NFL Player News

McFarland rushed three times for 18 yards and a touchdown while securing his lone target for five yards during Friday's 27-17 preseason win over the Buccaneers.

McFarland remained with the Steelers during the offseason by signing a reserve/futures contract with the team, and he's impressed during training camp this year. He accounted for Pittsburgh's lone rushing touchdown during Friday's preseason opener, but he'll likely struggle to find much work behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren once the regular season rolls around.

Taylor had six carries for 19 yards and five receptions for eight yards in Friday's 36-19 preseason victory over the Bengals.

Taylor entered Friday's contest third on the depth chart at the running back position, and with Aaron Jones sitting out, Taylor was the second running back into the game behind AJ Dillon. Taylor was busy, racking up 11 touches and -- per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com -- spending eight more snaps on the field than any other Packers running back. Taylor did not do anything spectacular and was outshined by rookie reserve Emanuel Wilson, so his grasp on the third spot may not be as secure as it was. However, the veteran Taylor remains the frontrunner for the job.

Wilson had six carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns in Friday's 36-19 preseason victory over the Bengals.

Wilson did not enter Friday's contest until the third quarter, but he made a major impact from then onward, racking up three carries of over 10 yards before taking his final tote of the evening 80 yards to the house. The rookie was something of an afterthought heading into Friday's contest, but he capitalized on his opportunity and is now seemingly in the mix for the third spot on the depth chart at his position.

Hall carried three times for four yards, caught his lone target for three yards, and returned one kickoff for 34 yards in Friday's preseason game against the Commanders.

Jerome Ford's hamstring injury, which leaves him week-to-week, opens the door for Hall to get more work at running back. It also keeps Hall in the mix as a returner. Ford was the main kickoff returner in 2022, and special teams coach Stump Mitchell told Anthony Poisal of the Browns' official site in June that would still be part of his job. However, head coach Kevin Stefanski may want to limit Ford's exposure on special teams. In that event, Hall will be part of the competition as a returner.

Perine rushed for 26 yards on six attempts and did not haul in his lone target in Friday's preseason opener against Arizona.

Perine got the start with Javonte Williams (knee) still being eased back into action after missing most of last season with a torn ACL. Head coach Sean Payton insists that Williams can and will see the field this preseason, which would be an impressive feat considering how severe knee injuries can be to return from without issue, especially at the running back position. That's one of the main reasons the Broncos added a reliable veteran like Perine, not to just complement the lead back, but also to serve as an insurance policy if Williams is forced to miss time at any point this year. Williams' next opportunity to return will be when Denver takes on San Francisco on Aug. 19.

Kelly carried the ball six times for six yards and caught his only target for three yards in Friday's preseason loss to the Commanders.

After a good showing in the Hall of Fame Game last week, Kelly crashed back down to Earth in this one. Not only was he thoroughly outproduced on the ground by Demetric Felton, Kelly flopped in his biggest moment -- he got a fourth-down carry from the one-yard line on Cleveland's first drive, but rather than punching the ball into the end zone, he got tackled for a four-yard loss by Montez Sweat. If Cleveland goes with only three backs on its Week 1 roster, Kelly is by no means assured of a spot.

Felton carried the ball eight times for 31 yards in Friday's preseason loss to the Commanders.

With Nick Chubb getting the night off and Jerome Ford (hamstring) unavailable, Felton got the start for the Browns. While his numbers don't jump off the page, the third-year UCLA product was the only Cleveland running back to reach double-digit rushing yards. His role on special teams should ensure he makes the Week 1 roster, but if Ford's injury lingers into the regular season, Felton could see a bit more usage on offense than expected as well.

Gibson carried the ball twice for seven yards and caught two of three targets for 13 yards in Friday's preseason win over the Browns.

The Commanders used their first-team offense for three possessions despite wet field conditions, and during those drives Gibson wound up seeing one more touch than Brian Robinson (three carries for 16 yards). While neither back was effective, Gibson becomes a more appealing fantasy option if new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy continues to split the workload relatively equally between them rather than leaning more heavily on Robinson.

Robinson carried the ball three times for 16 yards in Friday's preseason win over the Browns.

The start of the game was delayed due to a thunderstorm, but the Commanders elected to send out their first-team offense to begin the night even with wet field conditions. Robinson ended up seeing one less touch than Antonio Gibson (two carries, two receptions) over three drives before the backups took over, perhaps giving an early glimpse at how new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy plans to split the workload in the backfield. Robinson should remain the primary option on early downs, but the 2022 third-round pick's fantasy value could depend on how much usage he sees in the red zone and at the goal line.

Vaughn was held to just four yards on seven carries and was not targeted in Friday's preseason loss to the Steelers.

Projected starter Rachaad White was held out of Tampa Bay's first exhibition contest, so it was notable that Vaughn was the first back deployed (even with the dirt-poor results). Fellow tailback rotation candidates Chase Edmonds (6/18/0) and Sean Tucker (6/10/0) barely moved the ball against Pittsburgh's defense either, so it's hard to give any player the leg up as they jockey for position ahead of Week 1. Vaughn will get an opportunity for redemption when the Bucs face the Jets on Aug. 19.