NFL Player News

Abdullah (shoulder) is not listed on Wednesday's injury report, Dirk Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

This comes as no surprise, given that Abdullah returned for the third week of the preseason and has been a full practice participant since Aug. 20. With offseason shoulder surgery in his rear-view mirror, the 2015 second-round selection is expected to operate as Detroit's lead back, though he'll likely give way to Theo Riddick in most passing situations. Abdullah could also cede some work -- potentially including goal-line carries -- to 220-pound power back Zach Zenner.

Williams (ribs) was a full participant at Wednesday's practice.

While apparently able to log a full practice, Williams was still listed on the injury report, suggesting he isn't quite 100 percent healthy. He'll probably be available for Sunday's game in Baltimore, but with Mike Gillislee and Reggie Bush both healthy, the rookie could find his name on the inactive list.

Pead (hamstring) was officially a limited practice participant Wednesday.

Previous reports suggested that Pead would be out this week, but his limited practice participation Wednesday suggests that such an outcome won't be locked in -- either way -- before Friday. In any case, Arian Foster and Jay Ajayi are clearly ahead of Pead in the Miami RB pecking order, so Pead's Week 1 availability has limited fantasy implications.

Draughn (ribs) was seen at Wednesday's practice without the blue non-contact jersey he had been wearing while recovering from his rib injury, The Sacramento Bee reports.

While this doesn't make him a definite go for Monday's season opener against the Rams, it definitely bodes well for his availability. 49ers' starter Carlos Hyde (concussion) was seen wearing a blue non-contact jersey at practice, making Draughn an important handcuff for the prime-time game.

Murray will cede some snaps to rookie DeAndre Washington in passing situations, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Murray wasn't particularly efficient last year in his first season as a full-time starter, but he largely made up for it with volume, often playing nearly all of the available snaps. While he'll likely play fewer snaps per game this season, he also has a nice opportunity to ramp up his efficiency, potentially benefiting from both experience and an improved offensive line. Murray hauled in 41 of his 53 targets last season, but he only managed 232 receiving yards and didn't have any touchdown catches. Even if DeAndre Washington handles the vast majority of passing downs, Murray could still improve on last year's production, as he didn't do much through the air in any case.

Pead (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports.

This is somewhat of a surprise as Pead had already been declared out for the game in Seattle on Sunday. His return, however, does bode well for his chances to play in Week 2 at New England. When Pead does play, he'll run no better than third on the depth chart behind Arian Foster and Jay Ajayi.

Jones (shoulder) practiced in pads Wednesday, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports.

As a Monday night participant in Week 1, the Redskins won't be revealing Jones' activity level until Thursday, but ditching his no-contact jersey from Monday's session is certainly a step in the right direction. Even so, Chris Thompson (shoulder) is expected to snipe passing-down reps from Jones this season, and undrafted rookie Rob Kelley could be in the mix as well after an impressive preseason.

Drake is getting a look as a return man with DeVante Parker (hamstring) questionable to play Sunday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

This could be the best and maybe only way Drake can contribute to the Dolphins and fantasy teams in the early going this season. With Arian Foster and Jay Ajayi ahead of him on the running back depth chart, carries will be few and far between, but the return game could be one way to get the ball into the hands of this explosive back.

Per the Columbus prosecutor's office, no charges against Elliott will be filed stemming from reports of alleged domestic violence incidents in July, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

"After reviewing the totality of the evidence, the City Attorney's Office, Prosecutor Division is declining to approve criminal charges in this matter for any of the five alleged incidents. This is primarily due to conflicting and inconsistent information across all incidents resulting in concern regarding the sufficiency of the evidence to support the filing of criminal charges," a release from the prosecutor's office noted Tuesday. The report indicates that the NFL is is still investigating the matter, which leaves open the possibility that Elliott could still face league discipline. The No. 4 overall pick in April's NFL Draft is listed as the Cowboys' top running back in advance of Sunday's regular-season opener against the Giants.

Kelley is listed as the No. 3 back on Washington's initial regular-season depth chart.

Kelley, an undrafted rookie free agent, found his way onto Washington's 53-man roster, beating out Mack Brown for the No. 3 spot in the backfield. With both Matt Jones (shoulder) and Chris Thompson (shoulder) nursing injuries this week, it's possible that Kelley could see the field in Week 1's tilt with the Steelers on Monday night.