NFL Player News

Hills (coach's decision) was not active for Sunday's 23-20 loss to Green Bay.

Hills wasn't needed with Kerryon Johnson and Bo Scarbrough healthy and he thus took a seat for the third consecutive game. However, it's still been a relatively successful year considering his spot start in Week 15 was Hills' first career appearance in a regular-season game since going undrafted in 2017. In that outing, Hills rushed 10 times for 21 yards and two touchdowns while catching one of two passes for a single yard. The Slippery Rock product will now be an exclusive-rights free agent at the end of the league year.

Breida had four carries for 16 yards in Sunday's 26-21 win over the Seahawks.

Breida got reintegrated into the offensive game plan after essentially being a healthy scratch last week. Raheem Mostert has been on a tear of late, and coach Kyle Shanahan has been known to roll with the hot hand at running back during his tenure with San Francisco. Injuries slowed Breida down in the second half of the season, but the speedy back still managed to average over five yards per carry for the second consecutive season, finishing with 623 rushing yards and a touchdown while adding another 120 yards and a score as a receiver. The 24-year-old will be a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason, but the 49ers figure to attempt to keep Breida around due to the team's familiarity with the back and its need for depth in Shanahan's power-run scheme.

Mixon indicated Monday that he's hopeful to agree with the Bengals on a contract extension this offseason, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports. "I've always been all about the team. But if it comes to a point where I gotta think about me, that's just what's going to have to happen," Mixon said, when asked if he would skip offseason workouts if an extension isn't in place.

Though Mixon's efficiency as a ballcarrier dropped off in 2019, he still rumbled for 1,137 yards and five touchdowns on an acceptable 4.1 yards per tote while working behind a porous offensive line. The 23-year-old is on Cincinnati's books through 2020, but he's understandably seeking some longer-term job security on the heels of his second consecutive 1,000-plus-yard campaign. Mixon was at his best during the final quarter of the 2019 season, clearing 100 rushing yards in three of those four contests and chipping in nine receptions for 97 yards.

Ekeler carried the ball nine times for 46 yards and caught nine of 11 targets for 43 yards in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs,

While Ekeler was seven yards short of joining just a handful of running backs to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season, it was nevertheless a banner year for the third-year pro as he finished the 2019 campaign with 557 rushing yards, 993 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns. The 24-year-old proved that he could be an every-down back in his short stint as the starter to open 2019 while Melvin Gordon was holding out, but it's unclear whether the Chargers will operate with that same mindset next season. At the very least, Ekeler figures to share time with another back, but whether he's the primary option or a dangerous No. 2 could be one of the biggest questions looming for the Chargers in 2020.

Sanders (ankle) is considered day-to-day, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM Radio reports.

Coach Doug Pederson didn't provide any details, but his brief comment suggests the running back at least avoided a high-ankle sprain, which would typically draw a more pessimistic assessment. Sanders initially tried to play through the injury in Sunday's 34-17 win over the Giants, eventually sitting out for the entire second half while Boston Scott took over as the lead back (and rumbled for 138 scrimmage yards and three TDs on 23 touches). It's a safe bet Sanders will land on the injury report ahead of Sunday's wild-card matchup with Seattle. Pederson did mention that Jordan Howard is likely to see more work come Sunday, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Laird carried the ball 11 times for 21 yards during Sunday's 27-24 win over the Patriots. He also secured four of five targets for 48 yards.

Laird once again did most of his damage through the air while struggling to produce on the ground in Sunday's season finale. The undrafted rookie out of California wraps up the 2019 season with 62 carries for 168 yards (2.7 YPC) and one touchdown. He also caught 24 of 30 targets for 204 yards. While it seems extremely unlikely that the Dolphins will deploy Laird as the lead back in 2020, the 24-year-old's solid performance down the stretch may very well secure him a rotational or depth role.

Sanders (ankle) will undergo testing Monday to evaluate what is believed to be a "pretty decent sprain", Adam Caplan of SiriusXM Radio reports.

The Eagles are optimistic it isn't a high ankle sprain, but that doesn't mean Sanders will be ready for Sunday's game against Seattle in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The rookie initially tried to play through the injury during Sunday's 34-17 win over the Giants, but he ended up missing the entire second half, which contributed to Boston Scott piling up 138 yards and three touchdowns on 23 touches. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Sanders will have an MRI on Monday.

Chubb rushed for 41 yards on 13 carries and caught one of two targets for one yard in Sunday's 33-23 loss to the Bengals in Week 17.

The Browns played from behind for much of the game, but not so much that they should have abandoned Chubb. He finished with a season low in carries and yards while losing the NFL rushing title to Tennessee's Derrick Henry. In a disappointing season for the organization, Chubb was one of its few bright spots. Cleveland fired head coach Freddie Kitchens following the game, so there will be some changes to the team in 2020. Chubb, however, is expected to occupy the same role as the team's lead back.

Mostert rushed 10 times for 57 yards and two touchdowns while gaining 16 more yards on his lone reception in Sunday's 26-21 win over Seattle.

Mostert led the 49ers' backfield trio in touches and production for yet another week, finishing with the only usable stat line from the bunch from a fantasy perspective. Formerly known for his pure speed and special teams contributions, the 27-year-old was able to take advantage of playing time opened up by teammate injuries to establish himself as a big-play back. Mostert racked up 952 total yards and 10 touchdowns this season, most of which came over the final five weeks of the year when he took over as the head of a committee. The speedy back's 5.6 yards per carry would have led the league had he finished with enough carries to qualify, but the gaudy average is impressive nonetheless. All three of San Francisco's backfield options are under team control for 2020, but if the end of the regular season is any indicator, Mostert could find himself as the top option heading into training camp next year.

Homer rushed 10 times for 62 yards and caught all five targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 26-21 loss to the 49ers.

Homer finished behind Marshawn Lynch in the pecking order, as Lynch logged 12 carries, but the rookie was the most explosive back with 6.2 yards per carry. His versatility helps make up for the losses of Chris Carson (hip), Rashaad Penny (knee) and C.J. Prosise (arm), but it will likely continue to be a timeshare in the Seahawks' backfield. Homer and the Seahawks travel to Philadelphia next Sunday for the wild-card playoff round.