NFL Player News

Williams was claimed off waivers Monday by the Broncos, Mike Klis of 9 News Denver reports.

Williams was let go by the Bengals a day earlier, but it didn't take long for him to find a new home. The undrafted rookie faces some stiff competition in Denver with veterans Jamaal Charles and Stevan Ridley still battling for roster spots behind the projected top two options on the depth chart, C.J. Anderson and Devontae Booker (wrist).

Williams has racked up seven carries for 25 yards and a touchdown through the Cardinals' first three preseason contests.

The Cardinals more or less know what they have in David Johnson, Chris Johnson and Williams, so coach Bruce Arians turned over the backfield to Andre Ellington (26 offensive snaps) and Elijhaa Penny (24) during Saturday's exhibition against the Bears. Williams was thus afforded just four snaps on special teams, where he's fighting for both return jobs. So far, he's notched one 35-yard kick return and fielded two punts for a combined 13 yards. Due to a career mark of 17.1 yards per kick return and no punt returns on the ledger, he appears to be a better bet to land the former gig.

Pierce (hamstring) was waived Monday by the Broncos, Mike Klis of 9 News Denver reports.

Pierce was sidelined with the hamstring injury about a month ago and never was able to make it back to the field. The team expected him to miss a few days once he suffered the injury, but Pierce's recovery evidently didn't progress as quickly as the club had hoped. Pierce, a six-year veteran, could find a new home given his prior experience, but not until he proves he's healthy.

Sims carried just twice for six yards and wasn't targeted in the passing game for the second straight week in Thursday's 12-8 preseason win over the Jaguars.

Although Sims' 13 snaps on offense were just three less than Doug Martin and one more than Peyton Barber, the aforementioned pair saw three and seven more carries, respectively. Despite Sims' quiet preseason thus far, there seems to be little-to-no doubt about his standing with the club, given his proficiency as a pass-receiving threat out of the backfield. Due to his role as more of a situational piece, Sims' usage isn't expected to change -- save for maybe seeing a few extra carries -- while Doug Martin finishes serving out his suspension over the first three weeks of the regular season.

Oliver carried the ball seven times for 10 yards in Sunday's preseason loss to the Saints.

Oliver was the first running back to enter the contest fort he Chargers after starter Melvin Gordon was removed, taking carries for the majority of the second quarter. It echoes the line the Chargers' coaching staff has been saying since the opening days of training camp: the No. 2 job is Oliver's to lose. It probably helps that Oliver's main competition, Kenneth Farrow (ankle) and Kenjon Barner (concussion), have been hurt, while Andre Williams has been wholly uninspiring. Oliver could be a useful fantasy asset as a handcuff to Gordon, but he's not expected to bring much fantasy value unless the former first-round pick succumbs to an injury.

Gordon carried the ball five times for eight yards in Sunday's preseason loss to the Saints.

It was a dismal performance for the Chargers offense as a whole, as the team failed to score an offensive touchdown the entire game. Gordon played the first three drives of the contest, at one point juking out a defender to the ground on a carry to the outside that netted 11 yards. But with many of the starters along the offensive line resting due to minor injuries, Gordon and the rest of the Chargers' running backs couldn't find much separation up front, leading to just 66 rushing yards total and a dreadful 2.3 yards-per-carry average. The Chargers' upcoming preseason contest against the Rams will be the true measuring stick for Gordon and the rest of the first-team offense, as the team is expected to play the majority of their starters as they look to establish a rhythm heading into the regular season.

Patterson caught one of two targets for seven yards while playing 13 snaps during Saturday's preseason loss to the Rams.

Patterson also appeared for a pair of snaps on special teams during the Raiders' second preseason tilt, though he never had the chance to return a kick or punt. He'll continue to compete with slot receiver Seth Roberts for targets in the Raiders' aerial attack behind Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and tight end Jared Cook, but it's worth noting that Roberts was sidelined Saturday with an undisclosed reason. At this point, it appears Patterson would be the primary candidate to start on the outside if either Cooper or Crabtree were to go down with an injury.

Artis-Payne rushed five times for 70 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's preseason game against the Titans.

Artis-Payne's total included a team-long run of 43 yards. Overall, that production should help Artis-Payne's case to earn a roster spot, although Fozzy Whittaker remains a formidable competitor for the third-string gig behind Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffrey.

Drake remains under the NFL's concussion protocol, but he was allowed to practice Monday, Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Drake has been under evaluation since taking a head-to-head hit in an Aug. 14 practice. Although he's yet to receive full clearance, the tailback's participation in drills Monday suggests it may not be long before he takes part in game action. It remains to be seen whether he'll be given the green light to suit up in Thursday's preseason game against the Eagles, however.

Murray (ankle) returned to practice Sunday and stood out in red-zone drills, Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "He saw the cut that he had to make and he lowered his pads and accelerated into the tackler, which I thought was good," head coach Mike Zimmer said.

Murray hasn't played in a preseason game as he works his way back from offseason ankle surgery. While Dalvin Cook has likely won the starting running back job with an impressive preseason, Murray could still have a goal-line and third-down role.