NFL Player News

Barkley (hamstring) isn't practicing with his teammates Monday, but he appears to be moving and running without any problem while doing individual drills on a side field, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Monday marks a full week since Barkley suffered a mild hamstring strain, with his continued absence from practice suggesting he could be held out of Friday's preseason game against the Jets. The prized rookie doesn't have anything to prove in terms of role or talent, and the Giants already saw him at work in a game setting when he took five carries for 43 yards in the first week of the preseason. Barkley has 20 days to get back to full strength for a difficult Week 1 matchup with the Jaguars.

Abdullah didn't make a good impression as the starting running back in Friday's preseason loss to the Giants, MLive.com's Kyle Meinke reports.

Meinke speculates that the Lions may have been showcasing Abdullah for a potential trade, considering there isn't much evidence of the fourth-year back being a real threat to LeGarrette Blount, Kerryon Johnson and Theo Riddick. Whatever the case, Abdullah didn't make a good argument for himself Friday, with his work including a botched handoff and a muffed kickoff. He managed just five yards from three touches on offense and 19 yards on two kick returns, taking a clear step back from his solid showing -- a 4-16-1 rushing line -- in the first week of the preseason. For what it's worth, Meinke still expects Abdullah to stick around on the 53-man roster as the No. 4 running back.

Sims (knee) isn't practicing Monday, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Although his injury isn't believed to be serious, Sims never figured to practice Monday after he got hurt in Saturday's preseason game agains the Titans. Some missed practice time wouldn't normally be a big deal for a player with his level of experience, except that Sims is trying to fend off competition from Jacquizz Rodgers and Shaun Wilson to earn a role on passing downs. The three players are competing for either one or two roster spots.

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Williams suffered a rib fracture that will sideline him for "a while," ESPN's Nick Wagoner reports.

Williams will at least miss Week 1, according to Shanahan, who updated the media regarding his team's injuries Sunday night. The coach continued by saying it hasn't been determined whether Williams will be placed on injured reserve/designated to return, but it's clear the Niners will have to make do without him until further notice. With Williams joining fellow tailbacks Jerick McKinnon (calf) and Matt Breida (shoulder) on the shelf for the rest of the preseason, Jeremy McNichols, Alfred Morris, Raheem Mostert and Jeffery Wilson will split backfield work the next couple weeks.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that Williams sustained a rib fracture in Saturday's preseason loss to Houston and will miss the beginning of the regular season, ESPN's Nick Wagoner reports.

The injury comes at a tough time for Williams, who was in the thick of a competition to win a backup role with the 49ers this year after spending his entire rookie season on IR. The team hasn't decided whether they will place Williams on IR, but the early out designation for Week 1 is not a promising sign. Either way, Williams' health may ultimately decide his fate for the second consecutive preseason.

Mostert wasn't in the running back rotation Saturday, but he lined up with the first-team special teams unit in a preseason loss to Houston.

Mostert is trying to fend off a slew of running backs in order to hang on to his spot as third on the depth chart come Week 1. The lack of carries may look grim at first glance, but the fact that the 26-year-old lined up with the first unit on special teams -- also contributing a jarring hit as a gunner on punt coverage -- bodes well for his chances to serve a similar role once Jerick McKinnon (hamstring) and Matt Breida (shoulder) return for the regular season. Expect Mostert to get some run in the team's preseason dress rehearsal next week against the Colts.

Wilson carried the ball five times for 20 yards in Saturday's preseason loss to the Texans.

Wilson was the last running back to enter the contest, but he was also the only runner to average a minimum of four yards per carry. That said, the undrafted rookie appears to be low in the pecking order in the 49ers' third running back competition, but he can certainly elevate his status with a strong showing in the final two weeks of the preseason.

According to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, it hasn't been determined whether Elliott will play in next Sunday's third preseason game against the Cardinals, Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram reports.

Elliott is yet to feature this exhibition slate as he gears up for another action-packed regular season. While he recently said he'll likely play in some capacity in next weekend's dress rehearsal, injuries to starting linemen Zack Martin (knee) and Travis Frederick (neck) would now offer him substandard protection. That situation could force Dallas to consider whether playing Elliott is worthwhile, leaving his status to be tracked in the coming week.

Williams carried the ball eight times for 18 yards Saturday, adding a pair of receptions for another 14 yards in a preseason loss to Houston.

Williams was the second back to enter the contest after Jeremy McNichols started and played the entire first half. Both backs failed to impress, averaging under three yards per carry even with the Texans sitting their top two defensive linemen. Williams' inability to produce big gains in his first two preseason games should keep special teams ace Raheem Mostert in the lead for the 49ers' competition for third on the depth chart. That said, a lot can change over the final two weeks of the preseason, especially once Alfred Morris -- who didn't receive a carry after joining the team earlier this week -- enters the fray.

Artis-Payne finished with seven rushes for 18 yards and a touchdown in Friday's 27-20 win over the Dolphins in the second preseason game.

Artis-Payne found the end zone on a five-yard rush to begin the fourth quarter. He started the Panthers' next drive before making way for Kenjon Barner. While him playing ahead of Barner suggests he entered Friday higher in the pecking order, Barner's final tally of 72 yards on five carries certainly made things interesting. Behind Christian McCaffrey and C.J. Anderson, it remains to be seen who'll be named Carolina's third tailback, so Artis-Payne and Barner's battle could be worth monitoring over the final two exhibition outings.