NFL Player News

Mack carried the ball 25 times for 174 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-24 overtime loss to the Chargers.

The Colts' offense sputtered a bit in the first half but came to life when it committed to getting Mack the ball, and his 63-yard TD run in the third quarter kickstarted a comeback from a 24-9 deficit. The 174 rushing yards were a career high for the 23-year-old, and with Jacoby Brissett under center now instead of Andrew Luck, the Colts may be transitioning to a more run-focused attack behind their outstanding offensive line -- a shift which would bode well for Mack's production the rest of the way.

Ekeler carried the ball 12 times for 58 yards and registered six receptions for 96 yards to go along with three total touchdowns in the 30-24 overtime win Sunday over the Colts.

It's safe to say the Chargers didn't miss Melvin Gordon (contract holdout) on Sunday, as Ekeler and Justin Jackson combined for 215 total yards. Ekeler in particular was a dynamic force, picking up four separate plays of 10 or more yards throughout the contest, including a beautifully set up screen that turned into a 55-yard touchdown thanks in large part to impressive balance from the diminutive offensive weapon. Ekeler capped off his impressive day with the go-ahead touchdown in overtime -- one of a number of red-zone looks he received throughout the afternoon. The 24-year-old out-touched his backfield competition 18-to-7 despite Jackson's impressive 9.5 yards-per-carry average, essentially slotting into the same type of usage that made Gordon a top fantasy option at running back the past three seasons. It's possible the Chargers could operate with a more balanced attack in future weeks, but there's no question that Ekeler will remain a focal point regardless.

Johnson had one carry for 13 yards and returned one kick for 23 yards in Sunday's 43-13 loss to the Titans in Week 1.

Johnson became the No. 2 back and No. 1 kick returner after Dontrell Hilliard left with a concussion in the third quarter. Hilliard entered the NFL concussion protocol and may not be ready for next Monday's road game against the Jets. Johnson is next in line to back up starter Nick Chubb.

Mattison carried the ball nine times for 49 yards in Week 1 against Atlanta.

Mattison did nearly all of his damage on two plays, ripping off a 23-yard run on his second carry of the game. With six minutes remaining in the second quarter, he got pushed out of bounds one yard shy of the end zone after a 17-yard gain. While Mattison appears to be the primary back to spell Dalvin Cook, his usage will likely remain limited this season, especially in more competitive contests. Still, it was an impressive debut for the rookie, and he's a strong handcuff for the Minnesota backfield.

McCaffrey ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries and added 81 yards on 10 catches during Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Rams.

Carolina was down by two scores midway through the third quarter when, in the wildcat, McCaffrey faked a handoff to quarterback Cam Newton and cut upfield for an eight-yard touchdown. The play was illustrative of the kind of threat McCaffrey can continue to become. After offseason shoulder surgery, the pressure is greater than ever for Newton to cut down on running, but his athleticism still makes him a threat to do so. The result -- if Sunday is any indication -- could be McCaffrey having his cake and eating it too, benefiting from defenses afraid of the quarterback run while also not sacrificing many touches. McCaffrey did have a touchdown vultured late, but figures to have as many opportunities to make play as any top-flight back this season.

Harris is inactive for Sunday night's game against the Steelers, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Harris wasn't on the Patriots' Week 1 injury report, so this goes down as a healthy scratch for the rookie back. The team's backfield against Pittsburgh will thus be comprised of Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead and special teams ace Brandon Bolden.

Singletary rushed four times for 70 yards and caught five of six targets for 28 more in Sunday's 17-16 win over the Jets.

All 98 of Singletary's scrimmage yards came after halftime. He got only four carries to Frank Gore's 11, but Singletary looked significantly more explosive and finished with 50 more yards on the ground. While the Bills' offense is likely to remain among the league's worst, the rookie third-rounder out of Florida Atlantic seems poised to take over the majority of the rushing workload given the burst he showed in this one.

Mixon was forced out of Sunday's game against the Seahawks with a right ankle injury, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Prior to his exit, Mixon had logged six carries for 10 yards. If Mixon has to miss any time, Giovani Bernard would step in as the top back. Coach Zac Taylor had no update on Mixon's status in the postgame press conference, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports.

Sanders carried 11 times for 25 yards and caught one of two targets for an additional two yards during Sunday's 32-27 win over the Redskins.

Sanders unexpectedly led the backfield in carries, with Jordan Howard and Darren Sproles receiving six and nine, respectively. Unfortunately, he did little on the ground outside of a 19-yard gain and wasn't quite as involved as a receiver as either of his two aforementioned teammates. While Sanders received plenty of work in his first NFL game, the Eagles appear to be deploying a true committee approach in the backfield at the moment. They should continue to go with the hot hand in next Sunday's road matchup against the Falcons.

Cook carried the ball 21 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 against Atlanta. He also added two receptions for nine yards.

Cook capped off a busy performance with rushing touchdowns of 19 and seven yards. The Vikings jumped out to a quick lead -- they led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and 21-0 at halftime -- which afforded Cook 23 total touches even given that his day ended halfway through the final quarter. It was certainly an encouraging start to the season for Cook, as he is the clear leader of the backfield for a team that won't hesitate to pound the ball on the ground. He'll look to keep both his volume and efficiency intact going forward in Week 2 at Green Bay.