NFL Player News

Gaskins has signed a two-year contract with the 49ers.

Gaskins was on the 49ers' practice squad in 2014 and at the beginning of 2015 before being pulled up to San Francisco's active roster around midseason. Playing in the final nine games last year, he recorded 38 yards on 16 rushes and 69 yards on eight receptions, but his major contribution was on special teams, where he played 35 percent of the team's snaps. Now that he's been signed once again, the third-year running back will be looking to make the roster, but it seems unlikely that he becomes relevant in any fantasy format unless injuries force him into a larger role on offense.

Taliaferro mostly worked behind Terrance West throughout the Ravens' offseason program, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reports.

A 2014 fourth-round selection, Taliaferro has often served as Baltimore's goal-line/short-yardage back when healthy, but a foot injury limited him to just three games last season. He now finds himself on the roster bubble, with Justin Forsett, Javorius Allen and Kenneth Dixon all locks to make the team. Taliaferro's chances got a slight bump when it was announced that Trent Richardson (knee) needs arthroscopic surgery, but it appears West might be the real winner from that development. In any case, the two are likely just competing for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart, which means the battle could be determined on special teams.

West worked ahead of Lorenzo Taliaferro during the offseason program, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reports.

West, Taliaferro and Trent Richardson (knee) were expected to compete for (possibly) one roster spot, but it appears the latter may have fallen out of the competition after having arthroscopic surgery. It's actually a bit surprising that West worked ahead of 2014 fourth-rounder Taliaferro, who often served as the Ravens' short-yardage/goal-line back when healthy his first two seasons. Granted, foot/ankle injuries have limited Taliaferro to just 16 appearances, and West is reportedly in the best shape of his career. This isn't a high priority battle, as fellow running backs Justin Forsett, Javorius Allen and rookie Kenneth Dixon are all considered locks for the final roster. The competition between West and Taliaferro might ultimately be decided on special teams.

Richardson (knee) will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and is expected to miss several weeks, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports.

The former third overall pick of the 2012 is hoping to resurrect his disappointing career in Baltimore but now may not be ready for the start training camp, which could hurt his chances of making the final 53-man roster. The 25-year-old is competing with Terrance West and Lorenzo Taliaferro for a spot in the Ravens' backfield.

Drake departed Wednesday's minicamp session early due to concerns over a right leg ailment, Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Drake was reportedly participating in a punt blocking drill when he suddenly clutched the back of his right leg and immediately stumbled his way to the sidelines. Miami's third-round selection out of Alabama, Drake is believed to have encountered an issue with his hamstring. If he isn't cleared to practice in Miami's third and final day of minicamp on Thursday, the running back will have five weeks of rest before the commencement of training camp to get healthy. Assuming no setbacks, Drake could emerge as the favorite to back up presumed started Jay Ajayi come Week 1.

With Darren McFadden out due to elbow surgery, Elliott will take all the first-team reps during this week's minicamp, The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports. "I would hate to overstate anything at this point," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "But [Elliott] is a full-package running back. There is really not a time I would feel uncomfortable with him being the game right now, which is unusual for a rookie. Over my years, I have had some really good running backs. But there were certain areas of the game where you would say if we do this that is not his cup of tea. But I think Zeke is well rounded. I don't think there is ever a down or distance or situation where he can't carry the load. Obviously, we have other guys who are going to do it, but we will lean heavily on this young kid."

Whatever drama there might have been in the "battle" for the Cowboys' starting RB job was all but eliminated by McFadden's injury. The veteran could get back on the field some time during training camp, but by then Elliott could well have the starting job sewn up. Expect the fourth overall pick to see significant snaps in all situations starting in Week 1.

Gordon (knee) participated in team drills during minicamp, but isn't expected back at full strength until training camp, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Recovering from January knee surgery, Gordon was observed taking handoffs and catching passes during San Diego's first day of minicamp. The increased level of activity suggests the running back's recovery is progressing well, and barring any setbacks, he should be ready to go for training camp.

McFadden underwent surgery on a fractured elbow Tuesday, Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News reports.

McFadden participated in OTAs while dealing with elbow pain all last week, but an X-ray revealed that the issue is actually a fracture, which means he won't participate in this week's minicamp. Given that the injury required surgery, it's quite possible McFadden's absence will extend into training camp, though he is expected to return at some point before camp ends, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport. This could help Ezekiel Elliott's bid to secure the lead role, and it might also assist Alfred Morris' effort to land a key backup job. McFadden has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate, but his likely absence for part of training camp could make it tougher to find a partner if the Cowboys are indeed interested in trading him.

Ellington is expected to have a role within the Cardinals' crowded backfield in 2016, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports. "We'll definitely get him in there," head coach Bruce Arians said. "How many touches he gets is going to depend on how all three of them are playing."

Ellington followed up a game-breaking rookie season in 2013 with a dud as the Cardinals' lead RB in the next campaign. Injuries certainly played a role, but the Cardinals were proactive with the offseason additions of David Johnson in the 2015 NFL Draft and Chris Johnson in the middle of training camp. Despite these moves, Ellington entered the year as the No. 1 back, only to sustain a PCL injury in Week 1 that thrust the Johnsons into larger roles. Chris Johnson was highly effective as the starter for the ensuing 10 contests, but maladies to both the elder Johnson and Ellington in Week 12 paved the way for David Johnson's late-season explosion. Due to the performance, David has been deemed worthy of "bell cow" status by Arians heading into training camp, while the re-signing of Chris provides insurance for the corps. As a result, Darren Urban of the team's official site has speculated that Ellington will serve "more as a receiver than straight runner," which is likely the best use of his skill set due to the injury-prone label levied upon him since his time at Clemson.

Martin was active in the passing game during Thursday's OTA session, Joe Kania of the team's official site reports.

The 27-year-old, who's recorded a combined 82 receptions over the two seasons in his career where he's played all 16 games, was targeted often in the passing game during Thursday's open session. The development was notable considering that Martin played a distant second receiving option last season out of the backfield to teammate Charles Sims, who hauled in 70 receptions for 561 yards and four touchdowns. Despite the increased usage through the air, Martin's primary usage in the coming season will once again be on the ground, where he amassed 1,402 yards last season. Still, the added dimension of an increased passing game role for Martin would certainly give second-year quarterback Jameis Winston another valuable weapon to work with in 2016.