NFL Player News

Wilds, who didn't play in Thursday's preseason finale, could be destined for the injured reserve/designated to return list with an LCL knee sprain, according to ESPN's Vaughn McClure.

Wilds could be stashed on the injured reserve/designated to return list if his knee injury is more serious than originally thought and if the Falcons want to keep Wilds along with Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman and Terron Ward. However, if his injury isn't all that serious, there's a chance he could edge Ward and earn the third running back role outright.

The Chiefs are shopping Knile Davis prior to the trade deadline, the Kansas City Star reports.

Kansas City showcased Davis' talent in Thursday's preseason finale against the Packers, with the fourth year back going for 58 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and adding a grab for seven yards. He starred in 2014 following Jamaal Charles' injury but fell out of favor in 2015. Davis could still make the Chiefs ' 53-man roster should he not be moved but it's unlikely he will attain much fantasy value in 2016 if he stays with his current club.

Thompson was waived by Denver on Friday, Mike Kils of 9News in Denver reports.

Thompson joined the Broncos as an undrafted player two years ago and has been a contributor. His release means that Andy Janovich has taken over as the team's fullback for 2016.

McKinnon missed Thursday's preseason game and practice earlier this week with an undisclosed injury, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

It's likely a minor ailment and he wouldn't have played in the final preseason game even if healthy, but it's something to monitor ahead of Week 1. McKinnon had a strong preseason and there's been talk of him being used more this season as a third-down back. However, we won't get a full read on his usage once he plays with Adrian Peterson, as Peterson did not play in the preseason as the Vikings played it safe with their franchise star.

Williams (knee) compiled 19 carries for 57 yards and one reception for four yards during Thursday's preseason victory against the Broncos.

Boasting a career 4.8 YPC mark, Williams was unable to make much headway Thursday against second- and third-stringers, but a lingering knee injury may have been at fault. To make matters worse, fellow reserve running back Elijhaa Penny dashed for 113 yards and a touchdown on 23 rushes. In the end, the presence of special-teams maven Stepfan Taylor (knee) was likely enough to make their upcoming fates on cut-down date inevitable.

Abdullah (shoulder) is pushing for a feature back role in Detroit, Dirk Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Abdullah split time in 2015 with Theo Riddick, Zach Zenner, and Joique Bell. The Lions appear ready to take a running back by committee approach once again, but Abdullah, the team's second-round pick in 2015, thinks he can take the bulk of the workload. His role does figure to increase in 2016 but it appears unlikely that he sees a large uptick in redzone carries, where Zenner and Riddick look to see a bulk of the work.

McFadden (elbow) feels ready to return to practice, The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports. "Oh, yeah, definitely," McFadden said Thursday. "It's one of those things I'm working with the trainers. They have me on the right track, keep me going."

He's missed all of training camp and the preseason as he recovers from elbow surgery, but McFadden is finally ready to begin getting back into game shape. Whether he gets back onto the field with the Cowboys is another question though, as Ezekiel Elliott and Alfred Morris are locked into the top two spots on the depth chart, Lance Dunbar will resume his pass-catching specialist role after last year's knee injury, and sixth round pick Darius Jackson has looked good when given the opportunity during preseason action. There simply may be no room for McFadden on the roster.

Hunt scored two touchdowns Thursday in Houston's win over Dallas in preseason Week 4.

Hunt entered the game looking to nail down the fifth spot in the backfield and did his most to earn the job. He scored on a three-yard run, pushing his way through the pile, then later showcased his quickness while scoring on a 10-yard reception. He outplayed Kenny Hilliard, the other back competing for the final backfield spot, who gained a team-high 86 yards Thursday, but lost a fumble in the red zone. The decision as to who stays and who goes may come down to the type of back head coach Bill O'Brien prefers. Hunt is the quick back and is repetitive to third-round pick Tyler Ervin, while HIlliard is the power back, capable of breaking tackles. But if ball security influences O'Brien, that favors Hunt based on Thursday's game.

Hightower gained 24 yards on eight carries in Thursday's preseason game against the Ravens and, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Hightower is still likely second in line for carries behind Mark Ingram once the regular season begins.

With Hightower looking pedestrian this preseason, there was some chatter that his roster spot could be in jeopardy. However, the 30-year-old veteran tailback had a better night than his stats suggest, and his performance appears to have restored confidence among Saints' beat reporters that he will once again be Ingram's top backup. As such, should Ingram get injured, Hightower would likely see the bulk of the carries, but C.J. Spiller, who is looking much improved this preseason, would also get some more work.

Wilder was hurt on a special teams play in the preseason finale against the Lions and was forced to leave in the first half, BuffaloBills.com reports. The running back has been placed in the league's concussion protocol.

This is awful timing for a guy trying to land a final roster spot. We'll see how things shake out when the Bills make their final cuts.