NFL Player News

Gainwell (ribs) was a full practice participant Friday ahead of Monday's game in Tampa Bay.

Gainwell handled 62 percent snap share and 18 touches in the season opener but now finds himself rejoining a backfield that had D'Andre Swift run for 175 yards in a Week 2 win over Minnesota. Given Swift's standout performance and Gainwell's pre-Week 1 lack of experience in a No. 1 role, it'll be surprising if Gainwell is the lead guy Monday night. If nothing else, Gainwell remains a strong candidate for playing time in obvious passing situations.

Hall (knee) logged a full practice Friday and doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Patriots.

Hall's limited participation Wednesday and Thursday was due to load management on his surgically repaired knee. After following the same practice pattern last week, Hall was listed as questionable against Dallas, but he avoided a designation this time around. Hall got just four carries against the Cowboys as the Jets abandoned the run after falling behind early, but New York's expected to lean on the ground game more heavily in this AFC East rivalry game.

Ahmed (groin) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's Week 3 game against the Broncos, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Ahmed was forced to leave last Sunday night's game against the Patriots early with the injury. With Jeff Wilson (abdomen) still on injured reserve, it looks like exciting rookie De'Von Achane will have a chance to carve out a change-of-pace role behind locked-in lead back Raheem Mostert.

Pacheco (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Bears, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.

Pacheco turned in limited practices Thursday and Friday after missing Wednesday's practice, so his availability could come down to a true game-time decision. Even if he plays, Kansas City may choose to take a cautious approach with its top running back so as to not exacerbate the injury. If Pacheco gets his usual workload, though, he could be in store for a productive afternoon against an 0-2 Bears team that's giving up 32.5 points per game. Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon could see more usage if Pacheco is limited or sits out entirely.

Kelley is in line to lead the Chargers backfield Sunday in Minnesota with Austin Ekeler (ankle) ruled out for the contest.

Kelley handled 54 of 68 offensive snaps (79 percent) in place of Ekeler this past Sunday at Tennessee, while reserves Elijah Dotson (13 percent) and Isaiah Spiller (six percent) didn't get much more than scraps. Still, Kelley didn't make much headway against a tough Titans defensive front, taking 13 carries for 39 yards and failing to reel in his only target. In the end, he should have an easier time this Sunday versus a Vikings defense that has given up the seventh-most YPC (4.8) to opposing running backs through two games this season.

Ekeler (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's road game against the Vikings.

Now that Ekeler is slated to miss his second straight contest, Joshua Kelley is in line to lead the Chargers backfield Sunday, with Elijah Dotson and Isaiah Spiller on hand to log complementary snaps. Ekeler's next chance to return to game action will arrive Week 4 against the Raiders.

Henry (toe) was a full participant in practice Friday and doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Browns, John Glennon of the Nashville Post reports.

While the Browns will be adjusting to life without star running back Nick Chubb (knee), Tennessee's workhorse is good to go for this Week 3 clash. Henry was a limited participant Wednesday before missing Thursday's session, and while that absence was reportedly due primarily to rest, it was still reassuring to see Henry get in a full session Friday to prove he's healthy heading into a matchup with a Cleveland defense that's allowing 65.0 rushing yards per game, which is tied with Tennessee for fourth fewest in the NFL.

Miller will have a role out of the Saints backfield Sunday in Green Bay with Jamaal Williams (hamstring) ruled out for the game, Stacey Dales of NFL Network reports.

A 2023 third-round pick, Miller's pro debut has been delayed by a hamstring injury that has followed him since at least Aug. 31, causing him to miss the first two contests of the season. With a trio of full practices under his belt this week, though, he's been cleared for game action. Miller and Tony Jones (12-34-2 rushing line Week 2) should serve as the focal points at running back for New Orleans on Sunday, with Kirk Merritt and/or Jordan Mims candidates to be elevated from the practice squad. Alvin Kamara's three-game suspension ends after this weekend, so Miller's workload Week 4 and beyond may depend on Williams' recovery.

Jones will have a role out of the Saints backfield Sunday at Green Bay with Jamaal Williams (hamstring) ruled out for the contest, Stacey Dales of NFL Network reports.

Jones stepped in Monday in Carolina when Williams departed in the second quarter with a hamstring injury, turning 12 carries into 34 yards and two touchdowns while failing to gather in either of his targets. While 2.8 YPC is uninspiring, Jones' 5-foot-11, 224-pound stature lends itself to short-yardage and goal-line work, which yielded the aforementioned scores from two yards out on both occasions. Jones will be vying for RB reps with rookie third-round pick Kendre Miller and potentially practice-squad members Kirk Merritt and/or Jordan Mims on Sunday, but the elevated workload likely is a short-term deal considering Alvin Kamara's three-game suspension ends after this weekend.

Montgomery (thigh) didn't practice Friday and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports.

Montgomery already said he expected to miss time and then went through the week without practicing. He thus seems highly unlikely to play, though the Lions will leave the door open with a 'doubtful' designation in case Montgomery's thigh bruise improves dramatically between Friday evening and Sunday morning. The Falcons and Lions are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff in a game that figures to draw extra attention from the fantasy world thanks to the presence of rookie RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. Just don't be surprised if Craig Reynolds (for the Lions) and Tyler Allgeier (for the Falcons) also get a bunch of carries.