NFL Player News

Drake should be in line for a larger role Sunday against the Steelers, as Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports that Josh Jacobs (toe/ankle) has been ruled out.

Drake should be more involved on the ground after getting only six carries to go with five catches in his Raiders debut. That being said, coach Jon Gruden hinted that third-stringer Peyton Barber could fill a chunk of the early-down rushing void created by Jacobs' absence, per Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus. Though Barber could siphon some early-down touches against a tough Steelers front with Jacobs out, Drake is certainly in the RB2 and flex discussion, given that he figures to see an uptick in carries in Week 2, while maintaining his role in the team's passing game.

Jacobs (toe/ankle) won't play in Week 2 against the Steelers, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.

Jacobs looked noticeably hobbled at times in Monday's win over the Ravens but still managed to rumble for two touchdowns. Rather than continue to gut it out, Jacobs will get a week off to heal in hopes of returning closer to full health before the Raiders host the Dolphins in Week 3. Kenyan Drake could be in line for a three-down role Sunday, with Peyton Barber spelling him on early downs and the possibility of a Trey Ragas sighting or two.

Jacobs (toe/ankle) wasn't spotted at the start of Friday's practice, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.

We'll circle back on Jacobs' status once his official Week 2 injury designation is revealed, but if he's out or limited Sunday against the Steelers, Kenyan Drake would be in line to see added opportunities in the Raiders' backfield, with Peyton Barber (and perhaps Trey Ragas) also in the mix.

Gibson rushed 13 times for 69 yards and brought in both targets for four yards in Washington's 30-29 win over the Giants on Thursday night.

Gibson's rushing opportunities were ultimately capped partly by game script despite the favorable matchup, as backfield mate J.D. McKissic ended up seeing quite a bit of work in a frenetic fourth quarter. Gibson still turned in a second straight efficient rushing performance to open the 2021 campaign, giving him 159 yards on 33 carries over his first pair of contests. He also remained involved as a receiver to a modest extent and will look to bump his workload on the ground back up in a Week 3 road battle against the Bills a week from Sunday.

Barkley (knee) rushed 13 times for 57 yards and brought in two of three targets for 12 yards in the Giants' 30-29 loss to Washington on Thursday night.

Barkley shook off the questionable designation he'd carried throughout the week by putting together a solid performance overall, albeit one that still featured much fewer total opportunities than both the running back and fantasy managers would want to see. The highlight of the fourth-year back's night was a 41-yard run that showed a glimpse of vintage Barkley and offered reason to believe his knee is close to 100 percent after the multiple ligament tears he suffered in Week 2 last season. Barkley's primary obstacle to success, even at full health, will likely be the sub-standard offensive line in front of him, but he'll look to come back refreshed and possibly with a heavier workload in a Week 3 home matchup against the Falcons a week from Sunday.

Penny (calf) was a non-participant at Thursday's practice, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.

Since injuring his left calf in the season opener, Penny has been described as first dealing with a minor issue, then a player expected to miss multiple weeks. Coach Pete Carroll clarified the situation somewhat Monday, telling Dugar that Penny was unlikely to play Week 2 against the Titans. With back-to-back absences in practice so far this week, Penny seems to be trending that way, but the Seahawks may not provide clarity until the release of Friday's injury report.

Barkley (knee) is listed as active Thursday at Washington, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

It's no surprise Barkley is available Week 2 after suiting up in a season-opening loss to the Broncos, against whom he had 11 touches for 27 yards from scrimmage on a 44-percent share of the snaps on offense. He proceeded to log limited practices Monday through Wednesday, but considering he'll be playing in his second game in five days, the Giants again may opt to cap his workload, especially in slick conditions at FedEx Field. Behind Barkley, Devontae Booker earned 36 percent of the offensive plays this past Sunday on his way to five touches for 13 yards, while rookie sixth-rounder Gary Brightwell didn't have a carry and hauled in his only target for six yards.

Despite the addition of Devonta Freeman to the Ravens' active roster, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic believes that Williams and Latavius Murray continue to profile as the team's top two backs.

With that in mind, Zrebiec suggests that Freeman figures to log limited touches and see some third-down work in a backfield that offensive coordinator Greg Roman indicates will continue to "rotate guys in and out and try to keep them as fresh as we can." In that context, Williams will continue to see his share of touches Sunday against Kansas City, but Murray and Freeman, to a lesser degree, also will factor in. As is the case in any timeshare, weekly carry allotments could vary if/when any of the team's backs emerges as the hot hand in any given contest.

Moss has not been on the injury report this week after he was a surprise inactive Week 1 against the Steelers.

We can safely assume at this point the second-year back was a surprise scratch. With Matt Breida only notching four yards on four carries in the loss, there's a decent chance Moss gets to suit up Sunday in Miami. It's worth noting the Bills have been constantly mixing things up at running back for the past two seasons, often going with the hot hand for stretches and benching previously productive players for others. We'll see if the needle lands on Moss for Week 2, though Devin Singletary had an excellent summer and rushed for 72 yards with a 6.5 YPC in the opener.

Sanders (ankle/rest) practiced in full Thursday.

The Eagles listed Sanders as a limited participant Wednesday with an ankle injury and "rest" next to his name, indicating he got a maintenance day of sorts. With a return to full capacity one day later, he's set to lead the team's backfield in Week 2 against the 49ers. In Philly's season opener this past Sunday in Atlanta, Sanders handled a 66-percent share of the offensive snaps, resulting in 19 touches for 113 total yards.