NFL Player News

Head coach Nathaniel Hackett said Wednesday that Melvin Gordon will start Sunday's game against the Jets, while Murray will have a role off the bench, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports.

That arrangement is technically what happened during Monday's loss to the Chargers, except Gordon barely played after the first quarter and finished with three carries to Murray's 16. Further complicating matters was the involvement of Mike Boone, who earned one carry and four targets on a 36 percent snap share. Any of three backs are risky fantasy options for Week 7, even if the Broncos prioritize their running game while Russell Wilson deals with a hamstring injury.

Head coach Nathaniel Hackett said Gordon will start Sunday's game against the Jets, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

Hackett's proclamation comes as a surprise just two days after Gordon was limited to three touches and a 16 percent snap share despite getting the start in a 19-16 overtime loss to the Chargers. The Broncos used Latavius Murray (15 carries for 66 yards) as their lead runner after the first couple drives, while Mike Boone (one carry, four targets) saw the field frequently for passing situations. The backfield rotation will need to be closely monitored each week, with Hackett noting Wednesday that Murray will also continue to get work, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.

Williams (knee) didn't practice Wednesday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

Williams missed the team's Week 6 win over Chicago due to a knee injury he suffered against Tennessee a week prior. The veteran running back is trending toward a second straight absence, but he'll have two more opportunities to practice before Washington needs to make a decision on his status for Sunday's matchup against Green Bay.

Hines (concussion) was present for Wednesday's practice, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Deon Jackson (quadriceps) were also dressed for practice Wednesday, which suggests that the Colts could have each their top three backs available this Sunday against the Titans. Taylor has missed the Colts' past two games, while Hines played just three snaps Week 5 against the Broncos before exiting with the concussion that sidelined him for the Week 6 win over the Jaguars.

Jackson (quadriceps) practiced Wednesday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

While the extent of the running back's participation isn't yet officially known, Boyd relays that Jackson, along with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Nyheim Hines (concussion), participated Wednesday in their normal practice gear. With Taylor and Hines combining to play three snaps over the Colts' last two games due to their injuries, Jackson has been a stellar replacement, totaling 39 touches for 222 yards and one score. However, Jackson picked up a quad issue late in the team's Week 6 win over Jacksonville and may not be a lock to make it back in action for Sunday's game in Tennessee. Even if he does, Jackson may find himself back in the third spot on the depth chart, as Taylor and Hines both appear to be trending toward returns Sunday at this early stage of the week.

Taylor (ankle) was spotted on the field at practice Wednesday, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.

Both Nyheim Hines (concussion) and Deon Jackson (quadriceps) were also seen on the field Wednesday, which suggests that all three could be available this weekend against the Titans. The Colts will release their first Week 7 injury report later Wednesday, which will reveal the trio's official participation level. Taylor logged limited practices Thursday and Friday last week before missing his second straight game this past Sunday against the Jaguars.

Head coach Dan Campbell said that Swift (shoulder/ankle) is expected to practice in a limited fashion Wednesday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Per Campbell, the running back -- who last suited up Week 3 -- is "a little bit better" following the Lions' Week 6 bye. Swift's status for Sunday's game against the Cowboys presumably hinges on how well his shoulder and ankle respond to the work he's expected to log at practice as the week progresses.

Armah was signed to the Commanders' practice squad Wednesday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

After being released by the team while dealing with an undisclosed injury to open the season, Armah will return to Washington's practice unit Wednesday. The fullback played in 11 games last season with New Orleans and Washington, turning five carries into 21 yards while reeling in a one-yard touchdown catch over 70 offensive snaps. Armah will provide additional backfield depth behind the likes of Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson.

Boone recorded one carry for one yard and caught one of four targets for three yards in Monday's 19-16 overtime loss to the Chargers.

Boone operated as the Broncos' No. 2 running back in the contest, playing 21 of the team's 58 offensive snaps, behind Latavius Murray who played on 27 snaps. Fellow running back Melvin Gordon, however, played just nine snaps in the contest, raising questions about the backfield split going forward. Murray showed the most burst of the three on the ground, but Boone continued to be involved in the passing game. His four targets were the second-highest total of any Denver pass catcher. With that said, Boone will be difficult to trust for fantasy purposes when the Broncos host the Jets in Week 7.

McKinnon recorded two carries for one yard and caught all three of his targets for 29 yards in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Bills.

McKinnon played 29 of the Chiefs' 67 offensive snaps, but the veteran wasn't able to get much going in the contest. Fellow running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the backfield in rushing attempts with nine, but he played one less snap than McKinnon. Nonetheless, the fluid Chiefs backfield makes the 30-year-old difficult to trust for fantasy purposes. This is likely to remain the case when the Chiefs visit the 49ers in Week 7.