NFL Player News

McCaffrey rushed 12 times for 48 yards and caught both his targets for 16 yards in Friday's 25-14 win over the Patriots in the third preseason game.

McCaffrey was plenty busy while playing the entire first half, as he also recovered a fumble by quarterback Cam Newton. Besides that, he was featured in a variety of ways, including four carries from inside the 10-yard line on Carolina's opening drive. Clearly looking like the team's backfield workhorse this season, McCaffrey's increased volume should boost his upside as he gets more opportunities to display his big-play ability in his second year.

Freeman took five carries for 26 yards and a touchdown in Friday's preseason game against Washington.

Devontae Booker got the start and the first two carries, but it was Freeman who provided the highlight with a 24-yard touchdown on Denver's second drive. The third-round pick shared snaps with Booker and undrafted rookie Phillip Lindsay throughout the first half, doing little of consequence besides the one long run. Booker handled a decent portion of the early snaps, but he finished with just three carries for nine yards to bring his preseason total total to nine totes for 33 yards. Freeman has hit paydirt in each of Denver's preseason games, taking 15 carries for 84 yards and the trio of scores. Despite outplaying Booker this preseason, Freeman seems to be headed for a timeshare Week 1 against Seattle.

Cook rushed twice for one yard during Friday's preseason game against the Seahawks. He was also targeted once but did not record a reception.

Seeing his first live action since Week 4 of the 2017 season, Cook was on the field for Minnesota's first four offensive snaps before being pulled in favor of Latavius Murray. Those four snaps were all Vikings coaches apparently needed to see, though, as Cook's removal from the game was for nothing more than to ensure his health for the games that matter. With the starting offense all but guaranteed to sit out the team's preseason finale next Thursday against the Titans, we won't be seeing Cook again until Minnesota's regular-season opener Sept. 9 against the 49ers.

Cook will suit up for Friday's preseason game against the Seahawks, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

In his return from a torn ACL, Cook isn't expected to play more than one possession, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. In essence, Cook is getting some live hits before the regular season, thus alleviating concerns that he can be a workhorse running back in 2018.

Chubb rushed 14 times for 46 yards during Thursday's 5-0 preseason victory over the Eagles.

Chubb saw the bulk of the action among his fellow running backs Thursday, but aside from his 21-yard run on his first carry, the rookie didn't do much with his workload. Carlos Hyde, on the other hand, nearly matched Chubb's rushing total with half the number of carries. The former Georgia Bulldog still figures to have a role on Cleveland's offense behind Hyde and Duke Johnson, but he'll need to produce if he expects any meaningful playing time.

Elliott is unlikely to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Cardinals, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Dallas may have wanted the third-year pro to get a bit of playing time this preseason, but injury woes along the offensive line mean Elliott and Dak Prescott likely will be held out Sunday. The Cowboys seemingly expect RG Zack Martin (knee), LT Tyron Smith (hamstring) and RT La'el Collins (calf, illness) to be ready for Week 1, but C Travis Fredrick may miss some time after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. It's a concern for Elliott's fantasy stock, though not nearly enough to push him out of the first round.

Jones rushed for 12 yards on three carries and added 30 yards on six catches during Thursday's 5-0 loss to the Browns. He lost a fumble during the contest.

Jones snagged a screen pass with the Eagles driving in the second quarter. He turned up field and promptly had the ball punched out for a fumble. He's battling for a roster spot on an Eagles team that could use some quality depth and Jones has the natural talent to play a role behind Jay Ajayi. After a career full of fumbling issues, however, Jones' play on Thursday might scare Philly's brass away.

Rodgers is one of the leading candidates to help the Buccaneers replace Charles Sims (knee), who was placed on injured reserve Thursday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

Rodgers' chances of securing a spot on the 53-man roster naturally went up with the upcoming season-long absence of one of his main competitors for a backup running back job. Moreover, Rodgers' skill set and experience also likely make him the first man up in terms of directly filling Sims' role, which was primarily that of a pass-catching back. He hasn't had much of a chance to show it during his first two seasons in Tampa, but Rodgers was one of the better pass-catching backs in the league during the 2012 and 2013 campaigns in Atlanta, compiling a total of 105 receptions and logging a trio of receiving touchdowns over that span. He also has the ability to mix in on early downs as a rusher and is arguably a more instinctive runner than Sims, so Rodgers could be in for a solid workload when factoring in multiple roles.

Cook (knee) has increased preparation for Friday's preseason game against the Seahawks, Jon Krawczynski reports.

Coach Mike Zimmer, offensive coordinator John DeFilippo and Cook himself have hinted that the running back would make an appearance before Week 1. Krawczynski's report is the closest thing there's been to any sort of confirmation, but it's difficult to know unless one of the trio declares Cook ready for game action. Assuming he logs snaps Friday, the next question would be Cook's workload at the start of the season. If he isn't ready for a workhorse role, Latavius Murray is around to pick up the slack in the meantime.

Mack (hamstring) may not be healthy by Week 1, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.

Mack continues to nurse a strained hamstring stemming from the Colts' preseason opener Aug. 9. Reading between the lines, coach Frank Reich suggested Thursday that Mack must practice next week in order to set himself up for active status Sept. 9 against the Bengals. Thursday also marked the return of Robert Turbin (ankle, suspension) to drills, allowing him to join Jordan Wilkins, Christine Michael and Nyheim Hines in the competition for backfield snaps.