NFL Player News

Head coach Bill O'Brien said Friday that Foreman can handle all three downs, Leslie M. Koerdt of the Houston Chronicle reports. "We use him in the passing game," O'Brien stated. "He's not just a runner. ... I see him as a three-down back."

At this point, the presence of Lamar Miller at the top of the depth chart seems to be the only thing between Foreman and a significant workload. Still, Foreman has earned 17 offensive snaps in back-to-back games, during which he's totaled 20 carries for 65 yards and two catches (on three targets) for 65 yards. With such usage, he's certainly a player to stash in the event he gains a larger role.

Breida would be in line for an expanded role if Carlos Hyde (hip) were to be absent or limited Sunday against the Cardinals, Daniel Brown of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

While Hyde hasn't left much behind this season, Breida has picked up most of the scraps with 11 carries and six targets. No. 3 back Raheem Mostert is mostly a special-teams contributor who only has four offensive touches all season. It all adds up to potential for Breida to handle a heavy Week 4 workload if the Niners' top rusher is absent, though Hyde does seem more likely than not to play.

Washington (quad) has been ruled out for Sunday's game in Minnesota.

Washington will miss a second straight game, allowing Zach Zenner to step in as the No. 3 back. Zenner managed just five yards on three carries in Sunday's 30-26 loss to the Falcons.

Kelley (ribs) remained limited at Friday's practice.

Kelley has been limited at every practice since suffering a rib cartilage injury Week 3 against the Rams. He's seemingly on track for another game-time decision as the Redskins prepare to face the Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Should Kelley miss another game, Samaje Perine likely would get another shot as the team's primary early-down runner.

Gordon (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Eagles.

Gordon's designation belies his availability, as he was able to practice fully Friday, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. Furthermore, head coach Anthony Lynn expects Gordon to be available in Week 4. Gordon will thus be looking to produce against an Eagles defense that has allowed 93.7 yards per game from scrimmage and three touchdowns to running backs this season.

Williams (knee) could miss one game but isn't expected to require a lengthy absence, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

An MRI on Williams' knee came back negative for ligament damage, suggesting his injury is strictly muscular. He replaced Ty Montgomery (ribs) as the lead back in Sunday's 35-14 win over the Bears, with Aaron Jones then taking over when Williams was forced from the game. The Green Bay backfield will require careful monitoring ahead of a Week 5 game in Dallas.

Mack (shoulder) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Seattle, Stephen Holder of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Mack was able to do some individual work in practice this week, which suggests he may not be far off from returning. However, Robert Turbin will serve as starter Frank Gore's primary backup again this week, with Matt Jones working as the team's No. 3 running back.

Vereen (calf) will play in Sunday's game against the Buccaneers, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reports.

Vereen sat out the first two days of practice this week in order to give his sore calf some rest, but he was able to get in a limited practice Friday, which was apparently all he needed to do in order to play this week. Vereen averaged just 18 snaps over the last two games, and since he may be playing at less than 100 percent Sunday, his role does not figure to expand much.

Williams likely sprained his knee during Thursday's win over the Bears and is expected to miss some time, although he still needs additional testing to confirm the diagnosis, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The severity of the sprain remains unclear, but Williams' status heading into Week 5 against the Cowboys is looking bleak, even with the extra rest he'll get. Starting rusher Ty Montgomery sustained a chest injury in Thursday's game, and his status is currently unknown; if neither Montgomery nor Williams can recover in time, the Packers may be forced into utilizing Aaron Jones and Devante Mays more than expected against the Cowboys.

Cunningham had five carries for 26 yards in Thursday's 35-14 loss to the Packers.

Cunningham saw most of his work in the fourth quarter when the game was out of hand, though he had two carries in the first half. He's shown over the last two weeks that he's a small part of Chicago's backfield rotation, but with just eight touches during that time, he's a weak fantasy option.