NFL Player News

Pledger was waived by the Cardinals on Monday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Pledger joined Arizona as an undrafted free agent out of Utah in May after earning a deal during a rookie minicamp tryout. He had four carries for eight yards and a catch for 15 yards between his two preseason appearances. Pledger will now work to find an opportunity elsewhere.

The Raiders plan to release Drake, Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic report.

Per the report, the move is slated to occur, barring an unlikely last-minute trade offer, but either way, the Raiders are moving on from Drake, who they signed to a a two-year, $11 million deal in March 2021. The running back suffered a season-ending ankle injury Week 13 last year, but he's moved past the issue and has played this preseason. Once he catches on with a new team, the 28-year-old will look to carve out an early-season role, but until that context is clarified Drake will profile as a speculative fantasy option.

Williams (foot) will play in the Rams' third preseason game against the Bengals on Saturday, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Williams will also compete in joint practices as he ramps up his workload in his recovery from the broken foot he suffered during OTAs. Selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Williams is expected to be competing with Jake Funk for the No. 3 spot on the Rams' running back depth chart.

Ozigbo was claimed off waivers by the Broncos on Monday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Ozigbo was able to find a new home quickly after he was waived by the Saints on Sunday. The 25-year-old has bounced around a bit over the last several months, but he'll work to make the most of his new opportunity in Denver.

The Raiders informed Drake on Monday that he will be released, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The fact that Drake received six touches (three carries and three catches) in the Raiders' third preseason game in Miami on Saturday -- when several key offensive players were rested -- was a firm indication the 28-year-old was on the roster bubble. The veteran back didn't make much of an impression across the Raiders' first three exhibitions and offers limited value on special teams, so the team's decision to cut him isn't overly surprising. Once he's granted his release, Drake will have a couple weeks to catch on elsewhere as a depth option before the regular season commences.

Spiller (ankle) is considered week-to-week, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports.

He won't play in the Chargers' final preseason game and can be considered questionable for Week 1 against the Raiders. Even if he gets healthy, it isn't clear Spiller will have a role in the season opener, as he ran behind Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree this preseason. The rookie fourth-round pick is capable of moving ahead of those players as the year progresses, but this ankle injury probably ends any chance Spiller will do it before Week 1.

Coach Nathaniel Hackett suggested Williams and other key players will be held out for a third straight week when the Broncos face the Vikings on Saturday in their preseason finale, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

Nearly everyone, including backfield mate Melvin Gordon, expects Williams to take on a larger share of the workload in his second season. There's also the likelihood of increased offensive output overall for the Broncos with QB Russell Wilson taking over, but Williams still has Gordon lingering as a thorn in the side of fantasy managers, with the veteran likely to get a decent number of touches each week. The talented duo gets a favorable matchup to start the regular season, heading to Seattle as favorites against Wilson's former team Week 1.

Pierce could be Houston's Week 1 starter, or at least a major contributor, though coach Lovie Smith hasn't commented on the matter, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle reports.

After taking five carries for 49 yards in the preseason opener, Pierce was rested in the second exhibition matchup, with Smith saying he'd already seen what he needed to see from the rookie running back. It's unclear if Pierce will play in the team's final preseason game Thursday against San Francisco, but the Texans are expected to play most starters for a third straight week, including QB Davis Mills. With Pierce held out of the second preseason game, Marlon Mack got most of the early down work and Rex Burkhead handled most passing situations. Neither player impressed, and Burkhead lost a fumble.

Chestnut carried the ball 10 times for 35 yards in Saturday's preseason win over Tampa Bay. He added two receptions for 10 yards.

Chestnut was the third Tennessee back to earn a touch, behind both Dontrell Hilliard and Hassan Haskins. He had a few significant runs late in the game that helped pad his yardage total, and he also made a tackle on special teams. The latter is his likeliest path to a roster spot, as he appears to be buried on the depth chart behind Derrick Henry and both Hilliard and Haskins.

Williams took four carries for 12 yards and one catch for nine yards in Saturday's preseason loss to Kansas City.

Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson handled the first half, while J.D. McKissic (groin) was unavailable. After that, Williams worked ahead of Jaret Patterson, who took two carries for one yard and a touchdown. Williams also played ahead of Patterson the previous week, but it isn't clear the Commanders will keep a fourth back behind Robinson, Gibson and McKissic.