NFL Player News

Jones is listed as the Packers' third-string running back heading into Week 1.

Jones was fairly locked into the No. 3 spot on the depth chart from the outset of training camp, and that's where he will be listed as the regular season gets underway. He does not figure to see much work out of the gate, but he did open some eyes by averaging 6.2 YPC and tallying two receiving touchdowns over the final three exhibition games.

Williams is listed as the Packers' No. 2 running back heading into Week 1.

Williams was not particularly impressive this preseason, averaging just 2.4 YPC, so it's unlikely he will be much of a threat to starting running back Ty Montgomery's workload early on. Williams does, however, figure to play at least some sort of role out of the gate, and is next in line for carries if for any reason Montgomery is unable to take them.

Fowler (thigh) wasn't listed on Wednesday's injury report and is expected to play Sunday against Oakland.

Fowler is set to be the Titans' starting fullback, but if the last two seasons are any projection of what's ahead, he'll see few chances to be fantasy relevant. The 2015 fourth-round pick has had eight career rushing attempts for 16 yards and one touchdown, combined with six career receptions for 58 yards and one touchdown.

Dayes (neck) was absent from the Browns' injury report Wednesday, Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com reports.

Dayes secured a spot as the No. 3 running back on the roster during final cuts Saturday. He injured his neck in the team's final preseason contest, but judging by his absence from the injury report, the 2017 seventh-round pick should be healthy heading into Week 1. He projects to provide depth at running back behind Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson, as well as play a special teams role.

Rawls (ankle) was a full participant at Wednesday's practice, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

The full participation is a bit of a surprise after coach Pete Carroll said earlier Wednesday that Rawls is questionable for Week 1 due to a high-ankle injury. The messages may seem conflicting, but it's best to trust the injury report over anything that comes from a coach's mouth. Rawls still needs to log full practices Thursday and Friday to instill confidence regarding his availability for Sunday in Green Bay. An absence would leave Eddie Lacy as the clear lead runner, with rookie seventh-round pick Chris Carson also likely to get involved. Rawls is listed atop the Week 1 depth chart, but there were major workload concerns even before the ankle seemed like a real issue.

Watson is listed third on the depth chart ahead of Week 1 in Cleveland.

When asked about the team's running back situation, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he's comfortable with James Conner getting some work behind Le'Veon Bell but didn't bother mentioning Watson, Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. That doesn't exactly come as a surprise considering Conner is a 2017 third-round pick, whereas Watson went undrafted in 2015 and only has one regular-season appearance on his ledger. There is a real chance Watson would get involved if Bell were to suffer an injury. The 2015 UDFA rumbled for 173 yards on 37 carries in the preseason to surprisingly beat out Fitzgerald Toussaint for a roster spot.

Cook is listed as the Vikings' starting running back ahead of their Week 1 matchup with the Saints.

While some teams refuse to put rookies atop the depth chart early on, the Vikings won't bother with pretending Cook is anything but the lead back. That doesn't mean Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon won't have roles in the offense, but there's little question Cook will lead the team in carries if he stays healthy throughout Monday's game.

Foreman (groin) practiced fully Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

With fellow running back Alfred Blue dealing with a high-ankle sprain, Foreman is firmly in the mix to back up veteran starter Lamar Miller in Week 1. At 6-foot-1, 233 pounds, and with good speed for his size, Foreman carries a degree of long-term upside, but his fantasy value at this point is mostly speculative so long as Miller continues to handle the majority of the Texans' carries.

Mixon is listed third on the Bengals' depth chart at running back entering Week 1 against the Ravens, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

This was to be expected with the Bengals bringing back veterans Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard this season. It doesn't mean Mixon won't also have a big role, and it's quite possible he quickly becomes the lead runner if he outplays Hill early in the season. Bernard actually seems to have the most secure role due to his prowess as a pass catcher, though Mixon was dangerous as a receiving threat during his college career at Oklahoma and could eventually also challenge Bernard. The Cincinnati backfield will need to be monitored carefully this season, starting with difficult matchups against the Ravens and Texans (Week 2).

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he's comfortable using Conner as a complement to Le'Veon Bell in Sunday's opener against the Browns, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went a step farther, saying he anticipates Conner getting "quite a few carries" because the team isn't quite sure what kind of football shape Bell will be in. Pittsburgh's star back is still a good bet to rank among the Week 1 leaders in touches, but he may not quite be ready to handle the kind of massive play count that became his norm last season, when he logged 94 percent or more of the offensive snaps in 10 of 12 appearances. Conner is still best viewed as a top-notch handcuff and little more.