NFL Player News

Akers (shoulder) practiced fully Thursday, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

After not practicing at all last week, Akers has ramped up his activity level in short order this week, going from limited at Wednesday's walkthrough to all drills one day later. As a result, the Rams have their top two running backs -- also, Sony Michel -- ready for a Super Bowl LVI matchup with the Bengals. The question mark that remains in Los Angeles' backfield is the status of Darrell Henderson (knee), whose window to return from injured reserve is about to close. Fortunately, coach Sean McVay expressed optimism earlier this week that Henderson has a "good chance" to be available Sunday, per Stu Jackson of the team's official site. In the end, though, Akers should get the larger share of touches among the trio, with Michel and potentially Henderson mixing in behind him.

Akers (shoulder) was a limited participant at Wednesday's walk-through practice, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Akers didn't practice at all during the first week of prep for Super Bowl LVI, so Wednesday's development displays a degree of progress from the shoulder injury that he suffered during the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 30. In three playoff games (including two starts) during the Rams' current run, he's averaged 2.8 yards on 54 carries and hauled in five of six targets for 62 yards. During that same stretch, fellow running back Sony Michel has averaged 3.3 yards on 24 rushes while combining for minus-8 yards on three catches. Akers' progress in the Rams' final two practice sessions of the season likely will determine whether he enters the weekend with a designation for Sunday's matchup with the Bengals.

Kamara is scheduled to make his first appearance in court March 8 following his arrest Sunday in Las Vegas on a charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm, David Charns of 8 News Now Las Vegas reports.

Following his appearance for the NFC squad in the Pro Bowl on Sunday, Kamara was taken into police custody after his alleged involvement in an incident that occurred at a Las Vegas casino and night club early Saturday morning. Kamara was released from jail after posting bail Sunday, and his initial court appearance scheduled for Monday was later canceled. Kamara and the Saints have yet to make a statement about his arrest, and both the team and NFL may wait for the legal process to play out before determining if the running back faces a fine or suspension.

Kamara was arrested Sunday in Las Vegas on a battery charge after he was accused of injuring another person at a night club Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The running back's arrest came just hours after he participated in the Pro Bowl earlier in the day. In a press release, the Las Vegas Police Department announced that Kamara was taken into custody without incident and booked for battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

Akers (shoulder) appears to be absent from a third straight practice Friday, but Rams coach Sean McVay suggested he expects the running back to play in the Super Bowl against Cincinnati, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

While the Rams list eight players on their injury report this week, McVay suggested only one -- TE Tyler Higbee (knee) -- is in serious danger of missing the big game. It'll be cause for concern if Akers continues to miss practice next week, though it sounds like the Rams expect him to return. There is some chance of a reduced role compared to the past few weeks, as Akers hasn't had much luck running the ball, and Darrell Henderson (knee) could come back from IR for the Super Bowl (he was suited up for practice Friday, per Rodrigue).

Akers (shoulder) didn't participate in Thursday's walkthrough, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Akers has yet to practice this week since sustaining a shoulder injury during the Rams' win in the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers, but he also has more than a week to get healthy ahead of a Super Bowl matchup with the Bengals. He played through the issue this past Sunday, turning 14 touches into 50 yards from scrimmage. Meanwhile, fellow running back Sony Michel couldn't find much traction to the tune of 12 total yards on 11 touches. Akers will have four more chances to mix into drills before L.A. next takes the field on Sunday, Feb. 13.

Akers (shoulder) was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Akers missed a portion of the first half of the Rams' recent win in the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers due to a shoulder injury, resulting in his second-lowest share of offensive snaps (39 percent) since making his season debut Week 18 following an Achilles tear suffered in July. Still, he was far more efficient than backfield mate Sony Michel, taking 14 touches for 50 yards from scrimmage versus the latter's 11 touches for 12 total yards on 57 percent of those plays. The Rams likely are easing Akers into preparation for a Super Bowl matchup with the Bengals on Feb. 13, but his status will be one to monitor to make sure he's set to play in the season finale.

Huntley totaled 13 carries for 51 yards and failed to haul in his only target during his only appearances during the 2021 campaign. He also added 84 kick return yards.

With Miles Sanders (hand), Boston Scott (illness) and Jordan Howard (illness) all unavailable for Week 18, Huntley was elevated to the active roster and shared backfield duties with Kenneth Gainwell. Huntley drew one more rushing attempt than Gainwell during the contest, but the latter had 27 more rushing yards and was the only running back involved in the passing game. Huntley also returned three kickoffs for 84 yards. He was drafted by the Lions in 2020, but he was waived before the start of his rookie season and claimed off waivers by the Eagles. He'll be a likely candidate to be a member of Philadelphia's practice squad again during the 2022 season.

Taylor finished the 2021 season with 23 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for three yards.

Taylor spent roughly the first half of the season on the Packers' practice squad, but he took over as the team's third running back after Kylin Hill (knee) went down for the season Week 8 and filled that role the rest of the way. With fellow running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon under contract for 2022, Taylor will not be in position to climb the depth chart if he remains with Green Bay. However, Hill may not be ready to play Week 1, so Taylor could open next season in the same spot he finished this one.

Mitchell rushed 11 times for 20 yards and caught all three targets for 50 yards in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Rams.

Mitchell didn't get much help from the usually-creative run designer Kyle Shanahan in this one. A good portion of the 23-year-old's carries were inside zone runs out of shotgun formations directly into the human wall that is known better as Aaron Donald. Mitchell was able to break free on a huge catch and run in an eventual loss, putting an end to an impressive rookie campaign (1,100 combined yards and six touchdowns over 11 regular-season games). It is unclear what the 49ers backfield will look like in 2022, but Mitchell clearly established himself as the team's best option, making him a strong fantasy asset heading into next season's drafts.