NFL Player News

Gordon (knee) practiced in full Friday and doesn't have a designation for Sunday's divisional-round game at New England, Sam Fortier of The Athletic reports.

Gordon picked up a minor injury to his left knee during the Chargers' wild-card win in Baltimore but built up his practice reps from none Wednesday to all of them Friday, clearing him to suit up for this weekend's showdown. Considering he's been banged-up for a good portion of the season, he likely is in line for a similar workload from the past three games -- 15.3 touches per game -- while working in a timeshare with Austin Ekeler.

Zenner's strong finish to the 2018 season likely strengthened his position with the Lions, Mike O'Hara of the team's official site reports.

This is an understatement considering Zenner turned out to be everything head coach Matt Patricia could really ask for in a backup running back -- an effective runner (4.8 YPC on 55 attempts) whose ability on special teams can allow for more roster flexibility on gamedays. The question now is where Zenner will sign this offseason once he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March. Given the promise he showed down the stretch, it's possible Zenner will have a number of suitors for his services.

Gordon (knee) returned to a limited practice Thursday.

Gordon sat out Wednesday's practice, but his return to the field Thursday puts him on the right track in advance of Sunday's playoff game against the Patriots. We'll circle back Friday to see if the Chargers list their top running back as questionable for the contest or remove Gordon altogether from the team's final injury report of the week.

Patterson (knee) practiced fully Wednesday.

Following the Patriots' first-round playoff bye, Patterson -- who was inactive in the Week 17 win over the Jets -- is slated to play in Sunday's divisional-round game against the Chargers. Patterson's versatility and play-making ability have made him an asset this season and as such, he could carve out some deep-league utility in postseason fantasy pools, even if his touches aren't abundant.

Gordon (knee) won't practice Wednesday, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reports.

After churning out 43 yards from scrimmage and a score on 18 touches in the Chargers' wild-card win at Baltimore, Gordon was diagnosed with a "little knee sprain," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. There isn't much worry about Gordon's availability for Sunday's visit to New England, but he'll take a seat to kick off this week of prep in what amounts to more of a rest day than anything, per coach Anthony Lynn. The Chargers again seem poised to split backfield work between the banged-up Gordon and Austin Ekeler, who earned 15 touches this past weekend.

Hines didn't register a carry or reception in Saturday's 21-7 wild-card win over Houston while playing just nine offensive snaps. The rookie didn't play much because Marlon Mack was playing well, Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni told Stephen Holder of The Athletic.

Despite the lack of usage this past weekend, Hines has nowhere to go up in terms of workload after he previously recorded no fewer than four touches in any game this season. Still, it's clear Hines hasn't been as much of a factor in recent weeks, as he had just three rushing attempts and seven receptions over the final two games of the regular season.

Rawls agreed to a contract Wednesday with the Jaguars, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The 25-year-old suited up for just one game for the Bengals in 2018 but showed some initial promise when he broke into the NFL with the Seahawks in 2015. Injuries have been an issue for Rawls, but assuming he's healthy this offseason and training camp, he'll have an opportunity to carve out a depth role in the Jacksonville backfield. T.J. Yeldon and Corey Grant are both eligible for free agency this offseason.

Gordon is dealing with a minor left knee sprain but isn't believed to be at any risk of missing Sunday's divisional-round matchup with the Patriots, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The injury resulted in Gordon's brief departure from the Chargers' wild-card win over the Ravens this past weekend, but the running back was cleared to return to the contest and finished the day with 43 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 18 touches (17 carries, one reception). There's a decent likelihood that Gordon could be listed as a limited or non-participant Wednesday when the Chargers release their first practice report of the week, but the early expectation is that he'll avoid a designation heading into Sunday.

Ekeler (groin) rushed 11 times for 29 yards and brought in all four of his targets for 14 yards in the Chargers' 23-17 wild-card win over the Ravens on Sunday.

Ekeler shook off the groin issue that had him listed as questionable heading into the contest to put together an unremarkable but serviceable final line. The change-of-pace back essentially handled a normal workload, and his availability became even more valued when backfield mate Melvin Gordon had to exit the game for a time with a knee injury. Ekeler will now look to manage his physical condition carefully over the next week ahead of next Sunday's divisional-round clash against the Patriots.

Edwards rushed eight times for 23 yards in the Ravens' 23-17 wild-card loss to the Chargers on Sunday.

With a nearly non-existent role in the passing game thus far in his young career, Edwards has seen his fantasy production exceedingly dependent on his success, or lack thereof, on the ground. Thus, when the running game is neutralized by game script, so too is Edwards, as was clearly the case Sunday. It was a disappointing finish for the Rutgers product, who certainly made a noticeable impact during the stretch run of the regular season with a trio of 100-yard efforts and another two over 80 in the last seven games. He'll look to pick up where he left off in 2019 while likely sharing a fair amount of touches with backfield mate Kenneth Dixon.