NFL Player News

Jones is expected to serve as Tampa Bay's starting running back for the final three games of the regular season after the Buccaneers placed Leonard Fournette (hamstring) on injured reserve Thursday, Zach Kruse of USA Today reports.

Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Le'Veon Bell and practice-squad member Kenjon Barner could also push for reps down the stretch, particularly on passing downs, but Jones should be locked in as Tampa Bay's lead option on the ground sans Fournette. Though ball-security issues and mental mistakes have been consistent themes in Jones' career, the 24-year-old has been a productive ball carrier, averaging 4.5 yards per tote over 458 rushing attempts. He'll likely continue to pick up solid chunks of yardage while running behind three Pro Bowl linemen, and Tom Brady's proclivity for checking down to running backs could allow Jones to collect at least a few targets per game even if he's subbed out on more obvious passing downs.

Washington was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, per the team's official site.

Washington joins a growing list of Saints players on the COVID-19 list ahead of Monday's matchup against Miami. If there's any good news for New Orleans, it's that none of the four running backs listed ahead of Washington on the depth chart is currently slated to miss the contest. As such, the impact of his potential absence would primarily be felt on special teams.

Bolden (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bills after practicing in a limited fashion this past week.

Meanwhile, Rhamondre Stevenson (illness) has been ruled out by the team, while Damien Harris (hamstring) also is listed as questionable. As long as both are available this weekend, we'd expect Harris to handle the bulk of the Patriots' early-down work and Bolden to work in a change-of-pace role, with J.J. Taylor in reserve. Fortunately for those inclined to consider Bolden in Week 16 fantasy PPR lineups, New England kicks off against Buffalo at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Williams (knee) has no injury designation for Sunday's game against the Raiders, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

Williams and Melvin Gordon (thumb/hip) both have been cleared to play after upgrading from limited practice participation Thursday to full sessions Friday. Their timeshare remains close to 50/50, with both taking double-digit touches on a regular basis.

Harris (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bills after practicing in a limited fashion this week.

Meanwhile, Rhamondre Stevenson (illness) has been ruled out for the contest, while Brandon Bolden (knee) is also listed as questionable. As long as both Harris and Bolden are active this weekend, we'd expect Harris to handle the bulk of the Patriots' early-down work and Bolden to work in a change-of-pace role, with J.J. Taylor in reserve. Fortunately for those inclined to use Harris in Week 16 fantasy lineups, New England kicks off against Buffalo at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Gordon (thumb/hip) and Javonte Williams (knee) both avoided designations on the final injury report for Sunday's game against Las Vegas, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

With that, the two running backs figure to continue in their timeshare, which remains close to 50-50 when both are healthy. Gordon missed Week 13, but he took 40 touches over the past two weeks combined and now faces a beatable Raiders defense.

Stevenson (illness) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Stevenson won't be available this weekend after missing practice this past week, and in his absence expect Damien Harris (hamstring) to head the Patriots' Week 16 rushing attack, with Brandon Bolden (knee) serving as the team's primary change-of-pace back. That said, both Harris and Bolden officially are listed as questionable by the team, so it's advisable to confirm their statuses prior to New England's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.

Patterson may be headed for a larger role in Washington's game plan Sunday in Dallas with lead back Antonio Gibson (toe) listed as questionable after not practicing in any capacity this week, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.

According to Matthew Paras of The Washington Times, head coach Ron Rivera said Friday that Gibson is dealing with an injury similar to the case of turf toe that sidelined the running back for two games in 2020. While Rivera noted that Gibson feels better this time around compared to last season, Standig also relayed that the coach "wasn't oozing with optimism" about the 23-year-old's chances of playing. Even if Gibson suits up Sunday, Washington could still look to lighten his workload to some degree, given that the Football Team is playing on a short week and along with the fact that he's coming off a 21-touch outing against the Eagles. Patterson has logged eight carries for 49 yards and a touchdown over the past two games, with his healthy 6.1 yards-per-carry average potentially setting him up for more work in the next few weeks even if Gibson was in better health.

Barkley (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game in Philadelphia, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

While he never appeared in serious danger of missing the game, Barkley has lost more work to Devontae Booker the past couple weeks in addition to the overall problems with New York's offense. A new starting quarterback, Jake Fromm, won't necessarily help, but Barkley does at least figure to get a good number of touches, as the Giants have kept both him and Booker fairly busy while unable to push the ball downfield.

Pollard (foot) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's contest against Washington, David Helman of the Cowboys' official site reports.

After sitting out Week 14 in Washington due to a torn fascia in his left foot, Pollard returned to his typical workload this past Sunday against the Giants, turning 41 percent of snaps into 15 touches for 87 yards. While he'll be working behind Ezekiel Elliott (knee) again this weekend, Pollard should be in line for something similar to the 11.8 touches per game he's earned through 13 appearances this season.