NFL Player News

Elliott is among the Cowboys' key skill players not slated to play in Sunday's preseason finale against the Jaguars, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

The same applies to QB Dak Prescott, WRs Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper, as well as TEs Dalton Schultz and Blake Jarwin. Elliott's next game action thus will occur in the team's season opener Sept. 9 against Tampa Bay. With no known current injury concerns, Elliott once again is poised to head Dallas' ground game in 2021, with the offense as a whole bolstered by the looming return of Prescott.

Coach Robert Saleh said Sunday that "he's very very optimistic" that Perine (foot) will be available for Week 1 of the regular season, Al Iannazzone of Newsday reports.

Perine appears to be a lock for the 53-man roster after Saleh confirmed that his injury doesn't appear to be too serious. The 2020 fourth-rounder has 18 carries for 46 yards and a score over the Jets' first two preseason games and will likely compete with rookie Michael Carter and Ty Johnson for a backup role behind veteran Tevin Coleman.

Hill, who has missed the last two preseason games with an ankle injury, is now in a better position to secure a role in Baltimore's ground game in the wake of the knee injury suffered by teammate J.K. Dobbins, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

With Dobbins projected to be out for the season, Gus Edwards is in line to be the Ravens' lead back, while Ty'Son Williams and Hill are in the mix for complementary touches. Whereas previously there was some doubt regarding Hill's prospects with the team, especially with Williams showing well this summer, Dobbins' injury seemingly paves the way for Hill to garner a role in Baltimore's offense as the 2021 campaign approaches.

With the expectation that J.K. Dobbins is likely to miss the coming campaign with a knee injury, Edwards is poised to lead Baltimore's backfield heading into the 2021 regular season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Edwards has been effective in a lead role for the team in the past, and with Dobbins no longer in line to lead the way out of the gate this season, the 26-year-old -- who logged 144 carries for 723 yards and six TDs in 2020 -- is in line for expanded work, notably on early downs. Also currently in Baltimore's complementary/pass-catching back mix are Ty'Son Williams and Justice Hill (ankle).

Dobbins is undergoing an MRI on his left knee, but the expectation is that the running back suffered a season-ending injury in Saturday's preseason game against Washington, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, it is feared that Dobbins tore his ACL, but either way it looks like the Ravens are bracing to lose their top back for an extended period. Gus Edwards thus is poised to open the 2021 season as the team's lead rusher, with Ty'Son Williams and Justice Hill (ankle) also in the mix for backfield touches.

There's concern that Dobbins may have sustained a major left knee injury during Saturday's preseason game against Washington, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

While coach John Harbaugh declined to comment on his level of concern regarding the second-year back's injury after the contest, he did relay that Dobbins is set to undergo tests Sunday, noting "we'll see where we're at, at that point in time." Although a timetable for the 2020 second-rounder is pending the results of the medical evaluations he's slated to undergo, Zrebiec speculates that even if the Ravens "get good news Sunday on Dobbins, he's going to miss extensive time." In such a scenario, Gus Edwards would be in a position to open the 2021 season as the team's lead back, with Ty'Son Williams and Justice Hill (ankle) also in the mix for backfield touches.

Penny rushed seven times for 24 yards and brought in one of two targets for five yards in the Seahawks' 27-0 preseason win over the Chargers on Saturday night.

Penny was able to get on the field for the final two preseason games and was more productive on the ground than during his five-carry, eight-yard performance last Saturday against the Broncos. The 2018 first-round pick did see backfield mate Alex Collins turn in an impressive performance in which he led the Seahawks in rushing yards (37), receptions (seven) and receiving yards (37) while also contributing a rushing score, however, so it remains to be seen if that will shake up the depth chart behind No. 1 back Chris Carson and knock Penny down a notch in the process.

Kelley rushed three times for two yards and brought in his only target for 12 yards in the Chargers' 27-0 preseason loss to the Seahawks on Saturday night.

Still looking to shake Larry Rountree for the No. 3 running back job, Kelley didn't get much of an opportunity to make an impression Saturday. The second-year back saw Rountree take six carries for 27 yards, record two receptions and gain 33 yards on a pair of kickoff returns, so the pendulum could well have swung away from Kelley ahead of final cutdowns.

Gordon recorded five carries for 35 yards in Saturday's preseason game against the Rams. He added one reception for four yards.

Gordon got plenty of work on the team's first two possessions, picking up solid gains of six and 15 yards. His productivity slowed from there, though the most important takeaway is that Gordon appears to be fully healthy after dealing with a minor groin injury earlier in training camp. He figures to lead the backfield in a Week 1 matchup against the Giants, though rookie Javonte Williams will almost certainly cut into his workload.

Coach Vic Fangio said Williams was "a healthy scratch" for Saturday's preseason win against the Rams, George Stoia III of The Denver Gazette reports.

Fangio aimed to feature fellow top running back Melvin Gordon after the veteran sat out the first two preseason contests. And Gordon accumulated 35 yards on five rushes and four yards on his only target across three drives. Meanwhile, Williams ends his first exhibition season with 12 carries for 49 yards and one catch (on two targets) for five yards in two appearances. Gordon and Williams, a rookie second-rounder, are expected to work in tandem out of the Broncos backfield this season, with the former perhaps the favorite to lead the duo in touches weekly to begin the season.