NFL Player News

McKinnon (calf) and Matt Breida (shoulder) both went through conditioning drills in full uniform at Tuesday's practice, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The 49ers have been cautious with their injured running backs, limiting them to side work for the past week despite the expectation that both will be fine for the Sept. 9 opener in Minnesota. McKinnon and Breida seem on track to return to team drills next week after the team cuts its roster down to 53 players. Alfred Morris is making a strong case for a spot, but there hasn't been any indication that he represents a serious threat to McKinnon's expected workload -- or Breida's -- early in the season.

Broncos head coach Vance Joseph de-emphasized the importance of labeling Freeman or Devontae Booker as the team's starting running back Tuesday, stating that either back could be on the field for the first play of the season opener depending on the play call, Zac Stevens of BSN Denver reports.

Joseph supported his comments with an example, saying that Freeman would likely line up behind quarterback Case Keenum if a power run play is called, whereas Booker might rank as the preferred option if the Broncos opt for a quick pass. Regardless of which back "starts" in Week 1, there's no denying that Freeman has been the more impressive of the two with the ball in his hands this preseason. Playing largely with the first team, Freeman has averaged 5.6 yards per carry to go with three touchdowns, while Booker has been limited to 3.7 yards per clip, right around his career regular-season average. Despite that disparity in efficiency, Booker could earn a decent snap share in the opener by virtue of doing the little things right, such as pass protection. There hasn't been any indication that Freeman has been a major liability in protection, so once the rookie gains more familiarity with the nuances of Denver's scheme, it may not be long before he eats into Booker's playing time further, especially if the veteran fails to impress with the touches he receives early in the season.

Warren rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and caught one of two targets for seven yards in Friday's 13-6 preseason win over the Packers.

Warren remains firmly in the mix for a role in the backfield behind starter Marshawn Lynch heading into Thursday's preseason finale against Seattle, as the undrafted rookie has performed well in his initial exhibition action. Given their light preseason workloads to date, both Lynch and fellow veteran Doug Martin appear to have secured the top two spots on the depth chart, leaving Warren, Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington (knee) to compete for one or two spots. Washington isn't slated to play Thursday after recently undergoing arthroscopic surgery, so there will be plenty of reps for Warren and Richard to split.

McNichols may be on the outside looking in for a roster spot heading into the 49ers' preseason finale Thursday against the Chargers, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

McNichols had been receiving first-team reps earlier this preseason while Jerick McKinnon (hamstring) and Matt Breida (shoulder) nursing minor injuries, suggesting the Boise State product had a solid path to a roster path. However, the signing of veteran back Alfred Morris combined with McNichols' lackluster showings over the team's last two exhibitions (12 carries for 33 yards) seem to have significantly damaged the 22-year-old's chances of making the cut. McNichols may need a big performance Thursday just to make the decision a difficult one for the 49ers.

Edwards is not on the field for practice Tuesday, freelance NFL writer Jeff Zrebiec reports.

Edwards reportedly departed practice early Monday due to a foot or ankle issue, which is likely the cause of his absence from Tuesday's session. It's certainly a bad time to miss, with roster cuts right around the corner, so he will likely try to return soon.

Wilkins is the frontrunner to replace Marlon Mack (hamstring) in the starting lineup if the second-year pro isn't ready for Week 1, ESPN.com's Mike Wells reports.

Though he didn't provide any specifics, coach Frank Reich mentioned Tuesday that Mack has made good progress the past couple days. Mack is still no sure thing to be available for the Sept. 9 opener against Cincinnati, and the Colts already know they won't have Robert Turbin (suspension) for the first four weeks of the season. Wilkins is one of three healthy, non-suspended running backs on the Indianapolis roster, joined by preseason catastrophe Nyheim Hines and veteran journeyman Christine Michael. It could all add up to a Week 1 start for Wilkins, albeit as part of a likely committee.

Perine (ankle) should be ready for Thursday's preseason game against Baltimore, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Perine had a bit of hype after Derrius Guice suffered an ACL tear, but between his own ankle injury and the addition of Adrian Peterson, it now seems the second-year pro isn't even a lock for the 53-man roster. Washington will probably need to choose two players between Perine, Rob Kelley and Kapri Bibbs, with Thursday's preseason game offering each player one final chance to make an impression. Perine may have the most potential in terms of pure running ability, but Bibbs is the best pass catcher and Kelley the best bet to help out on special teams. Perine returned to practice over the weekend, so he should be close to full strength by Thursday.

Coach Frank Reich noted Tuesday that Mack (hamstring) has made good progress over the last two days, Greg Rakestraw of Colts Radio Network reports.

Mack has been sidelined since injuring his hamstring Aug. 9, so this nugget, however vague, represents a positive indicator as Week 1 approaches. It can be assumed that Mack won't play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Bengals, but his regular-season outlook would brighten in a hurry if he's able to return to practice in short order. Per Mike Wells of ESPN.com, Jordan Wilkins "is the frontrunner to start" if Mack isn't ready for the Colts' Sept. 9 contest against the Bengals.

Pumphrey (hamstring) participated in Tuesday's practice, Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com reports.

This coincides with the expectation that Pumphrey was going to be able to play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Jets. Pumphrey is still considered a long shot to make the Eagles' final roster, with the team boasting quality depth at running back already.

Washington (undisclosed) did not appear in Friday's preseason game against the Buccaneers.

The Lions have yet to reveal what sort of injury has kept Washington sidelined the past couple of weeks. Regardless, the running back is a longshot to make the 53-man roster at this point and it's possible he could be waived and sent to IR before long.