NFL Player News

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday that the swelling in Robinson's wounded knee has gone down "an awful lot," and the rookie running back is no longer using crutches to move about, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

Just over a week removed from being the victim of a shooting in an apparent attempted robbery, Robinson already appears to be making a swift recovery. Robinson will open the season on the reserve/Non-Football Injury list, meaning he won't be eligible to play in Washington's first four games. Whether he's ready to go for the Commanders' Week 5 matchup with the Titans is still up in the air and will likely depend on how he progresses over the next month. While Robinson is on the mend, Antonio Gibson could assume a lead role on the ground for Washington, and Jonathan Williams could also factor into the equation on the heels of a strong preseason. J.D. McKissic (groin) is also on hand, but he's expected to serve primarily as a pass-catching back.

Cleveland lists Felton as its top kickoff and punt return on the unofficial depth chart the team released Tuesday, the Browns' official site reports.

Felton's versatility came in handy during the preseason and training camp, when the Browns suffered injuries at wideout and in the return game. On offense, the hybrid running back/wide receiver is listed only as a receiver, one of six the Browns kept on their 53-man roster. He's not likely to have a consistent role on offense as anything more than a gadget player.

Knight was signed to the Jets' practice squad Tuesday.

Knight initially made New York's 53-man roster, but he was waived Monday to clear space for the team to re-sign veteran offensive lineman Conor McDermott. The rookie will now operate as an emergency option on the Jets' practice squad should any of the team's backfield miss time.

Pierce is listed as the No. 1 running back on the Texans' unofficial Week 1 depth chart released Tuesday.

The rookie's appearance atop the depth chart comes as little surprise after the Texans chose to hold him out of their preseason finale along with most of the other team's projected Week 1 starters. Though Pierce should be on the field for the team's first offensive snap Sunday against the Colts, the extent of his role hasn't yet been fully fleshed out and could fluctuate from week to week depending on what game script the Houston offense is following. As the roster currently stands, Pierce profiles as the Texans' lead option on the ground, while Rex Burkhead is likely to spell the 2022 fourth-round pick on obvious passing downs and in the hurry-up offense.

Hill made the Ravens' initial 53-man roster and is looking to make an impact in Year 4, Todd Karpovich of Sports Illustrated reports.

Hill missed the entire 2021 season due to an Achilles injury, but he showed burst during training camp and could emerge as a viable option to begin the 2022 campaign. J.K. Dobbins (knee) has returned to practices and has a chance to play Week 1, but the Ravens will be without Gus Edwards (knee) for at least four games, leaving Hill, Mike Davis and recently signed Kenyan Drake as the top healthy options. If Dobbins isn't able to play Sunday, Davis likely would step up as the starter, but given Hill's familiarity with the team, he could operate as the No. 2 running back in Baltimore's run-heavy attack against the Jets.

Phillips (ankle) worked out with the Colts on Monday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.

Phillips sustained a season-ending ankle injury in Week 9 last year and was placed on injured reserve by the Texans in early May. However, he was let go with an injury settlement in mid-June and appears to be healthy since he's now working out for other teams.

Coach Pete Carroll said Monday that he isn't sure whether Walker (abdomen) will play during Seattle's Week 1 matchup against the Broncos on Monday, Sept. 12, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

Carroll said that Walker "worked some" by doing running and catching during Monday's practice, but the rookie's availability to begin the regular season remains up in the air due to his ongoing recovery from a hernia procedure. If Walker ultimately is unavailable for the Seahawks' season opener, Rashaad Penny would serve as the team's clear lead back, while Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas likely would compete for touches in reserve roles.

Ward (shoulder) practiced Monday and is close to 100 percent, Jose M. Romero of the Arizona Republic reports.

Ward sustained a shoulder injury during the Cardinals' second preseason game in mid-August, and he's been considered day-to-day recently. It's not yet clear whether he faced any limitations during Monday's practice session, but it seems like he has a chance to be back to full health in time for the Cardinals' Week 1 matchup against Kansas City on Sunday.

The Jets waived Knight on Monday, Ethan Greenberg of the team's official site reports.

Knight signed with the Jets in May as an undrafted free agent out of NC State, where he rushed 140 times for 753 yards and three scores during his final collegiate campaign. He impressed during training camp and rushed 15 times for 53 yards across three preseason contests. Knight initially made the team's 53-man roster, but he's been waived to make room for the Jets to re-sign veteran offensive lineman Conor McDermott.

Snell is listed as the No. 3 running back on the Steelers' Week 1 depth chart, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.

Although Snell earned a spot on the 53-man roster over Anthony McFarland, undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren appears poised to begin the season as the team's top backup behind starting running back Najee Harris. Snell rushed just 36 times for 98 yards while securing two of four targets for 13 yards despite appearing in every game for the Steelers last season, and he's unlikely to have a significant fantasy role in 2022 as long as Harris remains healthy.