NFL Player News
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Emari Demercado RB | ARI
Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Garners 30 total yards in loss
Demercado rushed seven times for 22 yards and brought in two of three targets for eight yards in the Cardinals' 20-10 preseason win over the Raiders on Saturday night.
Demercado, who was the first Arizona running back to log a touch Saturday, finished the preseason by upping his yardage total over that of the previous game for the second straight week, but he still finished with a modest yardage total. The third-year pro has proven capable of filling a complementary role in the Cardinals' backfield over the past two seasons, but with Zonovan Knight breaking off a 67-yard touchdown run and Michael Carter averaging 9.4 yards per carry Saturday, it remains to be seen if one or both will vault over Demercado come final roster cuts.
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Zamir White RB | LV
Raiders' Zamir White: Impressive in preseason loss
White rushed nine times for 42 yards and brought in his only target for three yards in the Raiders' 20-10 preseason loss to the Cardinals on Saturday night.
White co-led the Raiders in rush attempts with veteran Raheem Mostert, but it was the former that notably was in on the first possession alongside rookie first-round pick Ashton Jeanty. White had been having a very quiet preseason until Saturday night's productive showing, so it remains to be seen if the 2022 fourth-round pick will survive final roster cuts, and if so, whether he'll slot in ahead of Mostert on the depth chart behind Jeanty.
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Cody Schrader RB | LAR
Rams' Cody Schrader: Struggles in final showcase
Schrader rushed nine times for 13 yards and returned one kick for 29 yards during Saturday's 19-17 preseason loss to the Browns.
Schrader's momentum came to a halt with a disastrous outing against the Browns. After starting the preseason hot with 140 total yards on offense in his first two appearances, he averaged a paltry 1.4 YPC against Cleveland and failed to record a target for the first time all preseason. Saturday's performance will leave the second-year running back from Missouri in a precarious position with final roster cuts looming soon, as Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are locks to make the team and fourth-round pick Jarquez Hunter (who started the preseason finale for the Rams) is almost certain to join them.
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Ashton Jeanty RB | LV
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty: Two carries in preseason finale
Jeanty rushed twice for five yards in the Raiders' 20-10 preseason loss to the Cardinals on Saturday night.
Jeanty logged the Raiders' first touch from scrimmage and shared time with Zamir White on the drive. Jeanty, the rookie first-round pick, had a relatively quiet first preseason as a pro, rushing 12 times for 37 yards and a touchdown while recording one catch for two yards over three games. That type of sparse usage should be a distant memory as soon as the regular season begins, as Jeanty is expected to handle a robust role in the Raiders' ground attack beginning with a Week 1 road matchup against the Patriots on Sunday, Sept. 7.
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Isaac Guerendo RB | SF
49ers' Isaac Guerendo: Playing through shoulder inury
Guerendo (shoulder) rushed the ball eight times for 13 yards in Saturday's 30-23 preseason win over the Chargers. He added one reception on one target for one yard.
Guerendo started the game with Christian McCaffrey resting and Brian Robinson not yet officially with the team. Per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, Guerendo appeared to aggravate the shoulder injury he suffered earlier in camp in the first quarter and was wearing a brace as protection. Positively, he was able to return to the game, so it appears as though he'll be available for San Francisco's Week 1 matchup against Seattle -- albeit with an unclear role.
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Mike Boone RB | MIA
Dolphins' Mike Boone: Finds end zone against Jags
Boone rushed the ball seven times for 27 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 14-6 preseason win over the Jaguars. He added one catch on two targets for eight yards.
Both De'Von Achane (calf) and Jaylen Wright (leg) were unavailable, which left Boone as the second back to enter the game for Miami. He played a significant role in Miami's scoring drive to begin the third quarter, converting a first down with a six-yard run and then finding the end zone on a seven-yard scamper. Though Boone just joined the team two weeks ago, he looks to have a decent chance to make the roster as a depth option.
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Najee Harris RB | LAC
Chargers' Najee Harris: Has chance to play Week 1
GM Joe Hortiz said during Saturday's preseason game at San Francisco that Harris (eye) is "doing great, going through all the medical processes," but the running back is "on track, and I think he should be able to go, hopefully Week 1," Kris Rhim of ESPN.com reports.
These comments from Hortiz are a sharp departure from those via coach Jim Harbaugh, who told Eric Smith of the Chargers' official site Thursday that when Harris is "ready to play, he'll be ready to play." Harris has been on the active/non-football injury list since the start of training camp after suffering an apparent eye injury during a fireworks accident at a Fourth of July event. How the team proceeds on cutdown day this Tuesday may be telling for his availability for the season opener Friday, Sept. 5 against the Chiefs in Sao Paulo, Brazil. If he's activated from active/NFI, Harris will have a chance to join rookie Omarion Hampton in L.A.'s Week 1 backfield. If he's moved to the reserve/non-football injury list, however, Harris will be required to miss at least the first four games of the campaign.
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Sean Tucker RB | TB
Buccaneers' Sean Tucker: Little with four touches Saturday
Tucker rushed three times for two yards and brought in his only target for one yard in the Buccaneers' 23-19 preseason loss to the Bills on Saturday night.
Tucker was the first running back in for the Buccaneers and played on the first two series. The speedy Syracuse product is expected to see a larger role this coming season thanks to his explosiveness, but Tucker still profiles as the No. 3 running back whenever both Bucky Irving and Rachaad White (groin) are healthy. However, if White's injury lingers into Week 1, Tucker could find himself in a robust role for that Sept. 7 road matchup against the Falcons.
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Ollie Gordon II RB | MIA
Dolphins' Ollie Gordon: Concludes impressive preseason
Gordon rushed the ball eight times for 43 yards in Saturday's 14-6 preseason win over the Jaguars. He did not catch his only target.
Both De'Von Achane (calf) and Jaylen Wright (leg) were out, which allowed Gordon to take the field with much of Miami's starting offense. He didn't have any big plays, but he consistently picked up needed chunks of yardage to continue his impressive summer. While the Dolphins have suggested that Achane will be ready for Week 1 against the Colts, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Gordon operate as his primary backup.
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Jaylen Wright RB | MIA
Dolphins' Jaylen Wright: Deemed 'week-to-week' by McDaniel
Coach Mike McDaniel said after Saturday's preseason game versus the Jaguars that Wright (leg) continues to be evaluated and is "week-to-week," Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.
Such a comment from McDaniel indicates that Wright's status for the Dolphins' season opener Sunday, Sept. 7 at Indianapolis is up in the air. Wright walked off the practice field slowly Thursday and then was spotted with a sleeve on his right leg and without crutches ahead of Saturday's exhibition. With the second-year pro's immediate future to be determined, rookie sixth-rounder Ollie Gordon currently is the healthiest and most appealing reserve running back behind starter De'Von Achane, who currently is sidelined due to a calf injury.