NFL Player News

Martin (hamstring) was listed as a non-participant at Tuesday's practice.

Absent from back-to-back practices to start the short week, Martin appears destined for a sixth consecutive absence. Jacquizz Rodgers (foot) has also been unable to practice, likely leaving the Bucs with a three-man backfield committee consisting of Peyton Barber, Antone Smith and Mike James.

Rodgers (foot) was listed as a non-participant at Tuesday's practice.

This merely confirms an earlier report that Rodgers missed Tuesday's practice. According to ESPN's Jenna Laine, head coach Dirk Koetter alluded to using a committee approach at running back during his Tuesday press conference -- providing a strong hint that neither Rodgers nor Doug Martin (hamstring) is expected to play in Thursday's game against the Falcons. Dealing with a sprained foot on a short week, Rodgers probably needs to practice Wednesday if he's going to have any shot at suiting up. Martin seems like even more of a long shot.

McFadden (elbow) is not eligible to be traded, ESPN's Todd Archer reports.

The Cowboys needed to remove McFadden from the non-football injury list Monday in order to trade him before Tuesday's deadline. The veteran running back said two weeks ago he was healthy enough to play, but even if that's indeed the case, it's not clear there's any role for him on the Dallas roster. McFadden might eventually be ruled out for the season or even released with (or possibly without) an injury settlement.

Rodgers (foot) was not present for the portion of Tuesday's practice open to the media, ESPN's Jenna Laine reports.

Rodgers' official practice status will be available when the Tuesday injury report is released, but it'll be a surprise if he's listed as anything other than a non-participant. He was spotted in a walking boot after suffering a sprained foot during Sunday's loss to Oakland, and the Bucs have already signed Mike James to join Peyton Barber and Antone Smith in the backfield. It appears increasingly likely the team will be without both Rodgers and Doug Martin (hamstring) for Thursday's game against Atlanta.

Patterson had three receptions for 36 yards on three targets in Monday's loss to Chicago.

After a big game in Week 7 with seven targets and a touchdown, Patterson looked more like the third receiver in Monday's game as he had the third most snaps at wide receiver on the team (Stefon Diggs had 55, Adam Thielen had 54 snaps and Patterson had 41). It looks like Patterson's steady usage in the offense will continue, but his production may be limited by Minnesota's offensive line woes.

Hillman had four carries for 15 yards and two receptions for nine yards on five targets in Monday's loss to Chicago.

With Jerick McKinnon missing the game with an ankle injury, Hillman served as the backup to Matt Asiata. Hillman played 18 snaps on offense to Asiata's 43 snaps. Hillman will likely fall back to the third running back when McKinnon returns, but there's still opportunity for his role to grow given that neither McKinnon nor Asiata has been a star with Adrian Peterson out.

Offensive coordinator Curtis Modkins said Harris has earned more opportunities, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee reports.

With Carlos Hyde (shoulder) unavailable for Week 7 against Tampa Bay, the 49ers deployed a three-man committee featuring Harris, Mike Davis and Shaun Draughn. Harris led the way with 39 rushing yards on 11 carries, but the other two backs both scored touchdowns, with Draughn also serving as the team leader in every key receiving category. Harris seems to be making a good impression, but it won't really matter unless Hyde misses more time. The 49ers didn't provide any update on their lead back's status Tuesday. If Hyde is healthy, Harris will merely split backup work with Draughn and/or Davis.

Asiata rushed 14 times for 42 yards and caught two passes (on five targets) for 36 receiving yards in Monday night's loss to the Bears.

Asiata started at running back in light of Jerrick McKinnon's (ankle) absence, but he couldn't get much going behind poor offensive line play. While his 78 all-purpose yards included a 31-yard catch for Minnesota's game-long gain, the Vikings couldn't move the ball enough to get Asiata in position for any of his favored goal-line plunges. Although returning home to face the Lions on Sunday should boost the Vikings' offense, Asiata's fantasy owners would be wise to check McKinnon's status before shaping expectations of either tailback.

Head coach Doug Pederson suggested he will consider removing Mathews from his role as the primary running back, CSN Philadelphia's Reuben Frank reports.

The switch may have already happened without an announcement, as Mathews only got five touches to Darren Sproles' 20 in Sunday's loss to Dallas even though the Eagles held a lead for most of the night. While Pederson's comments this upcoming week will be closely monitored, Sproles is a safer option than Mathews regardless of whether anything is officially announced. Mathews is shaping up as a low-upside, touchdown-dependent option for Week 9 against a solid Giants defense.

Martin (hamstring) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice report estimate.

While the recent injury suffered by Jacquizz Rodgers (foot) may increase the pressure on Martin to return, there's still been nothing to suggest that the Bucs' top running back is actually ready to do so. With Martin and Rodgers both looking no better than questionable, Peyton Barber and Antone Smith may have to lead the way in Thursday's game against Atlanta. Martin has already missed five consecutive games.