NFL Player News

Drake is expected to receive "major run" in his Cardinals debut Thursday against the 49ers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

The Cardinals are expected to be without their top two options out of the backfield in Week 9, as Chase Edmonds (hamstring) has been ruled out, while David Johnson (ankle) is questionable but unlikely to play. Those likely absences leave Drake -- who was acquired from the Dolphins on Monday -- Zach Zenner and Alfred Morris as the lone healthy options at running back. Considering Zenner and Morris only joined the roster one week earlier, they won't hold much of an advantage in terms of system experience, giving Drake a good chance to lead the Arizona running game right off the bat. Even if granted a big role right away, Drake may struggle to find much success against a swarming San Francisco defense.

Jacobs (shoulder) remained limited at practice Thursday, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.

Jacobs didn't practice last week until Friday, so he's already well ahead of where he was this time last week, on the heels of back-to-back limited sessions. We expect the running back to be out there for Sunday's 4:05 ET tilt against the Lions, but there's a decent chance the Raiders will officially list him as questionable on their final Week 9 injury report.

Sanders (shoulder) was listed as a full participant on Thursday's injury report.

The 2019 second-round pick has brushed off the shoulder injury that kept him sidelined Wednesday. With his health not in question, he can continue to serve as an able complement to top running back Jordan Howard.

Conner (shoulder) missed practice again Thursday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

As did Benny Snell (knee), which makes it increasingly likely that the Steelers' Week 9 backfield could feature Jaylen Samuels, with Trey Edmunds in reserve. Added clarity on that front will arrive Friday when the team's final injury report for Sunday's game against the Colts is revealed.

Mostert (knee), who is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Cardinals, is in line to play, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Mostert's availability will be confirmed approximately 90 minutes before the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff, when the 49ers will unveil their inactive list. With Matt Breida (ankle) also on track to play, Mostert will likely serve as the No. 3 option in the 49ers' ground game.

McCaffrey (knee) practiced in full Thursday, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

After McCaffrey was a limited participant at Wednesday's session, coach Ron Rivera told Rodrigue that he had "no concern" about McCaffrey's health. With his elevation to FP on Thursday, McCaffrey is good to go as the Panthers' workhorse back.

Breida (ankle) is expected to be active Thursday in Arizona, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Breida sandwiched two limited listings around a DNP at Tuesday's walkthrough, but the activity seemingly was enough for him to be ready on a short week. If he's available to the 49ers' backfield along with Tevin Coleman and Jeff Wilson, the sole unknown at the position will be Raheem Mostert (knee), who also is questionable to suit up.

Sanders (shoulder) returned to practice Thursday, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

As he predicted Wednesday, Sanders was back on the field one day removed from not participating due to a shoulder injury. Having said that, his activity level won't be known until the release of Thursday's practice report.

Snell (knee) recently underwent surgery to trim his meniscus and is expected to be sidelined for 2-to-3 weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Snell injured his knee in Monday's win over Miami, finishing the night with 13 yards on five carries across 11 offensive snaps. The Steelers didn't offer much word on the severity of Snell's condition in the aftermath of Monday's game, but his absence from practice Wednesday coupled with the Rapoport report suggests the rookie will likely miss some time. With Snell presumably on track to sit out at least the next two contests, Jaylen Samuels and Trey Edmunds are the only healthy backs left on the roster, as top option James Conner (shoulder) is tending to an AC joint injury that could keep him sidelined Sunday against the Colts.

Jones (shoulder) was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's estimated injury report, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

In the midst of his spectacular performance last Sunday at Kansas City, Jones left the contest to have his shoulder examined, an issue that's still a bother at the start of Week 9 prep. Jones, the NFL's leader in touchdowns with 11 at the midpoint of the season, will attempt to get back to full participation by week's end with an eye toward Sunday's game versus the Chargers.