NFL Player News

Walter is dealing with an illness and has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Saints, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

That explains why Walter, though listed as active, had not played a snap in a contest he seemed poised to play a key role in. With Tevin Coleman (concussion) already out, next up for the Jets' Week 14 backfield work is the duo of La'Mical Perine and Ty Johnson.

Gibson could be in line to fill a three-down featured role out of the Washington backfield Sunday against Dallas with J.D. McKissic (concussion) inactive again.

While McKissic was sidelined in last week's win over Las Vegas, Gibson saw a big uptick in passing-down work. After playing no more than 20 percent of Washington's third downs in the team's first 11 games, Gibson was on the field for 57 percent of those scenarios Week 13, which helped him draw six targets, good for a 20 percent share of quarterback Taylor Heinicke's pass attempts on the day. Gibson accompanied the added pass-catching work with his typical high volume on the ground (23 carries for 88 yards), and with McKissic out for a second straight week, there's little reason to think Gibson's role will decrease in a major way. In fact, Gibson could have an even clearer path to reps on passing downs, as Wendell Smallwood wasn't elevated from the practice squad after he sustained an unspecified injury in the Week 13 win. Jaret Patterson and Jonathan Williams are left as the depth options behind Gibson, though neither profiles as a major pass-catching threat in the vein of McKissic or Smallwood.

Freeman is slated to serve as the top backup to starting running back Rex Burkhead in Sunday's game against the Seahawks, Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle reports.

When David Johnson was inactive last week due to an illness and thigh injury, Burkhead stepped into the starting role in the Texans' 31-0 loss to the Colts, while Freeman served as his top understudy. Freeman was expected to fall to third on the depth chart Sunday after Johnson returned to practice this week and wasn't given a designation, but those plans changed on short notice after Johnson was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list less than two hours before kickoff. Additionally, practice-squad back Jaylen Samuels, who was elevated to the roster ahead of last week's game, was also placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, leaving Freeman as the sole depth option behind Burkhead. Expect Burkhead to see the bulk of the work out of the backfield, though Freeman could have an expanded role from the 44-percent snap share and four touches (three carries, one reception) he picked up Week 13.

Elliott may be in store for an elevated role on offense Sunday against Washington with top backup Tony Pollard (foot) inactive for the contest, Jori Epstein of USA Today reports.

Elliott is already entrenched as Dallas' starting running back, but he hasn't played more than 70 percent of the offensive snaps in any of the Cowboys' last five contests while averaging 15.0 touches per game over that stretch. Dallas has been deliberately managing Elliott's reps while he continues to deal with a lingering bone bruise in his right knee, allowing Pollard to take on an expanded change-of-pace role in recent weeks. However, with Pollard having suffered a torn plantar fascia in his left foot in last week's win over the Saints, he'll be sidelined for at least one game, paving the way for Elliott to potentially take on a more expanded role. Neither of the healthy depth options behind Elliott -- Corey Clement and practice squad call-up JaQuan Hardy -- have had much involvement on offense this season, so the Cowboys seem unlikely to tab either player to directly inherit Pollard's role. If the Cowboys are still eager to manage Elliott's reps, it's possible that head coach Mike McCarthy may opt for a more pass-heavy game plan featuring more four-receiver or two-tight end sets.

Blasingame (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Blasingame returned from a four-game absence in Week 12, and he played primarily on special teams in addition to earning three rushing attempts. However, he'll now be inactive in favor of Tory Carter who has yet to log an offensive statistic this season.

Pollard (foot) is inactive for Sunday's game against Washington, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Pollard, who was viewed as a game-time decision after failing to practice in any capacity Wednesday through Friday, will be sidelined for the first time in 2021. The second-year back revealed that he tore the plantar fascia in his left foot during the Cowboys' Week 13 win over the Saints, but the team is hopeful that by holding Pollard out of Sunday's contest, he'll be healthy enough to return to the lineup as soon as Week 15 against the Giants. With Pollard out of the mix for Week 14, the Cowboys could rely more heavily on lead back Ezekiel Elliott, whose workload the team has deliberately been managing due to a knee issue that dates back to Week 4. If the Cowboys want to maintain the status quo and keep Elliott's reps in check, depth options Corey Clement and JaQuan Hardy could have roles in the game plan. Dallas could also rely more heavily on the Dak Prescott-led passing attack rather than the ground game sans Pollard.

Pollard (foot), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Washington, isn't expected to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Official confirmation of Pollard's status will arrive when Dallas releases its inactive list approximately 90 minutes prior to Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff. With Pollard not expected to suit up, starter Ezekiel Elliott could take on a larger portion of the backfield duties after previously operating as the lead option in a timeshare arrangement with Pollard in recent weeks. Corey Clement is a candidate to mix in for reps behind Elliott, though Clement is unlikely to see as larger of a role as Pollard had previously held.

Williams' placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday was the result of a positive test, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Even if he's vaccinated, Williams' positive test rules out the possibility of him playing Sunday in Denver, as he would have to be asymptomatic of the virus for 48 hours and test negative on two occasions at least 24 hours apart following his positive test Friday. According to Schefter, Williams went through practice Friday before being informed of his positive test, leaving the Lions concerned that other players may have contracted the virus or be considered close contacts. The team will administer another round of testing Sunday to be sure no other players need to be added to the reserve/COVID-19 list, but with top back D'Andre Swift (shoulder) sidelined along with Williams, the Lions will likely turn to a committee of Jermar Jefferson, Godwin Igwebuike and Craig Reynolds out of the backfield.

The Titans anticipate Henry (foot) will ready to return from injured reserve as early as the team's Week 18 matchup with the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Henry has been sidelined since undergoing surgery Nov. 1 to address a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot after he picked up the injury a day earlier in the Titans' Week 8 win over the Colts. Initial estimates followed surgery placed Henry's recovery time at 6-to-10 weeks, and though Rapoport reports that rehab has gone well over the past month and a half, the reigning NFL rushing champion still looks to be trending toward the longer end of that timeline. Tennessee has gone 2-2 in the absence of their top back to stay atop the AFC South with an 8-4 record, and the expectation is that Henry will be feeling fresh and ready to go ahead of a potential playoff run. In the meantime, the Titans are expected to rely on a committee of D'Onta Foreman, Jeremy McNichols and Dontrell Hilliard out of the backfield for at least their next four games.

Pollard (foot), who is listed a questionable for Sunday's contest against Washington, is viewed as a game-time call, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rapoport notes that Pollard, who didn't practice this past week after tearing the plantar fascia of his left foot in Dallas' Week 13 win over the Saints, has a chance to play, but added "there isn't a lot of optimism for it." A final decision on the running back's Week 14 status will thus arrive approximately 90 minutes prior to Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, when the Cowboys release their inactive list.