NFL Player News

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.

Gordon carried the ball 10 times for 35 yards, caught both of his targets for 18 yards and also scored a touchdown in the Chargers' 24-14 preseason win over the Seahawks on Saturday.

Gordon played just three drives, but he looked explosive in his limited touches bursting for a 14-yard carry that led to a two-yard touchdown three plays later. The 25-year-old remains an integral part of what figures to be a dynamic Chargers offense and has drawn rave reviews throughout training camp for his improved route running. Gordon makes for a solid cornerstone late in the first round or early in the second round of most drafts.

Newsome carried the ball 19 times for 78 yards and also caught three receptions for 22 yards in the Chargers 24-14 preseason win over the Seahawks on Saturday

Newsome received the lion's share of the carries Saturday as Justin Jackson (hamstring), Austin Ekeler (calf) and Russell Hansbrough (undisclosed) all sat out of the contest. The 24-year-old has taken the majority of the third string reps with Jackson limited most of the preseason, setting the stage for the undrafted rookie to possibly catch on to the 53-man roster.

Ekeler sat out of Saturday's 24-14 preseason win over the Seahawks with a sore calf, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reports.

Williams added that coach Anthony Lynn said Ekeler could've played if it were a regular season game, meaning the Chargers were just practicing caution with their dual-threat running back. Ekeler had 47 carries for 260 yards and two touchdowns while hauling in 27 passes for 279 yards and three scores in his rookie campaign. He's the clear handcuff to Melvin Gordon.

Pumphrey (leg) won't practice this week or play in Thursday's preseason game against the Browns, Chris McPherson of the Eagles' official site reports.

Pumphrey is battling for the No. 4 RB role in Philly, so missing the first three preseason games leaves him with little relevant game film to prove his worth. If he can return for the final exhibition contest against the Jets, it'll be against their reserve defense and leave much to the imagination.

The knee injury Sims suffered Saturday against the Titans shouldn't jeopardize his Week 1 status, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Sims can help out in the Bucs' passing game to the point that he can make a ripple in PPR formats, but Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones II are ahead of him on the team's RB depth chart, a reality reflected by the trio's current ADPs. Sims still needs to fend off Jacquizz Rodgers and Shaun Wilson to lock down a role on passing downs.

Hill signed with the Packers on Sunday, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

With Jamaal Williams nursing a minor ankle injury, Hill was brought in along with LeShun Daniels for depth in the Packers' backfield. Hill suited up for five games over the last two seasons, rushing three times for nine yards.

Henry rushed three times for seven yards and secured his only target for seven yards in the Titans' 30-14 preseason loss to the Buccaneers on Saturday.

The second-year back saw limited action for the second straight week, matching his number of rushing touches from last week's opener against the Packers. Henry is slated for ample volume as the Titans' lead back during the coming season, so there's not much inclination on the part of head coach Mike Vrabel to overwork him during the exhibition slate. However, Henry should see an uptick in playing time during next Saturday night's "dress rehearsal" game against the Steelers in preparation for the regular-season opener.

Jones rushed four times for two yards and failed to come up with his only target in the Buccaneers' 30-14 preseason win over the Titans on Saturday.

For the second time in as many preseason games, Jones couldn't get much going on the ground, although he had the misfortune of seeing a seven-yard run called back due to an offensive holding call against tight end O.J. Howard. Jones logged time in the second and third quarters -- giving him plenty of reps against the Titans' second- and third-team defenders -- making his overall numbers particularly disappointing. Current starter Peyton Barber enjoyed significantly more success versus Tennessee's first-team defense, further widening the gulf between the two backs for the moment. Jones will look to put together his first solid game as a pro during next Friday's night's exhibition tilt against the Lions.