NFL Player News

The 49ers signed Taylor off their practice squad Wednesday.

Taylor's promotion comes as no surprise after the 49ers lost Christian McCaffrey to a knee injury and Jordan Mason to an ankle injury, temporarily leaving rookie Isaac Guerendo as the only healthy running back on the active roster. Guerendo should step in as the lead runner, but Taylor may get a decent chunk of the playing time, especially on passing downs. The 49ers also added Israel Abanikanda via waivers this week, while Ke'Shawn Vaughn is a new addition to the practice squad who could be elevated ahead of Sunday's game against the Bears if the 49ers want a fourth option out of the backfield.

The 49ers signed Taylor to their active roster Wednesday.

With Christian McCaffrey (knee), Jordan Mason (ankle) and Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) all likely sidelined for the remainder of the season, Taylor's signing to the active roster provides crucial depth at running back. The fourth-year pro from Memphis is expected to serve as the 49ers' No. 2 running back moving forward, playing behind rookie Isaac Guerendo.

Mason (ankle) did not practice Wednesday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan previously said Monday that Mason is headed to injured reserve due to the high-ankle sprain he suffered late in Sunday's 35-10 loss to the Bills. While the transaction has yet to be made, Shanahan reiterated Wednesday that a trip to IR is still likely for Mason, according to David Lombardi of SFStandard.com. The 49ers are set to move forward with a backfield led by rookie Isaac Guerendo, with waiver pickup Israel Abanikanda offering a depth option behind him. The 49ers are also likely to elevate one or both of Patrick Taylor and Ke'Shawn Vaughn from the practice squad ahead of this Sunday's game against the Bears.

Johnson (concussion) did not participate in Wednesday's practice.

Johnson was forced out of last Thursday's loss to the Lions due to the concussion, and he didn't make enough progress through the five-step protocol to resume on-field work as the Bears kicked off Week 14 prep. With D'Andre Swift (quadricep) also sitting out practice Wednesday, special-teams ace Travis Homer took on extra reps out of the backfield during the session, and he could handle a key role on offense during Sunday's game against the 49ers if neither Swift nor Johnson are available. Darrynton Evans will also be a candidate for elevation from the practice squad to burnish the Bears' depth in the backfield.

Swift did not practice Wednesday due to a quadricep injury.

Swift was one of three key skill-position starters for Chicago who sat out practice Wednesday, with wideouts DJ Moore (quadriceps) and Keenan Allen (ankle) also listed as non-participants. The Bears are at least benefiting from an extended period of rest, coming off a 23-20 loss to the Lions on Thursday in Week 13, but Swift's status will need to be closely monitored as Sunday's road game against the 49ers approaches. With Roschon Johnson (concussion) also a non-participant Wednesday, special-teams ace Travis Homer may have a path to increased offensive reps Week 14.

Johnson rushed five times for 28 yards and secured his lone target for nine yards in Sunday's 35-10 win over the 49ers.

Johnson saw five opportunities on the ground for the second-straight game, but the veteran was unable to make much happen with his limited attempts. The 27-year-old played just 16 of the Bills' 58 offensive snaps, behind starter James Cook (26) and rookie Ray Davis (19). Barring injuries, Johnson should continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes as the Bills square off against the Rams in Week 14.

Herbert rushed once for 14 yards in Sunday's 44-38 loss to the Steelers.

Herbert's one carry Sunday was his first since joining the Bengals at the trade deadline. The 26-year-old running back played just six offensive snaps against the Steelers after playing a total of six offensive snaps across his first two appearances. With such limited usage behind lead back Chase Brown, Herbert remains nothing more than an insurance policy for fantasy purposes. As the season progresses, it's possible the fourth-year back could continue to see his snap percentage gradually increase if the Bengals decide to lighten Brown's workload down the stretch. Herbert will look to get more involved when the Bengals visit the Cowboys in Week 14.

Chandler had two carries for two yards in Sunday's win over Arizona.

Chander played five snaps on offense as he got some extra time when Aaron Jones was given some rest after losing two fumbles. Chandler is still clearly the third running back, so he may not get many more snaps unless Jones or Cam Akers is injured.

Akers had four carries for 22 yards in Sunday's win over Arizona.

Akers played 16 of the offense's 53 snaps while Ty Chandler played only five snaps. Starting running back Aaron Jones saw 28 snaps but fumbled on twice on eight touches and sat for a long stretch at the end of the first half. Akers could take on a larger workload if Jones can't solve his ball security issues.

Ekeler said Tuesday that he's still dealing with concussion symptoms and neck pain, and he remains in the league's concussion protocol, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.

Ekeler said he doesn't remember walking off the field Nov. 24 against the Cowboys, or indeed anything until he got in the ambulance to go to the hospital. The veteran running back also states he had memory loss following his Week 3 concussion earlier in the season. All of these symptoms led to Ekeler's placement on injured reserve ahead of Week 13, sidelining him until at least Week 18. Brian Robinson, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez are set to handle backfield duties while Ekeler is out.