NFL Player News

Rainey was released by the Ravens on Friday, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Rainey signed with the Ravens in late July for some added depth in the backfield after the team lost Kenneth Dixon to meniscus surgery. He was essentially competing for the No. 3 spot on the running back depth chart behind Terrance West and Danny Woodhead, but it's likely that spot will go to Javorius Allen. Rainey likely still has value for some NFL teams, as he boasts a fairly reliable track record of both health and production.

Ekeler finished Thursday's preseason loss to the 49ers with 50 rushing yards on eight carries and an additional 58 yards on three receptions.

It was a banner day for Ekeler, who's quietly pushed himself into contention for a spot on the final 53-man roster after a handful of solid preseason showings. While the undrafted rookie still might be on the outside looking in when the roster cuts are all said and done, Ekeler has certainly proven capable enough as a runner and special-teams player to provide some depth to a running back-needy team. In other words, it's not an automatic guarantee that Ekeler will wind up on the Chargers' practice squad should the team release him.

Watson strengthened his case for a roster spot in Thursday's preseason finale against Carolina, gaining 80 yards on 15 first-half carries, ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler reports.

One of the larger running backs in the league, Watson was the third-leading rushing this preseason, taking 37 carries for 173 yards (4.7 average) and a touchdown despite having a long gain of only 15 yards. His consistency running between the tackles puts him in direct competition with 235-pound rookie James Conner, who is a lock to make the team but won't necessarily have a Week 1 role. Fitzgerald Toussaint (leg) offers a very different skill set as a pass-catching threat, but it's unclear whether he'll be healthy for the start of the season. The Steelers don't seem to have a clear plan for what they would do in the event of a Le'Veon Bell injury.

Barner carried the ball eight times for 28 yards in Thursday's preseason loss to the 49ers. He almost fumbled twice.

While Thursday marked the most work the 28-year-old has seen all preseason, it wasn't exactly a banner performance as Barner looks to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. With Melvin Gordon and Branden Oliver seemingly locking up their spots on the RB depth chart, and undrafted rookie Austin Ekeler continuing to make a name for himself (103 total yards Thursday), Barner's hope of making the active roster may fall on his abilities as a returner. The Chargers, like every other NFL team, will make a wide sweep of cuts by Saturday, meaning we'll find out soon whether the former Oregon star will stick around for the regular season.

Drake had eight carries for 27 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's preseason finale against the Vikings.

More telling than the stat line is the fact that Drake got significant run while Damian Williams was held out. The usage suggests Williams will enter the season as Jay Ajayi's top backup, though the Dolphins likely would turn to a committee in the event of an injury to their bell cow. Ajayi operated as a three-down workhorse in the team's third preseason game.

Harris was released by the Jaguars on Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Harris was cut by the 49ers in May and signed with the Jaguars on Aug. 20. He had 142 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in Week 9 for San Francisco last season, but he's otherwise spent most of his career buried on various depth charts around the league.

Williams injured his ankle during Thursday's preseason finale against the Chargers, Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Prior to his early exit, Williams gained 53 yards on 10 carries but also lost a fumble. He struggled with ball security in college and again during training camp, perhaps thwarting his own bid for a significant role in the San Francisco backfield. With Tim Hightower also failing to impress this preseason, undrafted rookie Matt Breida has a shot to open the season as Carlos Hyde's top backup.

Redding had 21 carries for 59 yards and two catches for 10 yards (on two targets) in Thursday's preseason finale against the Titans.

The undrafted rookie out of Indiana didn't appear to have much chance of staying on the roster until Spencer Ware (knee) suffered a season-ending injury. The Chiefs are left with only four tailbacks on the roster, giving Redding a decent shot to at least grab a spot on the practice squad, even though he averaged only 2.6 yards per carry this preseason. Kansas City will probably take a look at the running backs released by other teams this weekend.

Hightower had eight carries for 21 yards and a touchdown and two catches for four yards on two targets in Thursday's preseason finale against the Chargers.

Hightower may be competing for one roster spot against Raheem Mostert, who was held out of Thursday's game after piling up 130 yards and two touchdowns on six touches the previous week. Hightower didn't make much of a case this preseason, gaining 20 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown and a lost fumble. Even if he were to stick with the team, he'd likely be no higher than third on the backfield depth chart. Rookies Matt Breida and Joe Williams figure to serve as Carlos Hyde's backups.

Pumphrey left Thursday's preseason finale against the Jets midway through the fourth quarter with a head injury, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com reports.

Pumphrey managed just 10 yards on seven carries and three yards on one catch, wrapping up a disappointing preseason in which he failed to display explosiveness. His status as a fourth-round rookie will probably be enough to keep him on the roster, but he doesn't figure to start the season with any real role on offense. The Eagles might even consider releasing him in favor of undrafted rookie Corey Clement.