NFL Player News

Mixon is questionable to return to Thursday's game with a right knee injury.

Mixon exited the game in the first half due to a knee issue but promptly returned. If he is unable to get back on the field this time around, Giovani Bernard figures to feature as the Bengals' three-down back for the remainder of Thursday's contest.

Mixon went to the locker room in the first quarter of Thursday night's game to get his right knee checked out, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Mixon sat out the third series for the Bengals in favor of Giovani Bernard, but returned on the subsequent series.

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said Thursday that he expects Armah to earn reps at tight end in the team's Week 2 game against the Falcons, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

The Panthers officially list Armah as a fullback, but with Greg Olsen (foot) expected to be sidelined for at least a few weeks, the team requires additional depth at tight end. Though he scored on a goal-line carry in Carolina's season-opening win over the Cowboys, the 6-foot-2, 255-pound Armah is mainly valued for his blocking, and that's likely what he'll be tasked with nearly any time he lines up at tight end. Neither Armah nor Chris Manhertz is expected to draw many targets whenever on the field, with rookie fourth-round pick Ian Thomas instead representing the most likely candidate of the position group to see increased involvement as a pass catcher while Olsen is out.

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said that his goal is to get McCaffrey between 15 and 20 carries and around six to 10 receptions Sunday against the Falcons, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.

Rivera indicated earlier in the summer that McCaffrey would receive around 25 to 30 touches per game this season in ideal scenarios, and the coach's comments Thursday suggest he hasn't scaled back those expectations for the second-year running back. It appeared that McCaffrey had a strong setup for a hefty workload in the season-opening 16-8 win over the Cowboys -- a game in which the Panthers never trailed and led by two possessions for most of the second half -- but McCaffrey only earned 16 touches (10 carries, six receptions) and finished with 95 total yards. The Week 2 road matchup should present a stiffer challenge for the Panthers, who likely won't be able to control the tempo of the game to the extent they did in the opener. As a result, it's tough to envision McCaffrey getting the sort of volume in the run game that Rivera is shooting for.

Mack (hamstring) was listed as a limited practice participant Thursday.

That marks four straight limited sessions for Mack, but he's still not a lock to play Sunday against Washington. That said, his outlook on that front would brighten if he is able to log a full practice Friday. In Mack's Week 1 absence, Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines effectively split the Colts' backfield duties, with Wilkins leading the way on the ground with 14 carries for 40 yards, while Hines made a mark in PPR formats by catching seven passes for 33 yards.

Anderson (illness) practiced fully Thursday, Max Henson of the Panthers' official site reports.

Anderson has put the illness that forced a DNP on Wednesday behind him. As the top backup to Christian McCaffrey, Anderson handled 12 offensive snaps Week 1 against the Cowboys, compiling seven carries for 35 yards. If the breakdown of red-zone runs is any indication -- Anderson matched McCaffrey with two rushes, or one less than Cam Newton -- a clear-cut goal-line option has yet to emerge in Carolina.

Mack (hamstring) practiced again Thursday, Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan Indianapolis reports.

It remains to be seen, however, if Mack will once again be officially listed by the Colts as a limited participant, as he was Wednesday. While the running back is trending in the right direction, he's still not a lock to play Sunday against Washington.

Anderson (illness) returned to practice Thursday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

An illness kept Anderson off the practice field Wednesday, but he's back at work and thus in line to suit up Sunday against the Falcons. The former Bronco logged 12 snaps (while rushing seven times for 35 yards) in the Panthers' Week 1 win over the Cowboys, while working as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey (57 snaps). Anderson's fantasy value is modest so long as McCaffrey remains healthy, but if that context changes, he's one of the league's more capable backup/complementary running back options.

Thomas (ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.

Thomas sat out the Viking's season opener against the 49ers due to an ankle injury but appears to have fully recovered. Behind Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray, Thomas seems in line to receive minimal snaps against Green Bay on Sunday.

Mack (hamstring) was listed as a limited practice participant Wednesday.

Per Andrew Walker of the Colts' official site, Mack, who was held out of the Week 1 loss to the Bengals, was only inactive as a precaution. With three straight limited practices in a row under his belt, Mack is trending in the right direction for Sunday's game against Washington, but for now, coach Frank Reich calls the running back day-to-day. Mack's chances of suiting up in Week 2 would no doubt be boosted if he practices fully Thursday and/or Friday.