NFL Player News

Ellington rushed three times for nine yards and brought in both of his targets for 34 yards in the Buccaneers' 17-15 preseason win over the Cowboys on Thursday.

Like the other two Buccaneers backs that saw carries Thursday -- Bruce Anderson and Dare Ogunbowale -- Ellington couldn't get much going on the ground, especially considering gained 11 yards on one tote and netted minus-2 on his other pair of rushing touches. It was a different story through the air, as the 30-year-old led Tampa in receiving yards and tallied a team-high 23-yard reception on one of his two grabs. The battle for the third running back role between Ellington and Ogunbowale has been a heated one all summer, and it remains to be seen who'll emerge victorious at final cuts in the coming days.

Gaskin carried the ball eight times for 48 yards while catching both his targets for 17 yards in Thursday's preseason win over the Saints.

Neither Kenyan Drake nor Kalen Ballage suited up in Miami's final preseason game, and while Mark Walton got the start and led the team in rushing, Gaskin made a positive impression as well -- his 17-yard scamper in the third quarter was the longest of the night by a running back on either team. The seventh-round pick in this year's draft remains in the hunt for the No. 3 RB spot, but he might need a Walton suspension to win it.

Ogunbowale rushed eight times for nine yards and brought in both of his targets for 17 yards in the Buccaneers' 17-15 preseason win over the Cowboys on Thursday.

Ogunbowale didn't exactly give the best accounting of himself on the ground, finding running room to be at a premium. However, his pair of grabs in the passing game lend further credence to a report earlier in the week that Ogunbowale could serve as the primary third-down back come the regular season. His primary competition for that role, Andre Ellington, did contribute 43 total yards Thursday, however, so upcoming roster cuts figure to be particularly intriguing when it comes to the two backs' job battle.

Walton carried the ball 12 times for 52 yards while catching his only target for six yards in Thursday's preseason win over the Saints.

With Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage both getting the night off, Walton started at running back in the preseason finale and led Miami in rushing, although Myles Gaskin (6.0 YPC) was more efficient on fewer totes. The duo remain the prime candidates for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart, and while Walton appears to have the edge, the possibility of a suspension from the league as a result of multiple offseason arrests could render the battle moot.

Snell rushed eight times for 12 yards and caught two of three targets for 23 yards in Thursday night's 25-19 preseason loss to the Panthers.

Snell missed Pittsburgh's third exhibition contest due to a slight groin ailment, but was back on the field to finish his first preseason Thursday. Although the rookie fourth-rounder didn't get much going on the ground, he flashed some ability in the passing game. That versatility could serve him well as he competes for snaps behind James Conner and Jaylen Samuels at tailback this season.

Abdullah ran for 21 yards on five carries and reeled in a 15-yard touchdown pass during Thursday's 27-23 preseason loss to the Bills.

Abdullah helped Minnesota strike with the game's first touchdown in the first quarter, snagging a swing pass from Kyle Sloter and racing toward the pylon. The play showed that burst that got Abdullah drafted by Detroit in the second round and what left some intrigue after Latavius Murray departed in free agency, but he probably won't have many opportunities in the regular season. There's a do-it all back in Dalvin Cook and third-round pick in Alexander Mattison ahead of him. Abdullah figures to be primarily a special-teams contributor.

Anderson won't return to Thursday's preseason game against the Colts due to a right knee injury, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.

Anderson tore the ACL in his right knee in the second game of the 2018 season, which would mark his final collegiate contest. After declaring for the NFL and getting drafted in the sixth round by the Bengals in April, he kicked off training camp on the non-football injury list and didn't make an in-game appearance until preseason Week 3. With a potential aggravation on tap, Anderson's prospects to kick off the campaign now are in question.

Ogunbowale is making a case to serve as Tampa Bay's third-down back, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Seemingly ahead of Andre Ellington for the third spot on the depth chart, Ogunbowale is making a decent case for a Week 1 role. The Buccaneers notably used him in the no-huddle offense during their third preseason game, giving the 25-year-old a full drive next to Jameis Winston in the backfield. Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones still are expected to take most of the carries, but Ogunbowale could get a shot at more work throughout the season.

Elliott will need to end his holdout before next Wednesday's practice to have a real chance of featuring in the Cowboys' offense for Week 1, David Moore of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Dallas will begin preparing for the Giants in earnest on Wednesday, and while Zeke may be keeping himself in great shape during his self-imposed exile in Cabo San Lucas, if he's not with the team to be integrated into the game plan, it's hard to imagine him seeing much action in the opener even if he walks back through the door at the last minute. Impressive rookie Tony Pollard and veteran Alfred Morris figure to handle the backfield workload as long as Elliott is holding out.

Jones is on track for a role Week 1 against the 49ers, but Peyton Barber is more likely to get the start, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Jones hasn't done much to build his case this preseason, averaging 3.3 yards on 10 carries while continuing to struggle in pass protection. A minor knee injury didn't help, with the second-year pro bothered by swelling and soreness last week. Coach Bruce Arians may take the hot-hand approach between Barber and Jones, with the potential for a third player -- Dare Ogunbowale or Andre Ellington -- to also get involved. The Bucs notably used Ogunbowale for their two-minute drill with the first-team offense in the third week of the preseason.