogunbowale at running back after waiving Eno Benjamin on Tuesday.

Strong rushed five times for 70 yards and a touchdown and brought in both targets for 20 yards in the Patriots' 27-13 win over the Cardinals on Monday night.

A bulk of Strong's production came on a game-long 44-yard run on the Patriots' first possession of the second half, with the rookie taking the ball to the Cardinals' 12-yard line to set up a Nick Folk 23-yard field goal. Strong then capped off the scoring on the night with a three-yard touchdown rush early in the fourth quarter, his first NFL trip to the end zone. Strong could have a significant role in a favorable Week 15 road battle against the Raiders if either or both Damien Harris (thigh) and Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) is sidelined for that game.