NFL Player News

The Lions added Hills (undisclosed) to their practice squad Wednesday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Hills was let go by the Cardinals on Sept. 2 with an injury settlement, but, as evidenced by this news, he has shaken off his injury and returned to the field. The undrafted free agent will now focus on making a good impression in practice and push for a roster spot.

Clement (shoulder) did not practice Wednesday.

Clement expects to resume practicing Thursday, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia, so it doesn't appear as though he's dealing with a long-term injury. If the 24-year-old running back is able to get healthy in time for Sunday's tilt against the Vikings, he'll serve as the Eagles' No. 3 running back with Darren Sproles (quadriceps) sidelined, and he could return punts.

Walton (illness) was limited in practice Wednesday.

Walton's illness doesn't appear to be a long-term issue, and it's encouraging that he wasn't held out of Wednesday's practice entirely. Offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea called Walton "impressive" as both a runner and receiver Monday, according to Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post, which bodes well for the second-year pro's chances of climbing the depth chart. Still, Walton remains off the fantasy radar Week 6 except in deep leagues.

Pollard (knee/ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Pollard came out of Sunday's loss to the Packers nursing a pair of injuries, but it appears both issues are minor and don't threaten his availability for the Week 6 game against the Jets. The rookie hasn't seen much work behind Ezekiel Elliot in the past two games, so he doesn't possess much appeal for fantasy purposes beyond being a high-upside backup.

McCaffrey didn't practice Wednesday due to a back injury, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.

Through five games, McCaffrey has logged every offensive snap on three occasions and missed just 14 of a possible 342 of those plays, so it's no surprise he's picked up some bumps and bruises along the way. The aforementioned back issue may stem from his flip into the end zone in Sunday's win over the Jaguars. With that in mind, McCaffrey's status should be monitored closely in the coming days to get a sense of his status for the Week 6 game against the Buccaneers in London.

Clement is in line for more work Sunday versus the Vikings with Darren Sproles (quadriceps) ruled out for the contest, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Clement's main opportunity sans Sproles will likely come as a punt returner, but he'll also step in as the No. 3 running back as long as Sproles is unable to go. While it's likely that Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders will continue to dominate touches at the position for Philadelphia, even a minor role out of the backfield would give Clement an uptick in value in deeper fantasy leagues after he played only three offensive snaps in his four games this season.

Barkley (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's game at New England.

There was hope Barkley would be able to return just two and a half weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain, but the Giants won't press their luck with the workhorse running back. With No. 2 option Wayne Gallman (concussion) also sidelined, the backfield will be headed by Jon Hilliman and Elijhaa Penny in Week 6. Barkley will set his sights on returning Oct. 20 for a matchup with the Cardinals.

Though Sanders has received fewer touches than Jordan Howard in recent weeks, coach Doug Pederson suggested the Eagles will continue to ride the hot hand of the two from game to game, Daniel Gallen of The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports.

Pederson admitted in his Monday press conference that Howard had seized the lead role on the ground for now, but the coach is still leaving the door open for Sanders to find more work if he can capitalize on the opportunities he receives. While the rookie hasn't proven himself capable of handling three-down work just yet, he remains a worthy hold outside of shallow fantasy leagues due to his assured role in the passing game and the chance he ascends to a full-time gig via performance or an injury to Howard.

Wilkins ran for 28 yards on seven carries during Sunday's 19-13 win over the Chiefs.

The Colts came out slugging Sunday night, leaning heavily on the offensive line on the way to 45 rushing attempts as compared to 29 dropbacks. While Marlon Mack did the heavy lifting, the formula benefited Wilkins slightly more than fellow backup Nyheim Hines as Wilkins held a 7-to-6 advantage in touches, though Hines ended up with more yards. Assuming Indy looks to keep it going on the ground, the Texans should offer a little more resistance in Week 7 with a 12th-ranked run defense surrendering a modest 95 rushing yards per game.

Mattison ran for 52 yards on seven carries during Sunday's 28-10 win over the Giants.

Mattison made his presence felt early, rumbling through the Giants defense relatively untouched for a 19-yard gain late in the first quarter, setting up a Vikings touchdown. Playing behind a do-it-all back in Dalvin Cook, Mattison is averaging just seven touches per game, but he's yielding quality results with an average of 5.6 yards per carry. Despite playing second fiddle to Cook, the rookie maintains value on a run-first team. Minnesota will be tested this week against Philadelphia's top-ranked run defense, which has surrendered just 63 yards per game thus far this season.