NFL Player News

Mixon (knee) underwent successful arthroscopic surgery Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for 2-4 weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The extra time between games will benefit Mixon's recovery timeframe, but he is still likely to miss at least one game. The second-year running back was clearly playing through pain in the second half of Thursday's 34-23 victory over the Ravens, so he and the Bengals opted for the surgery route in order to get ahead of the curve and avoid a lingering issue. Giovani Bernard figures to be primed for a large workload in the immediate future while MIxon is sidelined.

Walton could have a role in the Bengals offense during Joe Mixon's (knee) absence, Herbie Teope of NFL.com reports.

Mixon is slated for a two-week absence due to his incoming arthroscopic knee surgery, opening the door for Giovani Bernard to lead the Cincinnati backfield for a spell. The aforementioned duo each earned 39 (of 76) offensive snaps Thursday against the Ravens, so opportunity awaits Walton, who was inactive in the same contest. A 2018 fourth-round pick, Walton racked up a pitiful 21 yards on 22 carries during the preseason, which should prompt a wait-and-see approach with the rookie.

Mixon (knee) is scheduled for a minor surgical procedure this weekend, with an estimated recovery timeline of two weeks, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports.

Mixon was clearly playing through pain in the second half of Thursday's 34-23 win over the Ravens, though the injury wasn't enough to prevent him from taking 21 carries. He reportedly had a small particle in his knee dislodged at some point during the contest and will now have a minor procedure to clean things up. Giovani Bernard is primed for a large workload Week 3 in Carolina and quite possibly again Week 4 in Atlanta.

Clement is likely to take on a larger role with Darren Sproles (hamstring) ruled out for Sunday's game in Tampa Bay, Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Clement doesn't have the physical profile of a typical passing-down back, but he proved more than capable of handling the role late last season, memorably putting up a 4-100-1 receiving line in the Super Bowl. He should see a sizable uptick from his 18 percent snap share Week 1, potentially taking on the majority of Sproles' 40 percent share. While Jay Ajayi is still the better bet to pile up carries and reach the end zone, Clement should at least be more involved than he was last week. Wendell Smallwood could also get a few more snaps as the No. 3 RB for Sunday's game.

The Bengals fear that Mixon will need an arthroscopic procedure to address his knee issue, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports.

Mixon will get a second opinion, but it looks as though he could miss some time. In such a scenario, Giovani Bernard would see an expanded workload in the Bengals' backfield.

Mack (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Washington.

Belying the designation was Mack taking in a full practice Friday, his first of the campaign. As such, there's a good chance he'll make his season debut Week 2. Coach Frank Reich told Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan Indianapolis that he feels "confident for the game that if Marlon is up, ready to go, we will use him accordingly." Even if Mack suits up, though, the Colts likely will split RB touches between him, Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines.

McKinnon had surgery Tuesday to repair an ACL tear that's believed to be "pretty clean," Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The report doesn't provide any specifics but might be taken as a hint that McKinnon avoided major damage to the other ligaments in his knee. If so, the timing of the injury should allow him to return for Week 1 of next season, though he still has a grueling rehab process ahead. Meanwhile, Alfred Morris and Matt Breida are forming a timeshare in the San Francisco backfield.

When asked about his injured knee Friday by Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com, Mixon said, "It felt weird. My knee was hurting. Other than that, it's just the mental side of it. You always want to play at 100 percent, but when something is bothering you it's hard mentally. I just had to check back in mentally and physically tough it out."

Mixon left Thursday's game twice to have his right knee evaluated, but he was able to return to the game and battle the pain while receiving seven carries over the Bengals' final two drives. It remains to be seen if his injury will land him on the injury report in advance of the Bengals' Week 3 matchup with the Panthers, but he will have the benefit of extra recovery time thanks to the Bengals playing early in Week 2. If for any reason Mixon is limited or held out against Carolina, Giovani Bernard would be in line to play an expanded role.

Mixon rushed 21 times for 84 yards and secured his only target for three yards in the Bengals' 34-23 win over the Ravens on Thursday.

Mixon managed to put together a second solid effort in as many games despite missing time during the contest with a knee injury. After logging a modest 17 rushing touches in the opener against the Colts, it was encouraging to see the promising second-year back cross the 20-threshold in carries despite the time he spent on the sideline, even as he was minimally involved in the passing game. Mixon will look to extend the impressive start to his season against the Panthers in Week 3.

Mixon (knee) returned to Thursday's game after being sidelined with a right knee injury earlier in the game, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.

Mixon ripped off a 21-yard run shortly after returning to the field, suggesting that his injury is not a serious one. The second-year running back and Giovani Bernard may split work more than they normally would for the remainder of Thursday's contest depending on how Mixon's knee is feeling.