NFL Player News

Evans was a limited participant at Thursday's practice due to a knee injury, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

The 23-year-old made his season debut Week 7 against the Chiefs after missing the first six weeks of the year with the knee injury, and he's now back on the injury report. It's unclear if Evans aggravated that injury or if he's dealing with a new issue, but the fact he was still practicing in some capacity indicates it may not be a serious concern.

Hines practiced in full Thursday, clearing any concerns over his ability to play Sunday against the Titans.

The running back was dealing with a rib injury to open the week, limiting his participation on Wednesday. He's now primed to play second fiddle to Jonathan Taylor again in Week 8. On the season, Hines has racked up 115 rushing yards and a score while reeling in 16 receptions for 131 yards through seven games.

Williams was limited in practice Thursday by a thigh injury, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

In previous Lions practice reports this season, Williams was listed with chest and hip injuries and also an illness, so a new health concern is bothering the fifth-year running back. Still, both Williams and D'Andre Swift (groin) have been able to suit up for all seven contests this season, which has amounted to 12.4 touches per game for the former versus the latter's 17.1. A similar breakdown between the two is expected Sunday versus the Eagles, assuming both are active.

Taylor (ribs) practiced fully Thursday.

Taylor was limited Wednesday, but he'll be a go Sunday against the Titans, who've allowed an average of 103.3 rushing yards per game to date. In the process, Indy's surging lead back will look to extend his scoring streak to five games and log his third straight 100-plus rushing yard effort.

Evans (hamstring) didn't participate in Thursday's practice, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.

Evans played exclusively on special teams in Week 7 due to his hamstring injury, and he's been held out of practice for two consecutive days. If he hopes to suit up Sunday against the Jets, he'll presumably have to practice in some capacity Friday.

Swift (groin) practiced in a limited fashion Thursday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

Swift leads all running backs league wide with 391 receiving yards, which is well ahead of the next two in the rankings (Cordarrelle Patterson with 296, J.D. McKissic at 249). The development is the result of a Lions skill-position group bereft of talent and beset by injuries, and Swift has generated 653 yards from scrimmage and five TDs overall in seven appearances this season. He's done it all despite a groin injury that's lingered since early August, but his status still should be monitored to ensure he's out there Sunday against the Eagles.

Sanders (ankle/foot) didn't participate in Thursday's practice.

Sanders was knocked from the Eagles' Week 7 loss to the Raiders with what was termed a low-ankle sprain. The ensuing prognosis of "week-to-week" from coach Nick Sirianni doesn't bode well for an appearance this weekend, nor does missing back-to-back practices to begin Week 8 prep. If Sanders is deemed inactive Sunday at Detroit, Philadelphia's backfield will be down to Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott, while the team may elevate Jordan Howard from the practice squad to help with early downs.

Barkley (ankle) didn't practice Thursday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

The same applies to wideouts Kenny Golladay (knee) and Kadarius Toney (ankle), though the report notes that the trio could potentially log some practice reps Friday. If Barkley is indeed able to get some work in Friday following Thursday's absence, he'll be trending in the right direction, but at this stage his chances of returning to action Monday night against Kansas City are cloudy. If Barkley remains out or limited in Week 8, Devontae Booker would continue to see added work in the Giants backfield.

Gibson (shin) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.

Washington continues to place a cap on Gibson's practice reps, but the limitations haven't impacted his ability to play through a stress fracture in his shin over the last four games. During that stretch, he's combined for 66 touches for 247 yards from scrimmage and three TDs, while No. 2 running back J.D. McKissic concurrently earned 39 touches for 99 total yards and one score. Clearly, Gibson is the top back in an offense beset by injuries, making him a must play on a weekly basis.

Phillips could fill a roster vacancy after the Texans traded Mark Ingram to the Saints on Wednesday, Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The immediate impact of the trade centers on increased roles for David Johnson and Phillip Lindsay, two backs that have been active every game this season, but Phillips is also likely to be part of the active lineup going forward. He has been active for one game this season and recorded just two carries for nine yards in 2020 as a rookie, but Phillips becomes a person of interest. He led Houston in rushing during the preseason, and the team, at 1-6, is in full-on evaluation mode. Rex Burkhead (hip) is also in the mix for more work due to Ingram's departure.