NFL Player News

The Vikings waived/injured Jefferson (undisclosed) on Sunday, Rob Kleifield of the team's official site reports.

Jefferson signed with the Vikings on Aug. 12 as a depth running back for the 2026 preseason. The 26-year-old participated in all three preseason contests, rushing 11 times for 74 yards. Jefferson will now be subject to waivers, and if he clears will revert to the team's injured reserve list. If the running back reverts to IR, he will miss the entirety of the 2026 regular season unless he is waived with an injury settlement.

The Chiefs waived/injured Smith (undisclosed) on Sunday.

Smith participated in all three preseason games for the Chiefs, rushing four times for six yards in Friday's finale against the Seahawks. The running back likely picked up an injury in Friday's game. If Smith clears waivers, he will revert to the Chiefs' injured reserve list, where he will remain for the entirety of the 2026 regular season unless he is waived with an injury settlement.

The Saints placed Neal (hamstring) on injured reserve Sunday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Neal will be required to stay on IR throughout the entirety of the 2026 regular season unless he is waived with an injury designation. The 2025 sixth-rounder sustained a hamstring injury during the Saints' 34-0 preseason loss to the Rams on Aug. 22. Neal rushed 57 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns over 10 regular-season games in 2025 but will likely need to wait until 2027 for another shot in the backfield.

The Dolphins waived Hunter on Sunday, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

The Rams traded Hunter to the Dolphins just this past Thursday in return for wide receiver Tutu Atwell. If the team was not set on making Hunter a member of the initial 53-man roster, it is unclear why it went ahead with the trade. Hunter did not play in a preseason game with the Dolphins. The running back will now be placed on waivers. If the 23-year-old remains unclaimed, there is a good chance he will sign with the practice squad of the Rams or Dolphins.

Etienne (ankle) was placed on injured reserve by the Panthers on Sunday with a designation to return, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports.

Etienne suffered an ankle injury in Friday's preseason finale versus Houston, and he will now be forced to miss at least four contests while on IR. The running back was expected to operate as a depth option behind Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) and Jonathon Brooks to open the season, so in his absence, AJ Dillon will likely slot in as the No. 3 option. Additionally, Etienne has operated as the team's primary return specialist on both kicks and punts, so Carolina will have to find replacements there for the time being.

Tracy (neck) is on the Giants' initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season, Dan Salomone and Matt Citak of the team's official site report.

The decision regarding Tracy's place on New York's roster was tied to uneven play in the preseason, the recent arrival of veteran RB Najee Harris to the position group, and a neck injury that Tracy picked up in the team's exhibition finale. Having said that, he's now among the backfield options along with No. 1 Cam Skattebo, Devin Singletary and Harris. It's perhaps a vote of confidence for the third-year pro, but because the other three are healthy, Tracy may be hard-pressed for a regular role early on this season.

The Seahawks moved Charbonnet (knee) from the active/PUP list to the reserve/PUP list Sunday, Curtis Crabtree of Fox 13 Seattle reports.

This move was merely procedural, as Charbonnet is still far away from returning to action following the ACL tear he suffered in his left knee in the divisional round Jan. 17. In any case, he'll be sidelined for at least the first four contests of the season, while some combination of rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price and holdover George Holani will pace Seattle's backfield for Week 1 and beyond.

The Chargers waived Johnson on Sunday, Matt Zenitz of CBSSports.com reports.

Johnson participated in all three preseason games for the Chargers, rushing 15 times for 53 net yards and two touchdowns. The running back also added two receptions for 68 yards over the three-game span. Johnson will now be subject to waivers. If the 23-year-old goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent able to sign with any franchise that covets additional running back depth.

Abanikanda was waived by the Cowboys on Sunday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Abanikanda was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Jets. He appeared in six regular-season games for New York as a rookie, accumulating 70 yards off 22 carries while catching seven passes for 43 yards. The 23-year-old most recently signed with the Cowboys on a reserve/future deal in January, and while Dallas waived him Sunday, there's still a chance he could be brought back as a member of the practice squad.

The Browns waived Marshall on Sunday, James Palmer of The Athletic reports.

Marshall spent part of last season on Cleveland's practice squad but didn't appear in any games. The 24-year-old will now look to catch on with another team, where he could contribute as a depth running back.