NFL Player News

The Dolphins' posted depth chart lists Drake and Frank Gore as co-starters.

Meanwhile, the duo is followed on the chart by Senorise Perry and rookie Kalen Ballage. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald relays that coach Adam Gase isn't especially concerned with how his backfield is mapped out at least on paper, while acknowledging that both Drake and Gore will see their share of touches this season. That said, the elusive Drake's youth and strong finish to the 2017 campaign presumably give him the leg up on Gore, who keeps chugging away at age 35. Though it's hard to imagine Gore completely overtaking Drake in advance of Week 1, so far this summer the veteran has looked good and his steady presence could at a minimum threaten Drake's volume, and in turn his fantasy ceiling.

Freeman is listed as a second-stringer on the Broncos' preseason depth chart, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic Denver reports.

Freeman is predictably nestled between Devontae Booker and De'Angelo Henderson, with the Broncos giving a nod to Booker's status as the veteran of the young trio. The rookie out of Oregon still has plenty of time to make his push for the lead job, starting with Saturday's preseason opener against Minnesota.

Abdullah is listed as the first-string kick returner on the Lions' initial depth chart.

Teammate Jamal Agnew earned first-team All-Pro honors as a specialist last season, but he was far more effective returning punts than kickoffs, where he averaged just 17.9 yards per attempt. Abdullah, on the other hand, was a force as a kick returner during his rookie year when he finished first in the league with 1,077 yards and second with a 29.1-yard average, so it's not a huge surprise that Abdullah has surpassed Agnew on the depth chart in that phase of the game. While his roster spot seemed to be in jeopardy when training camp opened, Abdullah now seems to be the clear leader in the competition for the No. 4 job at running back, though the versatile Zach Zenner is still firmly in the mix.

Hill (shoulder) was waived/injured by the Seahawks on Monday.

It was always going to be an uphill climb for Hill to make the Seahawks' final roster at fullback. He'll now revert to the team's injured reserve once he clears waivers.

McCaffrey (illness) rejoined the Panthers for practice Monday, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Charlotte Observer reports.

After sitting out Sunday's session with the ailment, McCaffrey was back on the field a day later donning full pads, indicating that he'll face no limitations heading into Thursday's preseason opener in Buffalo. It's expected that McCaffrey will only play a series or two in the first exhibition game as head coach Ron Rivera uses that contest to evaluate some of the more fringy roster candidates.

Armah did not participate in Sunday's practice due to a bruised leg, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer reports.

Armah's leg bruise isn't expected to keep him sidelined from training camp for very long, while the Panthers didn't force their lone fullback to practice Sunday. Carolina will hope to have Armah back in time for their preseason opener against the Bills on Thursday.

Foreman (Achilles) remains uncertain to be ready for the start of the regular season, but the running back continues to trend in the right direction, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Foreman, who currently resides on the Physically Unable to Perform list, doesn't seem to be anywhere near a full return to the field, but the fact he's remained setback-free in his recovery from a severe injury is nonetheless significant in its own right. With that said, Foreman likely faces an uphill battle to avoid being placed on the regular-season PUP list, which would prevent the running back from playing in the first six games of the season.

McCaffrey is not participating in Sunday's practice due to an illness, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer reports.

McCaffrey doesn't appear to be dealing with anything serious that could keep him out of practice for an extended period of time, but the Panthers won't force the issue at this time of year. The second-year running back is expected to see an increase in touches this season after racking up 117 carries and 80 catches as a rookie in 2017, so Carolina's offense needs McCaffrey as healthy as possible for Week 1 and beyond.

Colts owner Jim Irsay said Mack could be a star in the Indianapolis offense this season. "Depends on how many times you want to feed him the ball,16-20 touches on the ground (a game) and I could see him approaching 1,500 yards (for the season). I really could," Irsay told the Indianapolis Star. "He is just better than you think he is every time you watch him."

Take this with a grain of salt, as Irsay has been prone to having a rosy outlook for his team and players. However, his praise of Mack may be reflected in the coaching staff's opinion of his talent. While there's been talk of a committee approach at running back with both Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines likely figuring into the mix, Mack could command a greater share of touches with some early success this season.

The Jaguars have reached an injury settlement with Thomas (knee) and waived him Saturday, per the NFL Media site.

Thomas reverted to injured reserve initially, but it appears the club has decided to let the lineman walk instead after he landed on the PUP list to open camp. He will now be free to sign with another club, assuming his knee holds up through a physical.