NFL Player News

Wilson was on the field for six offensive snaps (nine percent) and did not record a touch in Sunday's 27-24 overtime win over the Rams.

Elijah Mitchell (knee) was cleared of injury designation heading into the matchup, leaving Wilson in a reserve role with JaMycal Hasty handling third-down duties. The veteran tailback finishes the 2021 regular season with 294 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 79 carries (3.7 YPC), most of which came during a three-week stretch where Wilson filled in for an injured Mitchell. The 25-year-old has worked hard to earn a solid four-year run with the 49ers after going undrafted in 2018, but this appears to be a transition year for San Francisco's backfield, so Wilson may find himself in another uniform as he enters free agency this upcoming offseason.

Coach Matt Rhule said Monday that he "fully expects" McCaffrey (ankle) to remain with the Panthers for the 2022 season, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.

McCaffrey topped 400 touches during the 2019 campaign but has missed extended time in each of the last two seasons due to injuries. He appeared in 10 games across the last two years and rushed 158 times for 667 yards and six touchdowns while catching 54 of 60 targets for 492 yards and two touchdowns during that time. The 25-year-old has been mentioned in trade rumors recently, but it appears as though the Panthers are committed to bringing back their star running back in 2022.

Coach Andy Reid said Monday that Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) is making progress in his recovery, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.

Edwards-Helaire was inactive for Saturday's regular-season finale after he was unable to practice ahead of Week 18, but Reid said that he expects the running back to get some work in ahead of Sunday's wild-card matchup against Pittsburgh. Whether the 22-year-old will be cleared for game action in time for the postseason opener remains to be seen, but Darrel Williams (toe) once again could be in line for a lead role if Edwards-Helaire is unavailable. If both Edwards-Helaire and Williams are sidelined, Derrick Gore is the next player in the Chiefs backfield, with Jerick McKinnon on hand as a change-of-pace option.

The Bengals activated Mixon (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday.

Mixon was forced to miss the regular-season finale against Cleveland after testing positive for COVID-19, but now that he's cleared league protocols he can officially return to team facilities. Cincinnati's offense thus will have its star running back available in practice leading up to Saturday's wild-card round matchup against the Raiders.

Patterson ran four times for 11 yards and caught his only target for one yard during Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Saints.

Patterson posted his worst fantasy performance in the final game of what has been a breakout campaign for the versatile veteran. He finished the 2021 season with 153 rushes for 618 yards and six touchdowns while adding 52 receptions for 548 yards and five touchdowns through the air. Patterson signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Falcons last offseason and will certainly garner interest from around the league after his career year.

Coach Nick Sirianni said Monday that he's "hopeful" Sanders (hand) will be available for Sunday's wild-card contest against the Buccaneers, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Sanders is recovering from a broken hand suffered Week 17 against the Giants, and he was inactive for the Eagles' regular-season finale against the Cowboys. Philadelphia also should have a solid chance at getting both Boston Scott (illness) and Jordan Howard (illness) back from the reserve/COVID-19 list, which would give the offense a full complement of backfield options.

Taylor ran 11 times for 53 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for three yards in Sunday's 37-30 loss to the Lions.

Taylor and AJ Dillon shared the backfield duties with Aaron Jones (knee) sidelined, and the former set career highs in carries and rushing yards while tallying both the first receptions and touchdown of his career. Jones should return for the Packers' playoff opener in two weeks, which presumably will put Taylor back in a bit role.

Ollison ran once for 19 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Saints. He also failed to haul in his only target.

Mike Davis led the team in rushing attempts (six) and yards (30), but he also lost two fumbles and had to leave the game due to a rib injury. In his absence, Ollison played just 16 offensive snaps, but he took advantage of his only touch by bowling his way to a 19-yard score in the third quarter, recording the Falcons' first touchdown of the game. The 25-year-old running back finished his 2021 campaign with 21 rushes for 105 yards (5.0 YPC) and a touchdown across eight appearances.

Etienne (foot) said Monday his rehab is progressing well and he expects to "be ready for training camp," John Shipley of SI.com reports.

Etienne, who missed his entire rookie campaign due to a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, has already resumed running in a pool in his rehab process, per Hays Carlyon of 1010 AM WJXL Jacksonville. His next big hurdle will be to return to full speed in running drills and get back to strength training. With James Robinson having suffered a torn left Achilles in mid-December, both Jacksonville's top backfield options are currently focused on returning to health for the 2022 campaign.

Snell rushed 12 times for 22 yards in Sunday's 16-13 overtime win over the Ravens.

The 2019 fourth-rounder recorded double-digit touches for the first time this year after Najee Harris sustained an elbow injury on the team's first drive. However, Snell struggled mightily with efficiency and averaged just 1.8 yards per carry. Harris returned to Sunday's matchup after suffering his injury, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him available for the team's wild-card matchup against Kansas City on Sunday. Snell appeared in all 17 regular-season games this year and rushed 36 times for 98 yards while hauling in two of four targets for 13 yards.