NFL Player News

Zenner could be part of a backfield committee Thursday against the Bears, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

With Kerryon Johnson (knee) set to miss at least one game, the Lions are left with Zenner, LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick in the backfield. Blount and Riddick are the safe bets to handle significant roles, though neither has offered much on the ground this season. Zenner owns a career average of just 3.6 yards per carry and has mostly played special teams since 2016.

Perine (calf) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game in Dallas.

Perine opened the week as a non-participant in practice before upgrading to limited showings Tuesday and Wednesday. With Adrian Peterson taking most of the carries while Kapri Bibbs and Byron Marshall handle passing-down work, Perine may stay on the inactive list even if he's healthy enough to play.

Williams was elevated to the Colts' 53-man roster from the practice squad.

Williams joined the Colts' practice squad in early October after being waived by the Saints after three games. The 24-year-old should serve as a depth back with Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins all currently healthy.

Perine (calf) was listed as a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, David Helman of the Cowboys' official site reports.

Perine missed Sunday's game against the Texans and was listed as a non-participant on Monday's estimated injury report. His return to practice on a limited basis is encouraging, but because the Redskins play on Thursday, he might not be fully ready in time for Week 12.

Edmonds ran for 17 yards on five carries during Sunday's 23-21 loss to Oakland.

The five carries tied a season high for Edmonds, though he struggled to make much of them against a Raiders run defense that is among the worst in the NFL. Edmonds, after catching nine passes in his first two games, has been quiet in the passing game as of late, but he gets a somewhat favorable matchup on the ground Sunday against a Chargers defense surrendering 4.6 yards per carry, placing them among the bottom half of the league.

Drake (shoulder) was spotted wearing a red non-contact jersey at Tuesday's practice session, Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald reports.

Safid Deen of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports Drake is still battling a shoulder issue, which likely dates back to the Nov. 11 contest against the Packers. His limited participation Tuesday could be a preservative measure to ensure he's ready to take the field Sunday against the Colts. His participation in practice as the week progresses will likely shed some more light on his status for the contest. In the event he's unable to play, veteran Frank Gore would likely shoulder most of the workload.

Washington lost three yards on three carries in Sunday's win against the Eagles.

Washington handled mop-up duties in a big Saints win for the second week in a row, though the third-string running back had less success than he did in Week 10 when he gained 47 yards on 11 carries. Almost exclusively a special-teams player, Washington is not a fantasy option so long as Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara remain healthy.

Perine (calf) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's estimated injury report.

Although Perine got rid of the knee injury that appeared on the practice report last Thursday and Friday, he wouldn't have participated Monday if the Redskins held a session. He has two more practices to prove his health, with the aim to provide support to starter Adrian Peterson (shoulder) on Thursday in Dallas. If Perine and Chris Thompson (rib) are sidelined again, Kapri Bibbs and Byron Marshall would be afforded those opportunities.

Ekeler carried the ball six times for 29 yards and also caught both of his targets for 40 yards in the 23-22 loss to the Broncos on Sunday.

Ekeler had three separate plays of 10 yards or longer, continuing to reprise his role as an explosive change-of-pace back. Given the second-year player has seen just one game with more than 10 touches in the last six contests, he remains a fringe fantasy option, but his value would obviously take a substantial jump if Melvin Gordon were to miss any time.

Artis-Payne rushed once for one yard in Sunday's 20-19 loss to the Lions.

Artis-Payne played only three offensive snaps in his first game as Christian McCaffrey's top backup. McCaffrey, on the other hand, was on the field for all 58 plays, evidencing just how little of a role Carolina's second-string tailback fills.