NFL Player News

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Conner (ankle) hasn't been ruled out for the Week 15 game against the Patriots but will need to demonstrate progress in practices Wednesday through Friday to gain clearance to play, Chris Adamski of TribLive.com reports.

Conner, who is believed to be dealing with something between a mid-to-high-ankle sprain, was sidelined for the first time all season over the past weekend in the Steelers' 24-21 loss to the Raiders. While the lead back was inactive, rookie Jaylen Samuels stepped in as the primary option out of the backfield, playing 80 percent of the offensive snaps and finishing with 28 yards on 11 carries and 64 yards on seven receptions. While Tomlin noted that Conner is coming off an encouraging week of recovery, he's uncertain to be ready to return to practice in any capacity within the next few days. Until there's a firmer indication that Conner is actually on track to play against New England, fantasy managers who scooped up Samuels should continue to hold him in all formats.

Newsome is likely to serve as the top backup to Justin Jackson in Thursday's game against the Chiefs after coach Anthony Lynn told Steve Wyche of NFL Network that he's "not optimistic" Melvin Gordon (knee) and Austin Ekeler (neck/concussion) will be available for the contest.

Both injured backs were listed as non-participants on Monday's estimated practice report and seem unlikely to increase their activity enough over the next two days to gain clearance for the Week 15 matchup. Even though Gordon missed his second straight game over the weekend against the Bengals and Ekeler exited late in the contest, Newsome didn't see any work on offense, as all 12 of the undrafted rookie's snaps came on special teams. Given that Newsome has seen only 11 offensive snaps in total in his seven games with the Chargers, it's difficult to envision him capturing a major role in the game plan, as Lynn seems more likely to lean on Jackson as a three-down workhorse. It's also conceivable that Los Angeles will add another running back to its roster prior to Thursday, which could further hurt Newsome's chances of making an impact on offense.

Coach Anthony Lynn said he's "not optimistic" that Ekeler (neck/concussion) will be available for Thursday's game against the Chiefs, Steve Wyche of NFL Network reports.

Lynn offered a similar assessment for the outlook of Melvin Gordon (knee), so it's expected the Chargers will be without their top two running backs in a matchup that could effectively decide the AFC West. Ekeler exited late in Sunday's win over the Bengals with a neck stinger -- an issue that has bothered him at various points in recent weeks -- and also entered the NFL's protocol for head injuries Monday after experiencing concussion-like symptoms during a team walk-through session, per Joe Reedy of the Associated Press. With Ekeler not trending toward gaining clearance for Thursday and Gordon seemingly on track to miss a third straight contest, seventh-round pick Justin Jackson is expected to head the Chargers' backfield in Week 15, making the Northwestern product worthy of rostering in most leagues in the short term. Undrafted rookie Detrez Newsome is also on hand to offer depth, but with just 11 career offensive snaps to his name, it's tough to imagine him having a sizable role in the game plan.

The Chargers aren't optimistic that Gordon (knee) will be available for Thursday's game against the Chiefs, coach Anthony Lynn told Steve Wyche of NFL Network.

Though reports over the weekend painted a rosier picture for Gordon's Week 15 status, the running back's inability to take part in Monday's light walk-through session seemingly puts him on track to miss a third straight contest. The Chargers are also expected to be without the services of Austin Ekeler (neck/concussion), leaving seventh-round pick Justin Jackson and undrafted rookie Detrez Newsome as the lone healthy backfield options. Considering Newsome has played just 11 offensive snaps this season, Jackson will likely be in line to dominate the backfield work Thursday, making the Northwestern product a worthy pickup in just about every format. Gordon, meanwhile, will look to improve his odds of playing this week by upping his activity Tuesday or Wednesday, though that doesn't appear likely.

Murray rushed three times for four yards in Monday night's 21-7 loss to the Seahawks.

Murray was again used sparingly while working behind Dalvin Cook, whose 13 carries marked his most since Week 1. Cook also scored through the air, where Murray was not targeted once. With four or fewer carries in three of his last four outings, Murray's stock has returned to that of a backup tailback in need of an injury ahead of him to carve out more significance.

Penny rushed eight times for 44 yards in Monday's win over the Vikings.

Penny made solid reads and scampered for a combined 12 yards on his first two carries. His big play came in the second quarter when it looked as if he'd be stopped for a loss near the left sideline, but Penny cut back and displayed his speed by running to the opposite sideline to gain 17 yards and a first down. These explosive bursts will keep Penny as the clear No. 2 back ahead of Mike Davis, but Chris Carson has a stranglehold on the top spot for now.

Edmonds had three carries for 14 yards and returned one kickoff for 17 yards during Sunday's 17-3 defeat to the Lions.

Acting as the clear No. 2 running back behind David Johnson, Edmonds has been afforded a shade over five touches per game this season. However, outside of a Week 13 outburst in which he totaled 66 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, Edmonds has averaged a dismal 2.7 YPC with no end-zone visits. In reality, the aforementioned outing was an aberration, meaning anyone who took a chance on the rookie should get used to performances like Sunday's.

Cook rushed 13 times for 55 yards and caught five of seven targets for 28 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 21-7 loss to the Seahawks.

Cook saved the Vikings from being shut out by hauling in a six-yard touchdown on the team's final offensive play. That marked Cook's second receiving TD in the past three games, but he surprisingly still hasn't found the end zone on the ground. Although Minnesota's offense was ineffective for the vast majority of Monday's contest, Cook's 13 carries were his most since Week 1, offering some hope his workload increases for this Sunday's game versus the Dolphins.

Ekeler (neck/concussion) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's estimated injury report.

Although it went unreported at the time, Ekeler has tended to a neck stinger of late, and he aggravated the injury Sunday against the Bengals, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Ekeler also was evaluated for a concussion in the blue sideline tent, and while Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reported the running back didn't enter the protocol for head injuries, his listed injuries on the first Week 15 practice report suggest otherwise. Fortunately, Ekeler was able to speak with the media Monday. On the other hand, he told Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times his neck is stiff, and he can't move his head much. With little time to recover for Thursday's game at Kansas City, Ekeler appears to be in major danger of missing his first game of the season. Elsewhere in the backfield, Melvin Gordon received the same listing on the practice report as Ekeler, which could lead to elevated roles for Justin Jackson and Detrez Newsome in the short term.

Gordon (knee) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice report.

Monday's status stands as an estimation given that the Chargers simply went through a walk-through. Gordon has a chance to return Thursday after missing the past two contests, which would come at an opportune time considering backup Austin Ekeler remains in concussion protocol. Rookie Justin Jackson will handle first-team reps until either Gordon or Ekeler return to practice.