NFL Player News

Ekeler (ankle) was limited at Tuesday's walkthrough.

One day removed from being estimated as a non-participant on the Chargers' initial practice report of Week 15, Ekeler managed some activity as the team gears up for Thursday's divisional showdown with Kansas City. He appears to be trending in the right direction after getting forced out of the team's Week 14 win versus the Giants with an ankle injury that coach Brandon Staley considered to be "nothing major" Monday, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Still, Ekeler's status is one to monitor considering his standing in L.A.'s offense. If Ekeler ends up being inactive or limited, Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree could all see bumps in their workload.

Bolden (knee) was listed as a limited practice participant Tuesday.

Coming off the Week 14 bye, Bolden continues to be hampered by a knee injury. Damien Harris (hamstring) was also limited, so of New England's trio of running backs, Rhamondre Stevenson is currently the only one healthy. However, there is still plenty of time for Bolden and Harris to be cleared for Saturday night's showdown with the Colts. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor all three players availability up until the 8:20 PM ET kickoff.

Perine carried four times for 11 yards and caught four of five targets for 22 yards during Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the 49ers.

Perine was the primary backup behind Joe Mixon once again, but that label offers little fantasy potential, as Mixon is a true bell cow back for the Bengals. The fifth-year pro's involvement in the passing game continues to be a bright spot, but he likely only offers fantasy value as a handcuff to Mixon.

Harris (hamstring) was listed as a limited practice participant Tuesday.

Harris' early-week limited session bodes well for his chances of suiting up for Saturday night's showdown with the Colts. He sustained a hamstring injury late in the first half of the Patriots' Week 13 win over Buffalo and managed only one second-half carry before being ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Following the team's bye, things seem to be trending in a positive direction with regard to Harris' potential return to action, but there's still a solid chance he'll end up with a Week 15 injury designation. Either way, Rhamondre Stevenson and Brandon Bolden (knee) also figure to factor into the backfield mix for New England this weekend.

Conner will have an MRI done on his ankle, Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus reports.

Conner has been instrumental to the Cardinals' success this season, tallying a combined 16 rushing and receiving touchdowns. His potential absence for any length of time could leave the team without its top two backs heading into Sunday's game against the Lions, though Chase Edmonds (ankle) is close to a return from IR.

Williams did not play an offensive snaps Sunday against the Browns.

A week after being inactive, Williams was able to play Sunday but did not see any playing time with the offense. He logged nine snaps on special teams while Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray took on the bulk of the running back work. Williams hasn't had more than one carry in any game since Week 7 and does not appear to have a role in Baltimore's offense any longer.

Murray had one carry for a one-yard touchdown Sunday against the Browns and did not draw any targets.

The veteran's usage decreased despite seeing a slight uptick in snaps (18 compared to 14 in Week 13). Murray made the most of his opportunity, punching in a touchdown to pull the Ravens closer to a near comeback. He has just three total carries in the last two weeks after combining for 18 in his first two games back from injury. His lack of consistent work out of the backfield makes him difficult to roster in most leagues, especially with Devonta Freeman now seeing the bulk of the backfield work.

McCaffrey (ankle) was shifted from injured reserve to the reserve/COVID-19 list after the running back tested positive for the virus Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

McCaffrey's season is over due to his second stint on IR, the result of an ankle issue, but he'll now stay away from the Panthers' facilities until he clears the league's COVID-19 protocols. In the meantime, the team will continue to roll with Chuba Hubbard and Ameer Abdullah out of the backfield.

Williams ran four times for 16 yards -- including a one-yard touchdown -- and caught his only target for 19 yards during Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Cowboys.

With J.D. McKissic (concussion) expected to miss his second consecutive game, Washington signed Williams off the Giants' practice squad ahead of Week 14. The 27-year-old running back split time with Jaret Patterson in reserve of Antonio Gibson, and while the two backups shared similar yardage totals, Williams touchdown separated him from the pack. However, even if McKissic is sidelined for a third straight game, neither backup likely garners much fantasy potential heading into Sunday's showdown with the Eagles.

Patterson ran four times for 29 yards and caught his only target for nine yards during Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Cowboys.

With J.D. McKissic (concussion) sidelined once again, Patterson and Jonathan Williams operated as the primary backups to Antonio Gibson. Patterson and Williams both garnered four rushing attempts, and while the former was able to outgain the latter 29-16, Williams was able to add a touchdown to his ledger -- the only rushing score of the day for Washington. The two backups appear to be splitting the work behind Gibson, but neither running back will likely carry much fantasy potential heading into Sunday's showdown with the Eagles, even if McKissic is out for a third consecutive game.