NFL Player News

Williams (knee) was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Along with Williams, No. 1 running back James Conner (ribs) also returned to practice as a limited participant, indicating the position group is getting close to being back to full strength. An active Conner on Sunday in Minnesota likely would be Arizona's lead runner, but he could yield reps to Williams (if active) and Eno Benjamin. In five appearances this season, Williams averaged 5.9 yards per carry on his 16 rushes while scoring one touchdown.

Conner (ribs) practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

The appearance on the field marked Conner's first since injuring his ribs Week 5 against the Eagles. He's missed two games as a result, but the limited showing may be a sign that he's inching toward a return to action. Fellow running back Darrel Williams (knee) also was limited Wednesday, meaning the Cardinals backfield is slowly getting back to full strength. If Conner gets the green light to play Sunday at Minnesota, he likely will reclaim lead-back duties from Eno Benjamin, though the latter (and potentially Williams) also may be in the mix for touches.

Robinson (knee) isn't listed Wednesday on the Jets' initial Week 8 injury report, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

In his final game with the Jaguars this past weekend, Robinson logged only 12 snaps, with the team indicating that the running back was dealing with some "knee soreness." However, Robinson said Wednesday that he's healthy at this stage, likely setting him up to make his Jets debut in Sunday's matchup with the Patriots, according to Cimini. Assuming Robinson is able to get up to speed with his new team's playbook, he'll likely work in a timeshare out of the backfield with Michael Carter after the Jets lost star rookie Breece Hall (knee) to a season-ending injury Week 7.

Edwards (knee) was a limited practice participant Wednesday and is listed as questionable for Thursday's game in Tampa Bay, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

The Ravens have eight players listed as questionable, making it tough to get a read on whose availability is actually in doubt. Edwards seems better than a 50-50 bet to play after being listed as a limited practice participant Monday through Wednesday, but there would still be some chance of a workload restriction with his second game back from an ACL tear coming only four days after the first. Edwards drew the start and took 16 carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns last Sunday against Cleveland, making the most of his 23 snaps (36 percent) while splitting time with Kenyan Drake and Justice Hill. Those two would see more work Thursday night in the event Edwards is on the inactive list ahead of the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.

Akers (personal) won't practice with the Rams this week, Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Akers' continued absence from the team all but rules him out for Sunday's game against the 49ers, an outcome Sean McVay hinted at earlier in the week. Darrell Henderson is expected to work as the Rams' lead back, with Malcolm Brown in reserve and Kyren Williams (ankle) nearing a return from injured reserve. Akers, meanwhile, remains a candidate to be traded.

Swift (ankle/shoulder) was a full practice participant Wednesday.

Swift wasn't cleared to play in last Sunday's loss to the Cowboys after putting in three consecutive limited sessions following a bye week, but with a full practice already under his belt, he appears poised to make his first appearance since Week 3 this Sunday against the Dolphins. In three contests this season, he averaged a whopping 8.6 yards per carry on his 27 rushes and also hauled in eight of 12 targets for 77 yards, so he's a must-start player in his return to the lineup.

Elliott, who won't practice Wednesday, is tending to a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee and a thigh bruise that he sustained during this past Sunday's win against the Lions, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Elliott played through most of last season with a torn PCL in his right knee, racking up more than 1,000 yards on the ground for the fourth time in six pro campaigns. This time around, he may not be so lucky, however. Elliott told Jon Machota of The Athletic on Wednesday that he's dealing with stiffness in his right knee and is unsure if he'll be able to suit up this Sunday against the Bears. He noted he doesn't necessarily need to practice to be available on game day, but his status nonetheless bears watching in the coming days to see if he has a chance to play this weekend. No matter if Elliott is active or not, Tony Pollard figures to benefit in the Cowboys backfield.

The Rams designated Williams (ankle) for return from injured reserve Wednesday.

Williams suffered a high-ankle sprain on his only snap Week 1 and has been sidelined in the meantime. The Rams now has a 21-day window to evaluate the rookie fifth-round pick and determine when (or if) a return to action is possible. If he gets back on the active roster, Williams may be able to mix into the backfield behind Darrell Henderson with Cam Akers' (personal) status with the team up in the air.

Conner has a chance to contribute in the Jacksonville offense after fellow running back James Robinson was traded to the Jets on Monday, Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union reports.

Head coach Doug Pederson said JaMycal Hasty will get more carries off the bench to avoid overworking Travis Etienne, who now stands unquestioned as the Jaguars' lead back. Conner, a rookie fifth-round pick, has been a healthy scratch for the entirety of his rookie season, stuck behind Robinson, Etienne and Hasty. The rookie now has a chance to be active on game days, though he might be the No. 3 back behind Etienne and Hasty. That role that wouldn't necessarily entail Conner getting carries this Sunday in London against the Broncos.

The Seahawks designated Homer (ribs) for return from injured reserve Wednesday, John Boyle of the team's official site reports.

As head coach Pete Carroll predicted last Wednesday, Homer is getting back on the practice field this week after missing the minimum four games on injured reserve due to sore ribs. It's unclear if he'll do enough to be cleared to play Sunday against the Giants, but the Seahawks now have a 21-day window in which to evaluate whether or not a return to the active roster is possible. If that comes to pass, Homer likely will vie with DeeJay Dallas for complementary touches in Seattle's backfield behind lead runner Kenneth Walker with Rashaad Penny (ankle) out for the season.