NFL Player News

Head coach Kellen Moore said Friday that Etienne (hamstring) has been removed from the Saints' injury report and is "available and ready to go" for Sunday's game versus the Raiders.

Etienne kicked off Week 3 prep with back-to-back limited sessions Wednesday and Thursday, but Moore's comments Friday indicate those restrictions likely were for maintenance purposes. In any case, Etienne has hovered between 50 and 60 percent of the offensive snaps in his first two appearances as a Saint, turning 26 touches into 109 yards from scrimmage and no TDs. He'll share the backfield with Alvin Kamara and CJ Donaldson this weekend.

Jones (knee) was present for practice Friday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

After taking 23 carries for 105 yards in this past Sunday's 9-3 win at Chicago, Jones emerged from the contest with a knee injury that sidelined him at Wednesday's session. He then returned as a limited participant Thursday and appears as if he'll go down as at least that Friday, something that'll be revealed when the Vikings post their final Week 3 practice report.

Spears (ankle) was listed as limited for Friday's practice, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider reports.

Spears didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday, but a return to limited participation at the end of the week suggests he has a shot to play this Sunday against Cleveland. Fellow Titans running back Tony Pollard (ankle) is upgrading to full participation Friday, so he appears ready to start and take most of the carries.

Pollard (ankle) will be a full participant in Friday's practice, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

With Pollard progressing from a non-participant Wednesday to limited Thursday and now full Friday, he'll likely be ready for Sunday's matchup with the Giants. Backfield mate Tyjae Spears (ankle) is expected to be a limited participant Friday, so he may be in a bit more danger of limitations or an absence this week.

Judkins (personal) was in uniform for the start of Friday's practice, Zac Jackson reports.

After being listed as a limited participant Thursday due to a personal matter, Judkins likely will return to full participation Friday. There's been no indication that he's in serious danger of missing Sunday's matchup with Carolina.

Dowdle (toe) was not spotted during the open viewing window of Friday's practice, Ray Fittipaldo reports.

With Dowdle now absent from the open portion of practice after not participating Wednesday or Thursday, he's looking shaky for Sunday's matchup with the Bengals. Jaylen Warren (shoulder) is also banged up, but he seems to be doing better than Dowdle and could thus be tasked with a large workload for Week 3. The Steelers also have Travis Homer on the roster and Lew Nichols on the practice squad as backfield alternatives, though Homer has largely played special teams throughout his NFL career, while Nichols is a 2023 seventh-round pick with one regular-season appearance to his name.

Wright (foot) is considered doubtful for Sunday's game against Kansas City, Travis Wingfield of the Dolphins' official site reports.

Ollie Gordon is the favorite for whatever backfield snaps and touches aren't taken by De'Von Achane, who has played 83 percent of Miami's offensive snaps through two weeks.

Lloyd rushed four times for 11 yards and brought in two of three targets for seven yards in the Packers' 35-14 loss to the Falcons on Thursday.

The inefficiency reflected in Lloyd's final line underscores the type of season it's been so far for the second-year back, who's tried in vain to serve as a serviceable replacement for Josh Jacobs (personal) while he remains on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Lloyd's rushing opportunities were limited Thursday largely due to game script, but the 2024 third-round pick is averaging just 3.0 yards per carry through three games and has complemented it with an unremarkable 4-13-0 line through the air. Lloyd, Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson will continue to share the Packers' backfield workload in a Week 4 road matchup against the Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 4.

Robinson rushed 10 times for 50 yards and a touchdown and returned two kickoffs for 54 yards in the Falcons' 35-14 win over the Packers on Thursday.

Robinson's backfield mate Bijan Robinson and No. 1 receiver Drake London stole the show Thursday while accruing 194 yards apiece, but Brian had his own moment in the spotlight when he capped off a 10-play, 92-yard drive in the third quarter with a seven-yard touchdown run. Brian Robinson now has back-to-back games with double-digit carries and has at least 50 rushing yards in each, keeping him somewhat relevant in very deep formats heading into a Week 4 road matchup against the Saints on Monday, Oct. 5.

Robinson rushed 29 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns and brought in both targets for 19 yards in the Falcons' 35-14 win over the Packers on Thursday.

Robinson's night on the ground was every bit as dominating as his final line suggests, as the star running back repeatedly ripped off chunk gains against an overwhelmed Packers defense. Robinson got the night off on the right foot by netting 21 yards on the Falcons' first two plays, and he struck for his game-long 55-yard run on Atlanta's third possession to set himself up for a three-yard touchdown rush two plays later. The 2023 first-round pick went on to add a three-yard touchdown run to close out the scoring with just over three and a half minutes remaining, and he came just a yard short of equaling the career-high 195 rushing yards he hung on the Rams in Week 17 of last season. Robinson already has 543 rushing yards and three total touchdowns through three games heading into a Week 4 road matchup against the Saints on Monday, Oct. 5.