NFL Player News

Johnson (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game at Houston, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Johnson just returned to practice Thursday after missing a month, but head coach Joe Brady said Friday that the veteran running back "doesn't need a lot of the physical work to go do his job." If Johnson ends up inactive, it could push more snaps and targets toward starter James Cook, in addition to benefitting backup Ray Davis. The Bills have typically deployed Johnson as a passing-down specialist.

Johnson (hamstring) is practicing Friday, but Alex Brasky of SI.com believes the running back is unlikely to play Sunday in Houston.

Johnson returned to practice Thursday after missing a full month, so the Bills will probably wait until Week 2 or 3 to have him suit up. James Cook could get a few extra snaps in passing situations, while Ray Davis also gets a minor boost for workload projection in Johnson's absence.

Tucker (hamstring) is doubtful for Sunday's game at Cincinnati, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Tucker returned to practice Thursday as a limited participant and reportedly is practicing again Friday. It sounds like it won't be enough for a Week 1 appearance, but he should have a decent chance to return Week 2.

Brooks (groin) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Bears, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

With Brooks cleared after practicing throughout the week, he appears on track to handle whatever role the team has in mind. Chuba Hubbard remains the favorite to start and get most of the carries, but reports throughout the offseason and preseason made it clear that the Panthers have a role in mind for Brooks as well.

Croskey-Merritt (groin) will play in Sunday's game against the Eagles, Tashan Reed of The Washington Post reports.

Croskey-Merritt was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday but will apparently be fine for the season opener. He's got a tough matchup on the road in Philadelphia, and he'll will be sharing snaps with Rachaad White in some fashion, regardless of health/durability considerations.

Brooks (groin) was in uniform for Friday's practice, his third straight session, Mike Kaye of ESPN.com reports.

With Brooks having now been present for three consecutive practices, he's trending in the right direction for Sunday's opener against the Bears. Assuming no setbacks, he should split backfield work with Chuba Hubbard, who remains the favorite to start and has been a full practice participant all week.

Tucker (hamstring) is practicing Friday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.

Tucker returned to practice Thursday as a limited participant. Another appearance Friday gives him a chance to play Sunday at Cincinnati, though it's unclear if he'll be involved on offense or mostly just handling kick returns.

Love (ankle) is expected to play Sunday against the Chargers, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Love managed limited practice participation Wednesday and Thursday, so a full practice Friday would go a long way toward giving his fantasy managers confidence. It's not yet clear if the practice upgrade will happen, but Love apparently is expected to play in any case. It's also not clear how backfield work will be divided between the rookie and Tyler Allgeier.

Corum rushed 10 times for 54 yards and wasn't targeted during the Rams' 27-7 Week 1 loss to the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.

Corum's backfield mate Kyren Williams worked as the starting running back and logged his first carry on the Rams' second play from scrimmage, but Corum garnered his first touch to start Los Angeles' second drive and ripped off a nine-yard run. The third-year pro would go on to outpace Williams by 13 rushing yards on one fewer carry, although Corum's lack of a pass-game role was a disappointment. Nevertheless, it appears preseason talk about an even closer division of labor between the two backs this season could have some credibility as a Week 2 home matchup against the Giants on Monday night, Sept. 21 approaches.

Black rushed 14 times for 65 yards and brought in his only target for five yards during the 49ers' 27-7 Week 1 win over the Rams in Melbourne, Australia.

The rookie third-round pick opened the season as Christian McCaffrey's primary backup, but he actually ended up outpacing his star backfield mate by four carries as the 49ers progressively took control in the second half. Black earned the touches with multiple productive runs that showed off his explosiveness, and his ability to help keep McCaffrey fresh throughout the game should only help lead to more opportunities for the first-year back going forward. Black garnered the No. 2 job thanks to an impressive two-game preseason where he performed similarly to Week 1, lending credence to the notion the Indiana product could maintain his fantasy relevance, particularly in deeper formats, as his first NFL season unfolds.