NFL Player News

Williams (rib/illness), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Broncos, is expected to be inactive for the contest, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Official word on Williams' status will come around 11:30 a.m. ET, when the Chiefs release their inactive list 90 minutes prior to kickoff. After missing the Chiefs' previous two games with sore ribs, Williams appeared to put himself on track to return this weekend after practicing on a limited basis Wednesday and Thursday, but his hopes of playing took a hit when an illness prevented him from practicing Friday. With Williams likely to be sidelined for another game, the Chiefs will lean on a committee of LeSean McCoy, Spencer Ware and Darwin Thompson to handle the backfield snaps.

Conner (shoulder), who is listed as questionable on the official injury report for Sunday's game against the Bills, is expected to play, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Conner was a full participant in practices Wednesday through Friday, so this report aligns with the prevailing belief that he'll put an end to his three-game absence. However, fantasy managers will want to double check his status prior to the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff. Because of the time he's missed lately, Conner could be eased back into the mix with a more limited snap count rather than filling a high-volume lead role like he did in the Steelers' first seven games.

Henry (hamstring) is expected to play Sunday against the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The 25-year-old received the questionable tag after sitting out practice all week, but the hamstring issue never appeared to truly put his status in doubt for Week 15. Henry has received 18-plus carries in all three games since the Titans' Week 11 bye, and he figures to see a heavy workload again Sunday.

Penny (knee) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official sitereports.

This was a mere formality, as Penny is slated to have surgery to repair his torn ACL, which he suffered last Sunday against the Rams. The 2018 first-round pick does not have a recovery timetable set as of yet, but it's possible the extensive knee injury could ultimately force Penny to miss portions of the 2020 season as well, though more information regarding the expected timeline won't occur until some time after the initial surgery.

Hills was signed to the Lions' active roster Saturday.

Hills figures to be a depth piece for a beat-up Lions backfield, although it's unlikely his stay with the 53-man roster will be for long, as Kerryon Johnson (knee) is expected to make his return as soon as next week.

Sanders will start at running back Sunday against the Redskins after the Eagles ruled out Jordan Howard (shoulder) on Saturday.

At this point, it's fair to wonder if Howard will play at all the rest of the season, as head coach Doug Pederson suggested Friday the veteran tailback was still not yet cleared for contact. Sanders was disappointing in a solid matchup against the Giants in Week 14 as a starter, registering just 69 total yards despite close to 20 touches, but he'll have yet another opportunity to shine against the Redskins, who have allowed at least 100 yards rushing to running backs in seven of the last eight weeks.

Edwards had five carries for 35 yards in Thursday's 42-21 win over the Jets.

Baltimore turned to Edwards to close things out Thursday, giving him three carries in the second half. Edwards has been effective when given opportunities, averaging 5.2 yards per carry, but his workload has been inconsistent. He's only seen double-digit carries twice all season and both of those instances came during blowouts. Edwards also has little involvement in the passing game with just five targets, keeping his weekly floor fairly low. He and the Ravens will travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns in Week 16.

Williams (rib), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Broncos, missed practice Friday due to an illness, BJ Kissel of the Chiefs' official site reports.

Williams had been a limited participant in practices Wednesday and Thursday, so his downgrade in activity therefore can't be attributed to a setback with his rib issue, which cost him the previous two games. Even if Williams does suit up this weekend, it'll be difficult to predict what his Week 15 workload might look like with LeSean McCoy, Spencer Ware and Darwin Thompson also in the team's backfield mix. Added clarity on Williams' Week 15 status should arrive no later than Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET, when the Chiefs release their inactive list 90 minutes ahead of kickoff.

Boone is expected to fill in for the injured Alexander Mattison (ankle) as the Vikings' No. 2 running back in Sunday's game against the Chargers, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. "I'm expecting big things from Boone and he knows that," lead back Dalvin Cook said of his new backup. "He's ready to go, no doubt about it. I'm ready to see him light it up. There's no drop off.''

The Vikings eased up on a banged-up Cook's usage in a comfortable 20-7 win over the Lions in Week 14, allowing Mattison (16 touches) and Boone (five touches) to see more work than usual. Mattison tweaked his ankle along the way and wasn't able to practice at any point this week, clearing the way for Boone to move up a spot on the depth chart. With Cook's health seemingly in a better spot this week and the Vikings set to face what appears to be a more formidable opponent in Los Angeles, Boone probably won't be in store for much more than a change-of-pace role that will likely entail fewer than 10 touches.

Williams (rib) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Broncos after not practicing Friday.

Though soreness on the left side of his rib cage prevented Williams from playing in the past two games and limited his participation in practices Wednesday and Thursday, it was an illness that kept him off the field Friday, per Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star. The missed opportunity to upgrade his activity level in practice will result in Williams carrying a designation into the weekend, making it difficult to project if he'll be ready to go once Sunday arrives. If Williams ends up sitting out or has his workload limited, LeSean McCoy, Spencer Ware and Darwin Thompson would form a three-headed backfield committee for Kansas City.