NFL Player News

Ekeler (ankle) was officially listed as a non-participant in practice Thursday.

Ekeler also missed practice Wednesday due to an ankle injury and a personal issue, but Thursday's practice report lists only the ankle issue alongside his name. What Ekeler is able to do during Friday's practice -- if anything -- thus will be telling with regard to his chances of playing Sunday against the Titans. If Ekeler is limited or out this weekend, Joshua Kelley would be in line to see an expanded profile in the Chargers backfield.

Pittsburgh signed Bell to its practice squad Thursday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.

Just a couple days after being cut from the Steelers' practice squad, Bell has found his way back into the fold. With Anthony McFarland dealing with a knee injury, it would not be shocking to see Bell elevated to the active roster for Week 2.

Hall (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.

Coming off a 10-carry, 127-yard rushing performance in the Jets' 22-16 overtime win over Buffalo on Monday, Hall has now been limited in both of the team's first practice sessions of Week 2. The Jets haven't suggested that Hall's limitations are the result of any setback with his surgically repaired knee, so his reps are presumably being capped for maintenance purposes more than anything. Hall should be ready to go by the time Sunday's game in Dallas arrives, and he could be in store for a slight uptick in playing time after logging just 17 snaps against Buffalo.

Edwards-Helaire (illness) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.

Edwards-Helaire sat out Wednesday's session entirely while he was under the weather, but after taking every rep in practice a day later, he's good to go for Sunday's game at Jacksonville. In the Chiefs' season-opening loss to the Lions, Edwards-Helaire played 14 snaps en route to carrying six times for 22 yards and adding a seven-yard reception while Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon logged 31 and 20 snaps, respectively. Edwards-Helaire will likely be ticketed for a change-of-pace role once again Week 2.

Spears (groin) was upgraded to a full participant in Thursday's practice, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.

Spears was limited Wednesday, but it sounds like a non-issue for the rookie heading into Week 2 against the Chargers. He played 54 percent of the Week 1 snaps versus New Orleans, totaling just 28 yards on four touches while catching only one of his four targets.

McFarland (knee) did not practice Thursday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.

McFarland may be in danger of missing the team's divisional clash Monday against the Browns. However, with an extra day before the game, the Maryland product will have additional time to recover before kickoff. If he were to miss, the impact may be greater in the return game as opposed to the backfield, as the 2020 fourth-round selection saw just five snaps on offense in Week 1.

Conner (calf) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

During the portion of the session open to the media, Conner was wearing a sleeve on his calf but appeared to be moving around without issue, per Brack. Still, the Cardinals placed a cap on his on-field reps for a second day in a row, giving him just one more chance to log a full practice this week. Assuming he's able to suit up Sunday against the Giants, Conner will handle the bulk of the touches out of Arizona's backfield with Keaontay Ingram a distant second in the RB pecking order.

Mostert (knee) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.

The Dolphins held Mostert out of their first practice of the week Wednesday, but David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel relays that the running back's absence was more of a veteran's rest day than the result of any concern about the health of his knee. Mostert backed up that report by taking every rep at practice a day later, clearing the way for him to serve as Miami's lead back in Sunday's game at New England. Though he played 72 percent of the snaps on offense and received 12 touches (10 carries, two receptions) in the Dolphins' season-opening win over the Chargers, Mostert could see a slight reduction in his workload Sunday with rookie third-round pick De'Von Achane (shoulder) seemingly trending toward playing after sitting out Week 1.

Ekeler (ankle) wasn't on the field for the media-access portion of Thursday's practice, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Unless Ekeler fits in some work behind closed doors Thursday, he'll go down as a non-participant on the Chargers' practice report for the second day in a row. It's unclear whether the ankle injury or personal matter Ekeler is tending to has played a greater part in him sitting out practices thus far in Week 2, but in any case, his status for Sunday's game in Tennessee is murky at the moment. Joshua Kelley, who rushed for a career-high 91 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in the Chargers' Week 1 loss to the Dolphins, would be the next man up to serve as Los Angeles' lead back this weekend if Ekeler is unavailable.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Miller (hamstring) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

Per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, Miller took part in drills throughout the portion of practice that was open to the media, but it's unclear how much additional work the rookie running back was able to fit in behind the scenes. In any case, Miller already looks to be in better shape to suit up Monday in Carolina that he did ahead of the Saints' game against the Titans last week, when he failed to practice in any fashion before being inactive for the contest. With Alvin Kamara (suspension) set to miss two more games, Miller could poach work from Jamaal Williams if he's able to make enough progress in his recovery from the hamstring injury to suit up Monday. Williams dominated the touches (18 carries, two catches) and snaps (77 percent share) out of the backfield in the Week 1 win, with backup running backs Kirk Merritt and Tony Jones combining for nine snaps and one touch between them and the versatile Taysom Hill (eight snaps, three carries) handling a relatively muted role as well.