Vaughn (hamstring) returned to practice Thursday, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Vaughn's return to practice should pave the way for him to suit up in Saturday's preseason opener against the Rams. He's vying for a depth role in a Dallas backfield that also includes Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders (knee), Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. Vaughn is the only member of that group that was with the Cowboys last season.

Johnson (foot) is not participating in practice Thursday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Johnson's status now looks uncertain for Sunday's preseason opener against the Dolphins, though there's not yet any reason to suspect his foot injury is anything more than minor. Per Mark Carman of CHGO Bears and WGN Radio, Johnson spent Tuesday's practice mostly working in as a short-yardage specialist around the goal line. He appears to be facing real competition from rookie seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai for the No. 2 role behind D'Andre Swift.

Smith left Thursday's practice early after sustaining a finger injury, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.

The severity of Smith's finger issue may not become known ahead of Saturday's preseason opener against the Cardinals, but for now consider the rookie running back day-to-day ahead of the contest.

Lloyd (groin) is handling rehab work on a side field at Thursday's practice, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

Lloyd is back with the rehab group for the first time since he picked up a non-contact groin injury late July. While the 2024 third-round pick likely doesn't have enough time to gain clearance for Saturday's preseason opener against the Jets, it's encouraging to see him making progress, and it's possible he could be ready to suit up against the Colts on Aug. 16. Once back at full health, Lloyd will resume competing with Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks for the No. 2 running back role behind starter Josh Jacobs.

Cook (contract) isn't practicing Thursday, Alex Brasky of Bills Digest reports.

Cook is out for a fourth straight practice, after making it clear over the weekend that he was sitting out (or "holding in") for "business" reasons. Bills coach Sean McDermott said Thursday morning that he expected Cook to practice, but the running back wasn't with his teammates when they went out on the field for the start of the session. Ray Davis and Ty Johnson will continue taking most of the first-team snaps in Cook's absence.

Brooks has been getting some first-team snaps while fellow running backs Emanuel Wilson (knee) and MarShawn Lloyd (groin) recover from injuries, Wes Hodkiewicz of packers.com reports.

Some may have assumed that Lloyd, a 2024 third-round pick, would settle in as the No. 2 running back after an injury-plagued rookie season. It instead seems Wilson was putting up a good fight to keep the job, at least until he left practice early last Friday with a knee injury, four days after the groin issue forced Lloyd out of action. Neither has returned yet, leaving Brooks as the No. 2 RB in training camp after he handled the No. 3 role for most of last year. He'll presumably have a spot on the practice squad, if nothing else, with a chance to get involved on offense if Josh Jacobs misses time.

Mafah has gotten more reps in practice this week with Miles Sanders (knee) and Deuce Vaughn (hamstring) both sidelined, Garrett Podell of CBS Sports reports.

The 2025 seventh-round pick out of Clemson earned some plaudits from coach Brian Schottenheimer in the process. "Phil is a guy that when he moves, it's very smooth," Schottenheimer said Monday. "Very fluid. His vision is excellent and so he's a guy that I didn't really have much of a feel for in the spring because I didn't see him much." The Dallas backfield remains unsettled, but Javonte Williams hasn't done anything to lose his spot at the top of the depth chart, and Mafah still seems behind fellow rookie Jaydon Blue in the pecking order as well. Mafah's size and power could allow him to carve out a role as a short-yardage and goal-line specialist to begin his NFL career, but first he'll need to show enough in training camp and the preseason to claim a spot on the game-day roster.

Pollard is listed alone atop the running back position on Tennessee's first unofficial depth chart, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

The Titans' coaching staff has talked up an even backfield split between Pollard and Tyjae Spears this offseason, but Pollard still holds the top spot on the depth chart. That could be notable relative to last season, when Pollard and Spears were listed as co-starters on the initial depth chart. Pollard has handled roughly 250 carries each of the last two seasons, while Spears has not topped 100 in either of his two years as a pro. While those numbers could move toward each other in 2025, it appears as though Pollard is still in position to lead the backfield.

Taylor should get an extended look this preseason after primary backup Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) suffered a multi-week injury in training camp.

Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that Guerendo is expected to miss a couple of weeks after injuring his shoulder in practice this past weekend. That opens the door for Taylor and rookie Jordan James to see extended run for the 49ers in Saturday's preseason opener against the Broncos, with the team likely limiting or sitting starter Christian McCaffrey for the exhibition. The 27-year-old Taylor produced a 39-183-1 rushing line as a reserve with San Francisco last season, a role he will be competing for once again in 2025.

Harvey is listed fifth on Denver's initial preseason depth chart even though he's been repping as the No. 2 RB in practice, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

Multiple Denver beat writers have noted that coach Sean Payton almost always puts rookies at the bottom of the depth chart. Reports out of practice tell a different story than what's printed, with J.K. Dobbins atop the rotation and Harvey typically the second man up. The real question is how work will be split between the two come Week 1, although there is some chance Jaleel McLaughlin or one of the other depth backs poaches a few touches here and there. While Harvey is the clear choice in terms of explosiveness at this point in their respective careers, Dobbins has experience as an NFL starter and a solid reputation for pass blocking. That's seemingly enough to make Dobbins a favorite for the Week 1 start, even if Harvey remains the more attractive fantasy asset for the season-long haul.