NFL Player News

Jacobs rushed for 21 yards on four carries during Thursday's 33-26 win over Arizona.

If there was any doubt of how heavily Oakland might lean on its rookie rusher, Jon Gruden provided a glimpse Thursday. Jacobs ran the ball on four of Oakland's first five plays, including gains of at least six yards on three consecutive carries. The Raiders have solid veteran depth behind Jacobs, but they presumably have big plans for the Alabama product this season after taking him 24th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Ollison rushed nine times for a game-high 44 yards and failed to catch either of his two targets during Thursday's 22-10 preseason loss to the Jets.

Ollison got the biggest workload of any Falcons running back and made the most of it, showing why he remains the favorite to secure the third spot on Atlanta's depth chart over Brian Hill, who managed just 12 yards on four carries in this one. Ollison isn't out of the woods yet, however, with two more weeks left in preseason.

Edwards rushed twice for 13 yards in Thursday night's 26-13 preseason win over the Packers.

Edwards' 13-yard rush on Baltimore's second offensive drive helped set up a field goal. While he gained no yards on his other carry, Edwards still put together a prettier ground showing than Kenneth Dixon, who finished with six rushes for just 14 yards. With the Ravens slated to run the ball early and often again this season, Edwards will aim to close in on the second-string gig behind Mark Ingram with another good display next Thursday versus the Eagles.

Hill rushed 10 times for 49 yards and a touchdown in Thursday night's 26-13 preseason win over the Packers.

Hill scored from one yard out to begin the second half, punctuating an impressive performance. Although he worked behind Mark Ingram, Kenneth Dixon and Gus Edwards, Hill made a nice case for more run going forward, finishing as Baltimore's leader on the ground. The rookie fourth-rounder could perhaps further his case by getting involved in the passing game in next week's exhibition outing against the Eagles.

Sanders carried five times for 31 yards in the Eagles' 24-10 preseason win over the Jaguars on Thursday.

Sanders was exponentially more efficient than during his preseason debut against the Titans last Thursday, with his game-long 16-yard run serving as the highlight of his evening. The rookie has a modest eight carries through the first pair of preseason games, but he's likely to see a bump in workload during next week's contest versus the Ravens.

Thompson has seen increased reps with the first-team offense in recent days, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports.

During Taylor's breakdown of Thompson, he notes that, despite his 5-foot-8 stature, the running back is built to handle the wear of the NFL. He has performed well in pass protection and finished his preseason debut with 51 yards and a touchdown on six touches last Saturday against the Bengals. Thompson is in the thick of a battle for reps behind starter Damien Williams, competing with Carlos Hyde and Darrel Williams for playing time.

Williams will not return to Thursday's matchup with the Redskins due to a left foot injury, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.

Williams was removed from the Bengals' preseason opener due to a rib injury and has now been knocked out again with a separate issue. The rookie sixth-round pick had four yards on two carries prior to exiting.

The Chargers and Gordon's representatives haven't made progress on a new contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Gordon would like to be back by Week 1, but remains steadfast in his desire for an upgraded deal in the realm of the top-3 RB contracts in the NFL (Todd Gurley, Le'Veon Bell and David Johnson), which include salaries of $13-plus million per season and at least $20 million guaranteed. While Gordon certainly approaches that stratosphere of running back, the Chargers reportedly aren't budging from an offer of about $10 million per year. During the standoff, he requested a trade and continues to mull sitting out well into the regular season.

Jones won't suit up for Thursday's preseason game in Baltimore.

Jones missed a good portion of training camp and the Packers' first exhibition due to a tight hamstring. However, the third-year back has been practicing since Saturday, participated in 11-on-11 drills at Tuesday's session and warmed up in pads before Thursday's contest. Along with Aaron Rodgers (back), Jones is the other high-profile skill-position player on the sidelines. Jones' next chance to suit up arrives next Thursday against the Raiders in Winnipeg.

Barner will sit out of Thursday's preseason matchup with the Jets due to an undisclosed injury, Will McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports.

Barner sat out of Tuesday's practice with the injury after reportedly sustaining it in Monday's session. It's unclear how serious the injury is, but while the 30-year-old is out, Calvin Ridley and Marcus Green -- if he's recovered enough from his hamstring injury -- could figure to see some extra work on punt- and kick-return units Thursday.