NFL Player News

Mack (hamstring) is active Sunday against the Redskins.

Reports earlier Sunday suggested Mack would be ready to make his season debut Week 2, but the team wanted to get a good look at the back during pregame warmups before making it official. While Mack will suit up and be part of the backfield mix, it wouldn't be out of the question for rookies Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines to still have a role. The Colts will be squaring off against a Washington defense that gave up just 68 yards on the ground in Week 1 and limited star running back David Johnson to 37 yards rushing.

The Colts are optimistic that Mack (hamstring), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Redskins, will suit up in Week 2, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Indianapolis will observe Mack in pregame warmups just to be certain that he's good to go, but the tailback seemingly proved his health by putting in a pair of limited practices and one full session earlier in the week. Even if Mack gains clearance to play, it's not guaranteed that he'll head the Colts' backfield committee right away, which could make him an unappealing lineup choice in most shallower settings. Rookie backs Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines are still both likely to have roles in head coach Frank Reich's game plan.

Wilds was promoted to the active roster on Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Wilds was released in final cuts earlier this month. His promotion to the active roster seems to indicate the team may have concern about starting running back Leonard Fournette's (hamstring) health entering Sunday's game against the Patriots. Look for Wilds to serve as the No. 3 option at halfback if Fournette is sidelined.

Mixon (knee) underwent successful arthroscopic surgery Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for 2-4 weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The extra time between games will benefit Mixon's recovery timeframe, but he is still likely to miss at least one game. The second-year running back was clearly playing through pain in the second half of Thursday's 34-23 victory over the Ravens, so he and the Bengals opted for the surgery route in order to get ahead of the curve and avoid a lingering issue. Giovani Bernard figures to be primed for a large workload in the immediate future while MIxon is sidelined.

Walton could have a role in the Bengals offense during Joe Mixon's (knee) absence, Herbie Teope of NFL.com reports.

Mixon is slated for a two-week absence due to his incoming arthroscopic knee surgery, opening the door for Giovani Bernard to lead the Cincinnati backfield for a spell. The aforementioned duo each earned 39 (of 76) offensive snaps Thursday against the Ravens, so opportunity awaits Walton, who was inactive in the same contest. A 2018 fourth-round pick, Walton racked up a pitiful 21 yards on 22 carries during the preseason, which should prompt a wait-and-see approach with the rookie.

Mixon (knee) is scheduled for a minor surgical procedure this weekend, with an estimated recovery timeline of two weeks, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports.

Mixon was clearly playing through pain in the second half of Thursday's 34-23 win over the Ravens, though the injury wasn't enough to prevent him from taking 21 carries. He reportedly had a small particle in his knee dislodged at some point during the contest and will now have a minor procedure to clean things up. Giovani Bernard is primed for a large workload Week 3 in Carolina and quite possibly again Week 4 in Atlanta.

Clement is likely to take on a larger role with Darren Sproles (hamstring) ruled out for Sunday's game in Tampa Bay, Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Clement doesn't have the physical profile of a typical passing-down back, but he proved more than capable of handling the role late last season, memorably putting up a 4-100-1 receiving line in the Super Bowl. He should see a sizable uptick from his 18 percent snap share Week 1, potentially taking on the majority of Sproles' 40 percent share. While Jay Ajayi is still the better bet to pile up carries and reach the end zone, Clement should at least be more involved than he was last week. Wendell Smallwood could also get a few more snaps as the No. 3 RB for Sunday's game.

The Bengals fear that Mixon will need an arthroscopic procedure to address his knee issue, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports.

Mixon will get a second opinion, but it looks as though he could miss some time. In such a scenario, Giovani Bernard would see an expanded workload in the Bengals' backfield.

Mack (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Washington.

Belying the designation was Mack taking in a full practice Friday, his first of the campaign. As such, there's a good chance he'll make his season debut Week 2. Coach Frank Reich told Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan Indianapolis that he feels "confident for the game that if Marlon is up, ready to go, we will use him accordingly." Even if Mack suits up, though, the Colts likely will split RB touches between him, Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines.

McKinnon had surgery Tuesday to repair an ACL tear that's believed to be "pretty clean," Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The report doesn't provide any specifics but might be taken as a hint that McKinnon avoided major damage to the other ligaments in his knee. If so, the timing of the injury should allow him to return for Week 1 of next season, though he still has a grueling rehab process ahead. Meanwhile, Alfred Morris and Matt Breida are forming a timeshare in the San Francisco backfield.