NFL Player News
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Phil Mafah RB | DAL
Cowboys' Phil Mafah: Questionable for Sunday, still on IR
Mafah (shoulder), who remains on injured reserve, is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest at the Giants, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
The Cowboys ruled out top two RBs Javonte Williams (shoulder/neck) and Malik Davis (calf/eye) for Week 18 on Friday, leaving Jaydon Blue as the only healthy option at the position on the active roster. If Mafah is activated from IR on Saturday afternoon ahead of Sunday's matchup, he'll at least be available to Dallas' backfield. A 2025 seventh-round pick, Mafah spent the entire regular season through Week 17 on injured reserve and thus is awaiting his first snaps as a pro.
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Malik Davis RB | DAL
Cowboys' Malik Davis: Out for Week 18
Davis (eye/calf) and Javonte Williams (neck/shoulder) have been ruled out for Sunday's game at the Giants, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Davis reportedly still can't see well after taking a blow to the eye during last week's win over Washington. He finished the game with 20 carries for 103 yards, both career highs, arguably making him the favorite for the No. 2 RB role in Dallas next year. Williams is scheduled for free agency, but the Cowboys likely will re-sign him or pursue a replacement. The 27-year-old Davis has some parallels to Rico Dowdle, who also lingered around the Dallas roster and practice squad for years before getting his shot as the No. 2 RB, which he later parlayed into a starting job.
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Isiah Pacheco RB | DET
Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Questionable for Week 18
Pacheco (rest) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Las Vegas.
Pacheco was listed as limited on all three of the Chiefs' Week 18 injury reports with rest, while fellow RB Kareem Hunt didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday due to an illness before returning to a full session Friday. Having said that, Pacheco is entering the weekend with a designation, and Hunt is not. Kansas City is out of playoff contention, so the team may opt to rest Pacheco, but such a decision doesn't need to be made until about 90 minutes before Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. If Pacheco is inhibited or sidelined this weekend, Hunt, Brashard Smith and Dameon Pierce would be lined up to handle the backfield.
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Javonte Williams RB | DAL
Cowboys' Javonte Williams: Won't play Week 18
Williams (shoulder/neck) has been ruled out for Sunday's game at the Giants, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
With fellow running back Malik Davis (eye) also ruled out, Dallas likely will turn to rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah (shoulder). Mafah is listed as questionable after upgrading to full practice participation Friday, seemingly on track to be activated from injured reserve by Saturday afternoon. There hasn't been any indication that Williams' neck/shoulder injury is a long-term concern, but there's no reason to risk it on the eve of free agency. The Cowboys have publicly expressed interest in re-signing Williams after his breakout campaign on a one-year contract.
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Chase Brown RB | CIN
Bengals' Chase Brown: Ready for Sunday
Brown (illness) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's game versus the Browns.
Brown sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday due to an illness, but his return to the field Friday included no limitations, thereby clearing him to continue to lead the Bengals backfield Week 18. Since the team's Week 10 bye, he's reeled off 745 yards from scrimmage and seven total TDs in seven contests, and with QB Joe Burrow starting and no other key skill-position players expected to have a reduced workload Sunday, Brown should be good for his typical 60-plus percent snap share.
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Jordan Mason RB | MIN
Vikings' Jordan Mason: Set for Week 18 start
Mason is positioned to start Sunday's season finale against the Packers due to Aaron Jones (hip) being ruled out for Week 18, Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Mason handled double-digit carries in all four of the games Jones previously missed to injury between Weeks 3 and 7, and he could face a favorable matchup Sunday versus a Green Bay squad that Mike Spofford of the team's official site reports will rest certain key starters, including on defense. Across 15 regular-season appearances so far, Mason has rushed 145 times for 664 yards (4.6 YPC) and three touchdowns. He's also secured 14 of 16 targets for 51 receiving yards. Ty Chandler and Zavier Scott will handle depth roles behind Mason on this weekend.
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Aaron Jones RB | MIN
Vikings' Aaron Jones: Ruled out for Week 18
Jones (hip) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Packers, Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Jones dealt with a slew of injuries this season and ultimately played just 12 games, finishing with a career-low 4.2 YPC while posting his lowest marks since his rookie year for rushing yards (548) and receiving yards (199). He was still reasonably effective when poor QB play didn't crater Minnesota's entire offense, so he could be back next year for the final season of a two-year extension. Jones turned 31 in December and is scheduled for a $9 million base salary in 2026, with $2 million already guaranteed and another $2 million kicking in on the third day of the new league year. In other words, the Vikings likely will trade/release Jones before mid-March if they don't plan to keep him around for the 2026 season.
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Blake Corum RB | LAR
Rams' Blake Corum: Returning to practice Friday
Corum (ankle) will return to practice Friday, Adam Grosbard of The Orange County Register reports.
Coach Sean McVay said he'll play his starters even if the Rams have nothing to gain or lose in terms of playoff seeding, but it does seem likely that the team will be cautious with borderline cases of injured players. McVay suggested Kyren Williams (ankle) is expected to play, whereas Corum is up in the air after his early exit from Monday's loss at Atlanta.
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Kyren Williams RB | LAR
Rams' Kyren Williams: Expected to play
Rams coach Sean McVay said Friday that Williams (ankle) likely will play Sunday against the Cardinals, Adam Grosbard of The Orange County Register reports.
McVay also said he'll play his starters even if the 49ers beat the Seahawks on Saturday, in which case the Rams would be locked in as the No. 6 seed. That doesn't necessarily mean starters will play the full game, but it does at least seem Williams is healthy enough to start. It's less clear if Blake Corum (ankle) will play, as he made an early exit from Monday's loss to Atlanta and didn't resume practicing until Friday.
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Alvin Kamara RB | NO
Saints' Alvin Kamara: Out again
Kamara (knee/ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Falcons, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Kamara hasn't practiced since suffering an MCL sprain in late November. He'll now miss a sixth straight game to close out the season, leaving Audric Estime in the lead role after New Orleans lost Kendre Miller (ACL) and Devin Neal (hamstring) to season-ending injuries. Kamara is under contract for one more season, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be back with the Saints in 2026, as only $3 million of his $11.5 million base salary is guaranteed. Kamara will turn 31 in July and has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, so he could be looking at a reduced role even if he sticks around in New Orleans.