NFL Player News

McFarland carried three times for nine yards and turned his lone target into a 17-yard reception Wednesday in the Steelers' 19-14 win over the Ravens.

McFarland was on the field for 14 of the Steelers' 72 offensive snaps on the day, good for a season-high 19 percent share. That said, McFarland's usage might have been more modest than some may have anticipated, given that top back James Conner (reserve/COVID-19 list) was sidelined. With Conner out, head coach Mike Tomlin eschewed a committee approach to the backfield and instead leaned heavily on Benny Snell, who accounted for 93 total yards while playing 71 percent of the snaps. Even if Conner remains out of the lineup for the Steelers' Week 13 game versus Washington on Dec. 7, McFarland will be tough to count on for meaningful production if Snell is once again treated as a bell cow.

Barkley remains without a target return date from his October surgery to repair a torn ACL, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.

Barkley spoke to the media at length for the first time since his late-October surgery, providing details on the situation surrounding the injury. One item addressed was the reason he had to wait six weeks after his injury, explaining that it was necessary to have his MCL heal before going under the knife. Barkley added that he also had his meniscus repaired during the October procedure, and that aspect of his injury will delay the weight-bearing portion of his rehab a bit further. With all that in mind, Barkley expressed a great deal of confidence in himself despite failing to disclose whether or not he believes he'll be ready for the start of the 2021 season. He elected not to discuss playing the season without a contract extension.

Snell carried the ball 16 times for 60 yards and added three receptions for 33 yards Wednesday in the Steelers' 19-14 win over the Ravens.

Snell served as the clear lead back with James Conner (reserve/COVID-19 list) sidelined, claiming 16 of the Steelers' 19 carries on the day. He was regularly met at the line of scrimmage early in the game, but he churned out gains of 10 and 13 yards in the fourth quarter to aid his performance. If Conner isn't activated from the list ahead of the Steelers' Week 13 matchup against Washington on Dec. 7, Snell should be in line for a significant workload once again.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that Penny (knee) should return to practice later this week or early next week, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Penny is nearing the finish line in his recovery from the torn ACL that he suffered in Week 14 of the 2019 season. Once he's cleared to take the practice field, the 24-year-old running back may need some time to fully ramp up, as he sustained major knee damage beyond just the ACL tear. Once he's back to 100 percent, Penny will likely challenge Carlos Hyde (toe) for the No. 2 role behind top back Chris Carson (foot).

Homer (knee/wrist/thumb) didn't participate in Wednesday's practice, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

Homer continues to be listed with a trio of injuries. He's been absent from practice for more than two weeks now, and he's trending toward a third straight game on the sidelines. Chris Carson (foot) and Carlos Hyde (toe) handled all the backfield reps in last week's win over the Eagles and figure to do the same in Week 13 against the Giants if Homer can't play.

Hill rushed nine times for 35 yards and secured both targets for five yards in the Ravens' 19-14 loss to the Steelers on Wednesday.

The second-year back looked good on a couple of his runs, most notably on a 19-yard carry that was the longest of the game for either side. Hill hadn't logged a carry all season before Wednesday, so he certainly had fresh legs and was able to use them to carve out a bit more success on the ground than backfield mate Gus Edwards. Despite showing some encouraging signs, the reality is Hill seems destined to revert back to anonymity if Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins are activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Tuesday night's Week 13 battle versus the Cowboys.

Edwards rushed nine times for just 10 yards but scored on a goal-line carry in the Ravens' 19-14 loss to the Steelers on Wednesday.

As his final line indicates, Edwards mostly had a miserable time finding running room against the Steelers' stingy defensive front. However, he did salvage his day from a fantasy perspective by powering into the end zone from a yard out with 2:07 remaining in the first quarter to turn a Ray-Ray McCloud muffed punt into points. Edwards' extended opportunity Wednesday came with both Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins still on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but with both players likely to be ready for Tuesday night's Week 14 battle versus the Cowboys, Edwards' role will likely become smaller.

Jacobs (ankle) didn't practice Wednesday.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network previously suggested that Jacobs has a chance to play through his ankle sprain Sunday against the Jets, but with a missed practice under his belt to start the week, the running back's status needs to be monitored in the coming days. If he's limited or out this weekend, Devontae Booker and Jalen Richard would be next up for touches in the Las Vegas backfield.

Kamara (foot) was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice report.

Kamara continues to manage a foot injury, which has resulted in him playing less than 50 percent of the snaps on offense in back-to-back games. He's totaled 25 touches for 97 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown during that stretch, while Latavius Murray has accounted for 34 touches, 211 total yards and two scores. Kamara's availability for Sunday's game in Atlanta doesn't look to be in question, but the Saints haven't indicated when he might be ready to reclaim the majority of the backfield snaps.

Foreman (knee) didn't practice Wednesday, Paul Kuharsky of 104.5 The Zone Radio reports.

Foreman has been splitting the backfield reps left over behind workhorse Derrick Henry with Jeremy McNichols. If Foreman's knee injury doesn't heal up in time for Sunday's game against the Browns, McNichols would likely see a few extra touches in his change-of-pace role.