NFL Player News

Evans (ankle) practiced fully Friday and doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game in Denver.

Evans has been cleared for his first game action since Week 12. He and Samaje Perine are expected to split change-of-pace duties behind Joe Mixon in what's now a fully healthy Bengals backfield.

Mitchell (concussion/knee) isn't practicing Friday and thus appears unlikely to play in Sunday's game against the Falcons, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Mitchell did some work with the training staff Wednesday and Thursday but ultimately missed every practice for a second straight week. If he does end up sitting again, Jeff Wilson would figure to lead the San Francisco backfield, albeit in a smaller role than what Mitchell's handled for most of the year, with WR Deebo Samuel taking some of the carries while JaMycal Hasty and Kyle Juzsczyk play a bunch of pass snaps.

Barkley (ankle) isn't on the final injury report for Sunday's game against Dallas, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Barkley should be fine for his usual role as the centerpiece of a struggling New York offense. The matchup with Dallas isn't especially promising, but Barkley's workload keeps him as a solid fantasy starter even in a disappointing, injury-riddled season.

Robinson (heel/knee) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Texans.

Robinson took a rest day Thursday before returning to practice Friday with a full session, clearing him to play Sunday versus Houston. The 23-year-old will have even less competition than usual for backfield reps with Carlos Hyde (concussion) already ruled out for the divisional contest.

Williams (knee) returned to practice Friday, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

Though Williams was held out of practice Thursday, head coach Vic Fangio expects the running back to play Sunday against the Bengals. Friday's final injury report will reveal whether Williams and/or Melvin Gordon (thumb/hip) head into the weekend with a Week 15 injury designation.

Running backs coach Duce Staley said that he expects Jefferson to have a larger role in the Lions' game plan Sunday against the Cardinals than the rookie had in last week's loss to Denver, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

In Week 15, Detroit is once again expected to be without both of its top two backs in D'Andre Swift (shoulder), who has already missed two games, and Jamaal Williams, who sat out in Denver after landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list prior to the contest. Williams remains in quarantine and doesn't appear on track to gain clearance ahead of Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, leaving Craig Reynolds, Godwin Igwebuike and Jefferson as the healthy running backs on the roster. Though Jefferson was active for the game against Denver, he played just six total snaps since he had battled an ankle injury along with a case of the flu heading into the contest. Now healthier as Sunday's contest approaches, Jefferson should have a more prominent role on the ground, though Reynolds may still serve as the Lions' lead ballcarrier after gaining 65 yards on 10 totes in Week 14. Igwebuike, meanwhile, profiles as the Lions' top pass-catching back.

Stevenson is expected to serve as New England's lead back Saturday in Indianapolis with Damien Harris (hamstring) ruled out ahead of the contest, Mark Daniels of The Providence Journal reports.

When Harris was previously sidelined Week 10 against Cleveland, Stevenson enjoyed a nice coming-out party in New England's 45-7 win, carrying 20 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns while adding four receptions for 14 yards on five targets. The rookie has continued to thrive in a complementary role behind Harris in the Patriots' subsequent three games, averaging 4.3 yards on 15 carries per contest. Stevenson is likely to again flirt with another 20-carry workload if the game flow allows for it, and while he'll likely have a larger role on passing downs than Harris typically does, Brandon Bolden (knee) -- who is listed as questionable -- will remain a factor in those situations if he's active for the contest. Even though he can't be counted on to replicate his big performance versus the Browns, Stevenson still looks like a stellar option for Week 15 fantasy lineups.

Harris (hamstring) has been downgraded to out for Saturday night's game against the Colts.

With Harris unavailable, look for Rhamondre Stevenson to log plenty of carries versus Indianapolis, while Brandon Bolden (knee) is a candidate to see his share of change-of-pace touches, assuming he's active. Harris will target a possible return for the Patriots' Week 16 game against the Bills on Dec. 26.

Coach Nick Sirianni said both Sanders (ankle) and Jordan Howard (knee) will play in Sunday's game against Washington, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

It remains to be seen if the two backs are both removed from the final injury report, but either way, Sirianni made it clear they're ready to play. Sanders is the favorite to start and lead the team in carries against a Washington defense that's been hit hard by injuries and illness, but Howard and Boston Scott also could get their chances, and even rookie Kenneth Gainwell may steal a few touches if he's active.

Jones (knee/illness) returned to practice Friday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.

Jones was a limited participant Wednesday due to the knee injury, before missing Thursday's practice with a non-COVID illness. His return Friday suggests he'll be fine for Sunday's game in Baltimore.