NFL Player News

Harris could have his snap count reduced slightly this season, with Steelers RBs coach Eddie Faulker suggesting about seven fewer plays per game as a reasonable target, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports

The idea is to take Harris off the field mostly on plays where he wouldn't get the ball anyway, though that could be a strategic disadvantage if the trend is strong enough for opponents to exploit. Last year as a rookie, he led all running backs in snaps (980), snap share (83.5 percent), snaps per game (57.6) and touches (381), with sizable leads in every category apart from the last one as Jonathan Taylor got 372 touches. Harris may see a bit less playing time this year, but he still figures to be in the range of 20 touches per game, and it isn't clear how much the Steelers trust his potential backups Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, Jaylen Warren.

Allgeier is listed toward the bottom of the Falcons' unofficial posted depth chart, but Scott Bair of the team's official site notes that's an approach coach Arthur Smith generally takes with rookies at this stage of the preseason.

Along with Allgeier, wideout Drake London -- the No. 8 overall pick in the 2022 -- also finds his name down the team's initial depth chart. Last month, Bair projected that Cordarrelle Patterson would maintain his starting RB role, but he also cited Allgeier, Damien Williams and perhaps Avery Williams as candidates to carve out backfield roles this coming season. While it remains to be seen how much of a workload Allgeier is handed early on, the fifth-rounder does have the physical presence to provide the team with a complementary option alongside the versatile Patterson.

Although David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert are atop the Bears' running back depth chart, Ebner's versatility could help him earn a role, Alyssa Barbieri of USA Today reports.

Ebner was drafted in the sixth round of this year's draft. His potential could eventually allow him to function as a rusher, receiver and punt returner. But unless Montgomery or Herbert miss time, it will be difficult for the rookie to see significant snaps on offense. For now, he's most likely competing for a role in the return game.

Breida (undisclosed) was added to the injury report and is unlikely to play in Thursday's preseason opener versus the Patriots, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports.

Breida is dealing with an undisclosed injury, which will apparently likely keep him out of Thursday's contest. The 27-year-old signed with the Giants this offseason after he produced 125 rushing yards and touchdown on 26 carries while also catching seven passes for 72 yards and two scores over nine games with the Bills last year. Once healthy, the running back is expected to serve as a change of pace option behind starter Saquon Barkley in 2022.

Coach Nathaniel Hackett believes Gordon will have an impact on the Broncos' offense in 2022, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports.

Gordon enters the 2022 campaign on a one-year deal he signed in April after the Broncos traded for quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason. The veteran running back agreed to rejoin Denver, and he believes that the team is committed to a system that can support multiple backs. According to Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com, the team's offensive coordinator, Justin Outten, said the running backs will be on a pitch count this season. With that said, Gordon asserts Hackett "is drawing enough stuff up that everybody can have the chance to get the ball." In fact, the coaching staff is making it a priority to get the running backs more involved in the passing game. In Hackett's three years as the Packers' offensive coordinator, running back Aaron Jones played a significant role in the team's passing attack, finishing second or third in receptions each year. If Gordon can carve out this role with the Broncos, he could hold quite a bit of value in fantasy this season for a back that figures to be part of a committee. The 29-year-old stands to benefit from what projects to be a drastically improved offense this season with Wilson at the helm.

Gainwell is not practicing Tuesday due to a hip injury, Zach Berman of The Athletic reports.

Gainwell has spent training camp rotating in for first-team snaps and appeared primed for a key role on offense behind starting running back Miles Sanders, but his status for Friday's preseason opener against the Jets now looks uncertain. The severity of the second-year pro's hip injury hasn't yet been disclosed.

Dobbins (knee) did individual drills Monday at his 2022 practice debut, staying on the field for nearly 90 minutes, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

Dobbins had been pressuring the team to remove him from the PUP list since the start of training camp and finally got his wish Monday afternoon. "I thought he looked pretty good in individual (drills)," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said afterward. "You guys saw him moving around, running the ballhandling drill. That will be the first step. Maybe we add a little bit more every day and kind of see how he handles it, and see how the knee responds. But it seems like it's so far so good." With nearly five weeks to go before Baltimore's regular-season opener, Dobbins seemingly has put himself on track to play, while backfield mate Gus Edwards (also coming back from an ACL tear) remains on the PUP list and is trending in the other direction.

Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic suggests that Edwards (knee) remains iffy for Week 1.

There's still a chance Edwards could improve to the point that he has a chance to be ready for the Ravens' season opener. However, the notion that he was behind fellow running back J.K. Dobbins in terms of their recoveries from torn ACL injuries was solidified Monday when Dobbins was removed from the PUP list. When both are healthy, Edwards projects to work as Baltimore's No. 2 RB behind Dobbins, with Mike Davis, Justice Hill, Corey Clement, Tyler Badie and Nate McCrary also in the team's backfield mix.

The Rams activated Williams (foot) from the active/PUP list Monday, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

This would seem to put the rookie ahead of schedule, with coach Sean McVay previously having said that Williams was expected to return to practice around the Rams' third preseason game. They haven't even played their first, and while he'll likely be eased into drills before actually practicing, this at least gives Williams a better shot to be ready for the preseason finale and/or Week 1. Earning a role is another matter altogether for the fifth-round pick, with the broken foot suffered in OTAs robbing him of most of his chances to make an impression. Williams thus seems most likely to start off at the bottom of the depth chart, or possibly even the practice squad once the regular season begins.

Mostert and Chase Edmonds both are listed with the first-string offense on Miami's initial preseason depth chart, after coach Mike McDaniel said Sunday that "competition is fierce" among the team's running backs, Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports reports.

Edmonds got the biggest contract of the trio, but it's no secret that fellow offseason acquisitions Mostert and Sony Michel also are in the mix for key roles. Edmonds is the best pass catcher of the bunch, while Mostert is by far the fastest and Michel perhaps most adept working between the tackles. There's even some chance of a contribution from Myles Gaskin, the team's lead back for much of 2020 and 2021 under a different coaching staff. Mostert should have an advantage when it comes to scheme familiarity and terminology, considering McDaniel was the 49ers' run game coordinator from 2017 to 2020 and their offensive coordinator in 2021. Mostert was in San Francisco from late 2016 through 2021, though he missed nearly as many games as he played, including all but the season opener last year. He was cleared for the start of training camp after a lengthy rehab from a knee injury, and he recently shed his no-contact jersey, per Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald.