NFL Player News

Cook (knee) said Monday that he has started jogging but remains without a firm timetable to return to full football activities, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

The running back is a little over three months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, so his lack of extensive activity to date shouldn't be viewed as a concern at this stage of his recovery. Assuming Cook endures no significant snags during the rehab process, he should be at or near full strength for the beginning of training camp in the summer, though the Vikings will almost certainly monitor his workload carefully during practices. While Latavious Murray and Jerick McKinnon proved to be an effective backfield tandem once the rookie was shut down for the season in Week 5, a healthy Cook profiles as the clear No. 1 back for Minnesota heading into the 2018 campaign.

McKinnon carried 10 times for 40 yards and caught 11 of 12 targets for an additional 86 yards during Sunday's 38-7 loss to the Eagles.

McKinnon managed a respectable four yards per carry against the toughest run defense in the NFL, but he did most of his damage catching short passes as his team played from behind for virtually the entire game. McKinnon enjoyed an increase in his usage as a pass catcher this year, finishing with career highs in targets, catches and receiving yards. He also posted personal bests in rushing yards and total touchdowns, which could support his value on the free-agent market this offseason.

Grant caught all three of his targets for 59 yards and added a two-yard carry during Sunday's 24-20 loss to New England.

Grant caught as many passes, and for more yardage, on Sunday as he did in the entire regular season. More special-teams ace than useful back for much of the season, Grant was active in place of Chris Ivory on Sunday and ripped off catches-and-runs of 24 and 20 yards to set up Jacksonville's first touchdown of the game. Jacksonville is loaded at tailback with Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon, but with Jacksonville's potential ability to get out from Ivory's contract in the offseason, Grant might get more action in 2018.

Gillislee (knee) is inactive for Sunday's AFC championship game against the Jaguars.

Sidelined for a third consecutive game due to a sprained knee, Gillislee will yield the backfield to Dion Lewis, James White and Rex Burkhead (knee), any of whom are viable candidates to strike against a Jacksonville defense that allowed 136.2 scrimmage yards per game to running backs during the regular season.

Gillislee (knee) isn't expected to play in Sunday's AFC championship game against the Jaguars, ESPN.com reports.

Per the report, Gillislee's knee has "not sufficiently recovered" at this stage. On the plus side for the Patriots, fellow running back Rex Burkhead (knee) is slated to be available Sunday and is on track to work in a rotation with lead back Dion Lewis and change-of-pace option James White.

Gillislee (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's AFC championship game after practicing in a limited fashion this week.

Gillislee -- who is bouncing back from a sprained knee ligament -- may have progressed enough to be available Sunday, though he isn't a lock to play in such a scenario, with Dion Lewis and James White ahead of him on the depth chart and Rex Burkhead (knee) a candidate to return to the Patriots' backfield mix this weekend.

Gillislee (knee) was limited at Wednesday's practice.

Per ESPN's Mike Reiss, Gillislee, who last suited up on Dec. 24, is bouncing back from a sprained ligament in his knee. Gillislee isn't a lock to play in Sunday's AFC championship game against the Jaguars even if he is healthy enough to do so, with Dion Lewis, James White and Rex Burkhead (knee) -- health permitting -- also in the team's backfield mix.

Head coach Jay Gruden said Kelley (ankle/knee) was rarely healthy during the 2017 season, Stephen Czarda of the Redskins' official site reports. "Rob Kelley, his second game of the year against the Rams, he almost had 100 yards and that's when he hurt his ankle," Gruden relayed. "He never really was quite the same, but when healthy Rob Kelley was very good. Unfortunately, he played in about three or four games not healthy and he just kept returning that ankle and we had to put him on IR."

Gruden's comments don't jibe with reality, at least regarding Kelley's first issue of the campaign. In Week 2, Kelley's departure was blamed on a rib cartilage injury, which forced one DNP before a return Week 4. During the latter contest, he sustained the initial ankle sprain and continued to aggravate it until his placement on injured reserve midseason. When the Redskins ruled Kelley out for the season, two injuries were to blame: a high-ankle sprain and a Grade 1 or 2 MCL sprain. Kelley was one of many dominoes to fall in the backfield during the year, as all of Chris Thompson (fibula), Byron Marshall (hamstring), LeShun Daniels (hand) and Keith Marshall (knee) landed on IR. With Thompson, Samaje Perine, Kelley and Kapri Bibbs under contract for the 2018 season, it'll be interesting to see how the pecking order breaks down during the offseason program.

Murray rushed 19 times for 50 yards and one touchdown while catching both of his targets for 17 yards during Sunday's 29-24 NFC divisional-round victory over the Saints.

Murray surprisingly wasn't able to get much going against a Saints run defense that allowed the fifth-most yards per carry during the regular season. Teammate and fellow tailback Jerick McKinnon, who carried eight times for 34 yards and a score, was much more effective with his touches. Tougher sledding is sure to come in next week's NFC championship game against an Eagles team that's allowed just 3.8 yards this season, but it can't be ignored that Murray has averaged over four red-zone carries (with eight rushing touchdowns) per game in his past nine outings.

Kamara rushed 11 times for 43 yards while catching four of seven targets for 62 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 29-24 NFC divisional-round loss to the Vikings.

Both Kamara -- who averaged 6.1 yards per carry during the regular season -- and backfield counterpart Mark Ingram were stifled by the Vikings' stout run defense. However, as we experienced on multiple occasions throughout his rookie campaign, Kamara salvaged his fantasy line with a strong showing in the passing game, where his 14-yard touchdown grab gave New Orleans its first lead of the game with just three minutes left in regulation. The Tennessee product and Rookie of the Year candidate will now enter his first full NFL offseason training program with his team out of postseason contention and, especially since the Saints are returning all key offensive cogs in 2018, should indisputably be in the first-round conversation in advance of 2018 fantasy drafts after averaging the most yards per touch in NFL history as a rookie.