NFL Player News

Dowdle carried the ball eight times for 23 yards and caught both his targets for minus-three yards in Sunday's 33-10 win over the Panthers.

The Cowboys were again on cruise control late in the game, and Dowdle has seen double-digit touches in back-to-back weeks as a result. The output against Carolina wasn't nearly as impressive as the 79 rushing yards and a TD that Dowdle amassed against the Giants last week, however, and the South Carolina product remains firmly behind Tony Pollard in the Dallas backfield ahead of a Thanksgiving tilt against the Commanders.

Williams had two carries for 20 yards while playing 17 offensive snaps in Thursday night's loss to the Ravens.

While Williams garnered a few more snaps than usual due to the Bengals' big deficit in the fourth quarter, that didn't translate to more touches because they were throwing the ball nearly every play. Chase Brown just got designated to return from IR, so in a week or two Williams might have more competition behind Joe Mixon.

Abanikanda made his NFL debut in Sunday's 32-6 loss to the Bills, rushing once for 11 yards and adding one catch for five yards on two targets. He also returned one kickoff for 19 yards.

Abanikanda is third on the running back depth chart behind Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook, but with the game out of hand late, the 2023 fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh got the opportunity to get his feet wet. While Abanikanda's breakaway speed could help him become a big-play threat as his career develops, his lack of touches coupled with the ineffective play of the Jets' injury-riddled offensive line limits his short-term appeal.

Cook rushed twice for 13 yards and failed to catch his only target in Sunday's 32-6 loss to the Bills.

Michael Carter's departure leading up to the Week 11 loss didn't result in additional touches for Cook. Breece Hall was held to 23 rushing yards on 10 carries and has failed to reach 30 rushing yards in any of New York's last three games, but the team's No. 1 running back was its leading receiver Sunday and scored all of the Jets' points with a second-quarter touchdown catch. Hall's well-rounded skill set allows him to play a three-down role, leaving limited opportunities for Cook to see the field.

The Bengals designated Brown (hamstring) to return from injured reserve Monday.

The move opens Brown's 21-day practice window after he was initially sent to injured reserve on Oct. 28. The fifth-round rookie has appeared in five games, rushing two times for six yards and catching three passes for seven yards.

Rodriguez had six carries for 43 yards and one catch for five yards but lost a fumble on his seventh and final touch of the day.

A lost fumble at the end of the third quarter spoiled what previously had been the best day of Rodriguez's young career. Taking on an expanded role with Antonio Gibson (toe) inactive for the first time this season, the rookie recorded his first NFL reception and had a personal best of 43 rushing yards. Rodriguez did play three of 25 snaps in the final quarter -- rather than being outright benched -- with Robinson taking 21 and Derrick Gore only one. It's possible Rodriguez remains in the No. 2 role Thursday against Dallas, but only if Gibson misses another game.

Ahmed carried the ball three times for six yards during Sunday's 20-13 win over Las Vegas. He also secured all three of his targets for 25 yards and one touchdown.

Ahmed benefited from extra work behind Raheem Mostert after De'Von Achane (knee), who was playing in his first game back from IR, exited early. It remains to be seen whether Achane will be available for a Black Friday divisional matchup against the Jets, but if the rookie ends up missing more time, Ahmed will likely handle an increased role again. Jeff Wilson could also be active if Achane isn't available.

Strong had one carry for one yard and caught his lone target for four yards in Sunday's 13-10 win over the Steelers.

Three weeks ago, it looked like there could be a role for Strong in Cleveland's offense, but he's been limited to eight snaps over the last three games, including his three against Pittsburgh. He maintains a spot as a kick returner, but all three kickoffs from the Steelers were touchbacks. If Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt stay healthy, there's little room for Strong in the backfield.

Perine gained seven yards on his lone rush attempt while catching all seven of his targets for 60 yards in Sunday's 21-20 win over Minnesota.

Perine finished with one carry for the third consecutive week, but it was his work as a receiver that made an impact in the box score. The veteran backup racked up more than half of his production on the Broncos' game-winning touchdown drive in the closing moments of Sunday's win. Perine was not the beneficiary of the aforementioned score, but he strung together chunks of yardage on four consecutive receptions that helped bring Denver within striking distance of Minnesota's goal line. Javonte Williams is still the primary back heading into next Sunday's matchup against Cleveland, leaving Perine for those in deeper or PPR formats.

Johnson carried the ball three times for 11 yards and caught all three of his targets for 47 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 32-6 win over the Jets.

After seeing only two offensive snaps in his first four games as a Bill, Johnson suddenly found himself with a real workload in the backfield -- the most noticeable change new offensive coordinator Joe Brady made in his first game at the helm. Johnson's first touches came on Buffalo's third possession late in the first quarter, and he capped his big performance with a 28-yard TD catch from Josh Allen early in the third. Johnson, who played for the Jets from 2020-22, could be taking on a consistent change-of-pace role behind James Cook heading into a Week 12 trip to Philadelphia.