NFL Player News

Kamara (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Panthers, John DeShazier of the Saints' official site reports.

The Saints clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed in the postseason with a win over Pittsburgh last week, so the team will keep Kamara and quarterback Drew Brees inactive and is expected to rest several other key starters in a mostly meaningless regular-season finale. Kamara's absence clears the way for Mark Ingram to start, though it's possible he'll only play a series or two -- if at all -- before bowing out of the contest. Instead, third-stringer Dwayne Washington looks like a better candidate to pace the New Orleans backfield in snaps and touches.

Ford will be a healthy inactive for the season finale Sunday against the Dolphins.

This comes as a bit of a surprise since Ford has taken 21 carries the last two games and the Bills have wanted to give him as many looks as feasible with an eye toward next season. With Chris Ivory (shoulder) ready to play again, the Bills will go with two veteran backs Sunday, with LeSean McCoy leading the way as the team tries to end its season on a winning note.

Elliott is expected to be rested for Sunday's game against the Giants, team sources tell Jane Slater of NFL Network.

Team owner Jerry Jones suggested earlier in the week that the Cowboys were unlikely to rest key starters in the regular-season finale, but that never seemed like a probable outcome with Dallas locked in as the NFC's No. 4 seed in the postseason. Elliott himself has also lobbied to play in Week 17, but it sounds like the Cowboys have ultimately decided to err on the side of caution and will hold their star running back out to avoid an injury heading into the playoffs. Ideally, Elliott's unavailability would be confirmed by his inclusion on the team's inactive list that will be released 90 minutes prior to the 1 p.m. EST kickoff, but he could still dress as an emergency option. Rod Smith and Darius Jackson are in line to share the backfield work versus New York.

Conner (ankle), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals, will be evaluated after a pregame warmup, but the expectation is that he'll suit up, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Even though Conner put in a trio of full practices this week, the Steelers want to be sure the sprained ankle that sidelined him for the past three games isn't an issue in the hours leading up to the contest before his status is confirmed. Assuming Conner avoids any setbacks in the workout and gains clearance to suit up, he'll likely take back his starting role, but not necessarily the huge volume he previously enjoyed. Jaylen Samuels has thrived as the lead back in Conner's absence, which could prompt coach Mike Tomlin to lean on more of a timeshare out of the backfield as a means of easing the strain on Conner's ankle.

Conner (ankle) will have his status for Sunday's game against Cincinnati determined after he participates in pregame warmups, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Conner, who has missed the last three games, took a questionable tag into the weekend despite practicing fully Wednesday through Friday. The running back is determined to play, but the team wants to get a look at him on the field prior to making a decision. If Conner suits up, there's a chance he could see lower usage than normal coming off injury, especially after Jaylen Samuels thrived in his absence.

Breida (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

The 49ers declared Breida out for the season finale early in the week, so this move is just to add some healthy bodies for Sunday. The 23-year-old was injured throughout much of the season and will leave Jeff Wilson and Alfred Morris to handle backfield duties Week 17.

Washington figures to have a major role Sunday against Carolina, but he won't necessarily get all the snaps at running back, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com reports.

Washington is the only running back on the roster behind Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, both obvious candidates to be rested in a meaningless game. With Teddy Bridgewater already confirmed as the starting quarterback, it's best to assume Kamara and Ingram will either play sparsely or not at all. If the team doesn't sign another backfield option before Sunday's game, Washington could find himself handling a high-volume role, albeit in an offense that's also using backups at a number of other positions. For what it's worth, there's been chatter about the Panthers resting some key players before the end of Sunday's game, though they surely won't be as cautious as the playoff-bound Saints. Washington has an impressive combination of size and speed, but he's never displayed much value on offense, primarily working as a short-yardage specialist or mop-up player while averaging just 2.8 yards on 126 career carries.

Coach Pete Carroll said Penny (knee) will be a game-day decision Sunday against the Cardinals, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

A full practice participant throughout the week, Penny nonetheless finds himself listed as questionable for the regular-season finale, per Boyle. Penny seems more likely than not to suit up and could actually get some extra work if the Seahawks jump out to a lead. The team needs a win to ensure a first-round matchup with Dallas instead of Chicago, but it still makes sense to ease up on Chris Carson after three straight games with 22 or more carries. Sunday's kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 PM ET.

Barner (knee) was placed on injured reserve Friday.

Barner handled return duties for the Panthers from Week 13 to Week 16 before ultimately landing on IR with a knee issue. He earned just one target in the passing game with Carolina after a midseason release from the Patriots. Barner's upcoming absence allowed the Panthers to promote offensive lineman Dorian Johnson from their practice squad.

Williams (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the Raiders.

Williams made an abbreviated exit last Sunday at Seattle due to a hamstring injury. Although he proceeded to practice in full Wednesday through Friday, the Chiefs opted to place a "questionable" tag on the reserve running back. Spencer Ware (hamstring) is in the exact same boat as he attempts to return from a two-game absence. If Ware is active, he could take on the largest share of the work given to the backfield, leaving the Williamses (also, Damien) the occasional touch.