NFL Player News

Sims (ankle) gained 20 yards on five carries in Saturday's preseason game against the Jaguars.

Fully recovered from a minor ankle injury, Sims got the start in place of Doug Martin (bruised ribs), who is also a bit banged up. The result was an unusual stat line, with Sims getting five carries and zero targets. No matter, the two running backs figure to reprise their roles from last season, with Martin getting most of the carries and Sims handling passing downs.

Henry gained 31 yards on five carries in Saturday's preseason game against the Panthers.

Henry didn't quite match his performance from the preseason opener, when he took 10 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. No matter, it was another strong showing for the second-round rookie, who is already locked in as the team's No. 2 rusher. Henry could poach carries from DeMarco Murray early in the season, and might eventually emerge as a threat for the starting job. Murray is also enjoying a strong preseason, with 11 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown. Regardless of how the carries are split, Dexter McCluster figures to handle a good portion of the passing-down snaps.

Thomas rushed for 30 yards on seven carries as the Dolphins were crushed by Dallas, 41-14, on Friday.

Thomas is battling for a roster spot with several other backs on the Miami roster. Arian Foster, Jay Ajayi, and Kenyan Drake (hamstring) are guaranteed spots, which would seem to leave either Thomas or Isaiah Pead fighting for one spot should Miami only keep four running backs after the final cut.

Gillislee was pulled from Saturday's game to be evaluated for a potential concussion, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW reports.

With news of Karlos Williams' release this morning, Gillislee was expected to prove his worth as a backup throughout Saturday's preseason game. However, it appears the head injury that he suffered is going to push back any verdicts a bit. Gillislee is competing with both Reggie Bush and Jonathan Williams for the primary backup spot to LeSean McCoy.

Abdullah (shoulder) removed his his red jersey at practice Saturday, which means he's likely able to take contact now, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Abdullah has sat out both preseason games as he deals with a lingering shoulder issue. Expect the Lions to be cautious with the second-year back in order to ensure his health entering Week 1. He projects to be the team's No. 1 back on the depth chart, but Theo Riddick will likely be the team's pass-catching specialist out of the backfield.

Pierce was released by the Jets on Saturday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

It was unlikely that Pierce would have been a main contributor for the Jets' backfield anyway. The 25-year-old found himself stuck behind the ever-emerging Bilal Powell and proven Matt Forte. In the end, a change of scenery may bode well for the talented Temple product.

Elliott (hamstring) is closing in on his first appearance of the preseason, which may take place Thursday at Seattle, the Dallas Morning News reports. "We have a good week of practice and we'll see what happens," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Saturday. "Obviously that's the goal is to let him touch the ball a little bit against Seattle and we'll see how much and how long."

The Cowboys have been without their 2016 first-round pick for two exhibitions due to a right hamstring strain suffered in practice on Aug. 2. Elliott was only reintroduced to practice Tuesday, during which he partook in individual drills, but activity in team drills this week would signify that his debut as a professional is nigh.

Jones has been diagnosed with a "slight separation on [his] AC joint," which he sustained during Friday's preseason win against the Jets.

After injuring his left shoulder, Jones was forced from the contest, and while the ailment was initially deemed a sprain, the nature of the injury could knock him down a peg in the fantasy realm. On a positive note, head coach Jay Gruden stated that it "won't be too long" until Jones returns to practice, so he may bounce back sooner than expected.

Martin is dealing with some bruised ribs and will sit out of Saturday's matchup with the Jaguars as a result, Rick Stroud of 620 WDAE reports.

The team does not seem too worried about the issue and view his sitting out of Saturday's game as a precautionary measure. It's unclear when Martin sustained the injury, but expect the team to keep him on light duty until he' fully healthy. The 27-year-old projects to be the No. l back for the Bucs but will likely share some of the workload with Charles Sims.

Gordon registered a team-high 18 rushing yards on six attempts during Friday's preseason win over the Cardinals.

Gordon ripped off a 12-yard run at one point, but he garnered just six yards combined from his other five rushing attempts and was hardly impressive versus a competent group of Cardinals reserves. He should enter his sophomore season as the unquestioned starter for the Chargers, but he still has a lot to prove after an underwhelming debut campaign.