NFL Player News

Coach Mike Vrabel said Evans (knee) is day-to-day after his early exit from Friday's preseason win over Atlanta, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Evans got the start and took four carries for 26 yards, working ahead of Jeremy McNichols, Brian Hill and Mekhi Sargent. The Titans then used McNichols and Sargent throughout the second quarter, followed by Hill and Sargent after halftime. Only Evans topped 3.6 YPC, though Sargent (16 carries for 58 yards) and Hill (12 for 43) did handle far more volume. Assuming the knee injury isn't serious, Evans remains the favorite for the No. 2 RB spot behind workhorse Derrick Henry. It's a job that likely includes third-down snaps, though the Titans could use one player for that role and another as the backup on early downs. Evans appeared capable of both assignments Friday night, albeit in a brief appearance before the knee injury forced him out.

Montgomery limped off the field after taking a carry on Chicago's first offensive play Saturday against the Dolphins, Adam Hoge of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Montgomery walked off the field without assistance and was standing on the sideline without a helmet thereafter, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. It doesn't look like a serious injury at first glance, but Montgomery is likely done for the afternoon. Damien Williams replaced Montgomery in the Chicago backfield.

Ollison was in uniform for Friday's preseason game against Tennessee but didn't actually play, Tori McElhaney of The Athletic reports.

Fantasy managers with interest in Ollison might've liked to see him play, but it's actually a good sign for his standing with the team to be a healthy scratch on a night where the Falcons rested their top players. Of course, projected starter Mike Davis was also held out, as was RB/WR Cordarrelle Patterson. Recent reports out of camp put Ollison in the lead for the No. 2 backfield job, and he's arguably in even better shape after fellow RBs Javian Hawkins, D'Onta Foreman and Caleb Huntley combined for only 46 total yards on 16 touches in Friday's preseason loss. Ollison should get some work next week in a preseason game against the Dolphins on Sat., Aug. 21.

Huntley is listed as day-to-day with a ribs injury, Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com reports.

Huntley evidently injured his ribs during Thursday's preseason loss to the Eagles, but the second-year back still managed to touch the ball five times, not including a 30-yard run that was called back due to penalty. The fact that he's listed as day-to-day is certainly a good sign as he competes with a number of other backs for one of the team's final roster spots.

Reynolds rushed six times for 49 yards and a touchdown during Friday's 16-15 preseason loss to the Bills.

After trying out for Detroit on Thursday, Reynolds didn't take long to begin making a name for himself with his 24-yard touchdown scamper Friday. While the Kutztown product was largely playing against third-stringers by the time he checked into the game -- fellow depth running back Dedrick Mills (five carries, 32 yards) also made some plays -- Reynolds is at least making a strong case for a spot on the practice squad.

Benjamin carried the ball five times for 50 yards and a touchdown in Friday's preseason win over the Cowboys.

The second-year player was the third back in the game for the Cards, following starter Chase Edmonds and Jonathan Ward, but when Ward suffered an ankle injury it became Benjamin's turn to shine. He got Arizona on the board with a six-yard TD run in the second quarter, then set up a field goal on the first drive of the second half with a 38-yard scamper. The 2020 seventh-round pick didn't see a snap last year in the regular season, and there's no guarantee he does in 2021 either with James Conner (COVID-19 list/toe) and Ito Smith also fighting for touches in the backfield, but if Benjamin continues to impress in the preseason he could force the coaching staff to make some tough roster decisions.

Edmonds gained 10 yards on three carries and caught his only target for an additional 10 yards in Friday's preseason win over the Cowboys.

The 25-year-old was only on the field for Arizona's first two drives of the night, but he flashed his three-down skill set before exiting. Interestingly, he got replaced in the red zone by Jonathan Ward (ankle) on the Cards' second drive (and first scoring drive), but that isn't necessarily a hint at Edmonds' usage during the regular season. He's expected to form a backfield tandem with James Conner (COVID-19/toe) come Week 1, but Conner's inability to stay healthy during his career could lead to Edmonds seeing a big workload at times.

Huntley's performance in Thursday's preseason loss to the Steelers seems to have given him an advantage in pursuit of one of the Eagles' final running back roster spots, E.J. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Huntley carried the ball four times for 15 yards and caught one of three targets for four yards in Thursday's 24-16 preseason loss to the Steelers. He returned a kick 35 yards and also had a 30-yard run called back due to penalty. The 23-year-old has garnered praise for the strides he's made in camp thus far, showcasing his playmaking ability and improvement as a pass blocker. He's battling Jordan Howard and rookie Kenneth Gainwell for one of two likely places on the team, while Kerryon Johnson currently seems to have fallen behind.

Ward won't return to Friday's preseason game against the Cowboys due to an ankle injury, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Prior to his departure, he notched six carries for 21 yards and three catches (on four targets) for 13 yards as the second RB in the game after Chase Edmonds. As an undrafted rookie last season, Ward was active for 14 games, as opposed to none for 2020 seventh-rounder Eno Benjamin. Ward's adeptness on special teams was the primary reason, and he ended up getting only one touch (a reception) Week 17. Ahead of the coming campaign, he may be the leader for the No. 3 role for that very reason, but he also has more competition in the form of Ito Smith, with Edmonds and James Conner (COVID-19/toe) locked in at the top of the depth chart.

McNichols carried the ball four times for 17 yards in the Titans' opening game of the preseason against the Falcons on Friday.

With Derrick Henry rested, McNichols was the second back on the field behind Darrynton Evans (knee). Most notable was that McNichols worked ahead of Brian Hill, who was listed with Evans as a co-second string back on the team's initial depth chart. That seemingly put McNichols in danger of losing his roster spot, though his usage in the game indicates he may not be entirely buried among the team's rushers.