NFL Player News

Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Thursday that Alfred Morris will remain the lead back heading into Sunday's season opener against the Dolphins, but added he will work backup running back Matt Jones into the mix.

“We’ll see how the game goes," Gruden said. "A lot depends on how the game goes. We’re going to work Matt in there obviously. It’s still, Alfred’s the bell cow, so to speak. We want to keep him fresh for 16 weeks. If he gets 12-20 carries, Matt Jones gets 8-10, I don’t know how that’s going to work or play out.

"I think a lot is going to depend on our drives. Do we have 12-play drive, do we have a three-and-out? If we have a bunch of three-and-outs, then I don’t imagine Alfred is going to get taken out too much. We’ve got to try and get some drives, keep them alive and that way we’ll get a good look at both of them.”

While Ameer Abdullah is technically listed as the third-team running back, Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi clarified Thursday the team will find touches for the talented rookie, per MLive.com.

"He's going to get a chance to run the ball, and he's going to get a chance to be used extensively in the passing game," Lombardi said.

Broncos running back C.J. Anderson had a heck of a finish to the 2014 season. After stepping into a starring role following injuries to Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman, Anderson wrapped up the season with 767 rushing yards and seven touchdowns (five rushing) in his final eight games.

Anderson's late-season push is why first-year Broncos coach Gary Kubiak is confident in the third-year back heading into Sunday's opener against the Ravens.

“I think that he’s earned every opportunity that he’s gotten, or the one he’s fixing to get," Kubiak said Wednesday, per ESPN.com. “I think that he’s had an excellent offseason and training camp."

In Kubiak's time as an offensive coordinator or coach at the NFL level, a running back has topped 1,000 yards in 15 of 20 seasons, leaving plenty of potential for Anderson to post big numbers.

“It’s a big stage," Kubiak said. “He knows that he has some help with Ronnie [Hillman] and Juwan [Thompson]. They both had good camps, but it’s time. If you’re one of those players, it’s time when you get that second year under your belt if you’re going to become a big-time player in this league; this is usually where you start to make those steps."

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett isn't concerned about who will be the starting running back for Sunday's season opener against the Giants. The starter will be Joseph Randle or Darren McFadden.

“It doesn’t matter,” Garrett said, per The Dallas Morning News. “The only thing that matters is everybody getting ready to play and when their number is called upon, be ready to go out there and be their best.”

Randle took first-team reps throughout training camp and again during the open portion of practice Wednesday. Garrett said he’s “excited” about Randle, who has “done a lot of good things to give us confidence to think he can do a good job for us.”

“Joe has been a good player for us,” Garrett said. “Whenever we’ve given him opportunities, he’s really come through and done a nice job for us.

“Like with any young player, he’s grown with the opportunities he gets and the experience he has. Came to work every day over the course of training camp and preseason, and I just think he’s gotten better.”

Garrett added despite McFadden's history with injuries, he will not be on a pitch count.

“We think a lot of Darren McFadden,” Garrett said. “That’s why we signed him. And he’s done a good job for us. He was injured early on in camp, but since he has been back playing he has handled everything we have asked him to do really, really well."

The Lions released their first unofficial depth chart of the 2015 season Tuesday, and surprisingly rookie running back Ameer Abdullah was listed as third-string behind starter Joique Bell and Theo Riddick.

Abdullah had a fairly productive preseason, as he finished second on the team in rushing (82 yards) and averaged 6.8 yards per carry. He also had one catch for 21 yards.

The Redskins coaches "really like" rookie running back Matt Jones, ESPN.com write John Keim wrote in his preview column for Sunday's season opener against the Dolphins.

Keim added the coaching staff likes Jones "more than" they liked former backup running back Roy Helu as a runner. Helu had only 40 carries as the primary backup to Alfred Morris last season, but Keim is expecting Jones to get "plenty more" carries. 

The Redskins maintain the run game will power the offense, according to Keim.

Jones rushed for 139 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries during the preseason. He added two catches for 28 yards. He is listed as the second-string running back on the team's unofficial depth chart.

The Raiders released their unofficial depth chart Tuesday for their Week 1 matchup against the Bengals. 

While it is of little surprise Latavius Murray is listed as the first-team running back, it comes as a bit of a shock that Taiwan Jones is listed ahead of Roy Helu on the depth chart behind Murray.

Jones was drafted in 2011 as a running back out of Eastern Washington. However, he moved to defensive back in 2013 before being shifted to running back in April.

Buccaneers running back Doug Martin is coming off a strong preseason, as he led the team in rushing (118 yards) and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. 

Martin has struggled the last two seasons following a breakout campaign as a rookie in 2012, but it appears he could finally be in for a bounce-back season. One Bucs player that is buying the hype is veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

"I'm very excited for Doug Martin," Jackson told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday. "I promise you he has shown that spark and juice that you saw in 2012."

While Chargers running back Melvin Gordon will be an integral part of the offense this season, quarterback Philip Rivers said the team will rely on other running backs as well, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.

"It's not going to be all Melvin," Rivers said.

Gordon was a first-round pick in the 2015 draft, but did struggle at times during the preseason. He will still receive first-team snaps, but Danny Woodhead will see time as the pass-catching specialist.

"As coach has always said — I'm not saying anything out of the blue — it's a running back by committee crew," Rivers said. "It's going to be a team effort in that bunch. We're going to need all of them to carry the load in the run game and to catch the ball out of the backfield."

Former Patriots running back Jonas Gray is scheduled to work out Tuesday for the Titans, according agent Sean Stellato.

Gray was released by the Patriots on Saturday. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry in eight games with New England last season. He totaled five rushing touchdowns.