NFL Player News

Herbert (back/personal) is active for Sunday's game against the Packers.

Reports earlier Sunday indicated Herbert was strongly trending toward active status, and that is now official. With D'Onta Foreman a healthy scratch for a second consecutive week, Herbert should once again serve as the clear lead back for Chicago, with rookie Roschon Johnson holding down his usual complementary role.

Pierce returned one kickoff for 30 yards and did not play on offense in Saturday's 23-19 win over the Colts in Week 18.

A week after he inched back to relevance with nine touches, a healthy Pierce failed to play on offense for the first time this season. He's operated as the backup to Devin Singletary the last several weeks, but Week 18 was a new low for Houston's former lead back. If Pierce is going to make an impact in the playoffs, it may have to be on special teams. He leads Houston with 225 kickoff return yards (32.1 yards per return) and one touchdown.

Strong was spotted warming up with the starting offense prior to Sunday's game against the Bengals, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Strong has been the No. 3 option on the depth chart for much of the season, but he looks as though he could get a look in a lead role out of the backfield in the regular-season finale. Though Cleveland is keeping both Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt active, the team's top two running backs may only handle light roles Sunday while the team is already locked in as the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs. The Browns' main goal is to escape Week 18 with the health of its key players intact, creating plenty of opportunities for depth options like Strong to see their most extensive work of the season. Strong has carried 49 times for 226 yards and a touchdown to go with five catches for 47 yards on seven targets through Cleveland's first 16 games.

Ford isn't expected to play Sunday against the Bengals, despite being in uniform for pregame warmups, Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland reports.

Ford is active for the game, but with the Browns locked in as the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs, he looks to be one of several Cleveland starters who will get little or no playing time as the team prioritizes his health ahead of the wild-card round. Pierre Strong -- typically the third man on the depth chart -- was spotted working out with the first-team offense in warmups and could end up serving as Cleveland's lead back, while Kareem Hunt may stick as the No. 2 option ahead of Ford.

Miller (ankle/illness) is listed available for Sunday's tilt against the Falcons.

After limited participation in back-to-back practices earlier in the week, Miller logged a DNP Friday due to an illness on top of his ankle issue. However, he is seemingly feeling better and will suit up for the first time since Week 9. With Alvin Kamara (ankle) inactive, Miller and Jordan Mims will be the depth options behind Jamaal Williams in the backfield.

Swift (illness) remains listed as questionable but isn't expected to play Sunday against the Giants, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

A late addition to the Week 18 injury report after he was a limited participant in practice Friday, Swift apparently wasn't able to make enough progress in his recovery from the illness over the last two days to give it a go Sunday. Swift's status will be verified when Philadelphia releases its inactive list approximately 90 minutes prior to the game's 4:25 p.m. ET kikckoff. Assuming Swift ends up sitting out, the Eagles could take a three-pronged committee approach to the backfield featuring Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott and Rashaad Penny.

Williams is in line to lead the Saints backfield Sunday versus the Falcons with Alvin Kamara (ankle) inactive.

Kamara is sitting out for the first time since Week 3, which typically would afford his replacement plenty of work. That may be the case for Williams on Sunday, but he's averaged a career-low 3.0 yards on 92 carries, hauled in 15 of 17 passes for 54 yards and scored no touchdowns in 12 appearances this season. Considering his experience, he's the favorite to be the team's top rusher, but rookie third-round pick Kendre Miller (ankle) and practice-squad call-up Jordan Mims also are on hand for RB reps.

Kamara (ankle) is listed as inactive Sunday versus the Falcons.

Kamara's Week 17 was abbreviated due to a sprained ankle, which didn't allow him to log a snap after halftime last Sunday at Tampa Bay. He then didn't practice at all during Week 18 prep before coach Dennis Allen called him a game-time decision Friday for this Sunday's contest, per Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune. The tide began to turn against Kamara suiting up following a report from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football on Sunday morning that the running back wasn't expected to play, and that has come to pass. With Kamara sidelined for the first time since Week 3, he'll yield the Saints backfield to Jamaal Williams, while Kendre Miller (ankle) and Jordan Mims are available behind him.

Kamara (ankle) isn't expected to play Sunday against the Falcons, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Kamara didn't practice this past week, with previous reports suggesting that the running back was viewed as a game-time decision for the contest. Confirmation of Kamara's Week 18 status will arrive once the Saints' inactives are posted 90 minutes prior to Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, but if he is indeed unavailable, Jamaal Williams would be a candidate to serve as New Orleans' lead back, while Taysom Hill, Kendre Miller (ankle/illness) and practice-squad call-up Jordan Mims would also be in the mix for added snaps versus Atlanta.

Herbert (back/personal) is expected to play in Sunday's game against the Packers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Herbert remains listed as questionable for the contest, but he looks like he'll be formally cleared to play when the Bears release their inactive list approximately 90 minutes prior to Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. He was added to the Bears' Week 18 injury report Thursday after practicing as a limited participant and then missed Friday's practice entirely, but the expectation is that Herbert will be ready to handle the lead role out of the backfield for Chicago. Herbert has delivered his best two rushing performances of the season over the past two weeks in wins over Arizona and Atlanta, carrying 38 times for 236 yards and two touchdowns.