NFL Player News

Lloyd (ankle) missed Friday's practice due to appendicitis and won't be available for Sunday's game at Chicago, Bill Huber of SI.com reports.

The Packers designated Lloyd on Monday to return from injured reserve, subsequently listing him as a limited practice participant Wednesday and Thursday due to ankle and hamstring injuries. It seems the newly reported hamstring injury isn't serious and wouldn't have prevented him from playing this week, but Lloyd now has an entirely different issue to deal with, after missing the past seven games with a high-ankle sprain. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that the team will talk to the league about a possible extension/exception for the 21-day window when a player is designated to return from IR, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Reading between the lines, Lloyd is expected to miss at least two or three more weeks while recovering from surgery to address the appendicitis.

Jones (ribs) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game at Tennessee, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

His availability isn't much of a surprise given that the returned to last week's 12-7 win at Jacksonville after he suffered the injury, taking four carries for 17 yards over the Vikings' final two drives. Jones will continue leading the Minnesota backfield, with Cam Akers subbing in for carries here and there.

Coach Andy Reid said Friday that Pacheco (ankle), who remains on injured reserve, won't play Sunday at Buffalo, Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star reports.

Since the Chiefs designated Pacheco for return from IR on Tuesday, Pacheco put together limited practices Wednesday and Thursday, but he's still in his ramp-up period following the fractured fibula that he sustained Week 2 against the Bengals. In the meantime, Kareem Hunt will continue to pace Kansas City's backfield, while Samaje Perine and Carson Steele will be on hand for any RB reps that linger.

McNichols had three carries for five yards and one catch for one yard in a 26-18 loss to the Eagles on Thursday.

McNichols played 17 percent of snaps on offense, putting him well behind fellow Washington running backs Brian Robinson (53 percent) and Austin Ekeler (52 percent). McNichols had a slightly larger role the previous two weeks with Robinson sidelined by a hamstring injury, but even then the Commanders got Chris Rodriguez involved and kept it as a three-man backfield. McNichols is unlikely to see more than a handful of touches Week 12 against Dallas.

Coach Doug Pederson said Bigsby (ankle) will practice Friday, and he's optimistic the running back will play Sunday against the Lions, Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union reports.

"Optimistic," Pederson said Friday morning. "But today will be a big day for him." After missing practice Wednesday and Thursday, a Friday return gives Bigsby a chance to play Sunday in Detroit. If he's cleared to play, the Jaguars likely will continue to use a three-man backfield, consisting of Bigsby, Travis Etienne and D'Ernest Johnson, leaving none as upside fantasy plays against a tough Lions run defense.

Ekeler rushed twice for seven yards and secured eight of nine targets for 89 yards in the Commanders' 26-18 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night. He also returned two kickoffs for 59 yards and committed a fumble recovered by Washington.

Ekeler was a non-factor on the ground after back-to-back contests with double-digit rush attempts, as fellow running back Brian Robinson returned from a two-game absence and logged 16 carries. However, Ekeler did finish as the team leader in receptions, receiving yards and targets, with all three figures also serving as season highs. Ekeler is likely to be a bit more involved in the ground attack and remain a key complementary target at minimum during a favorable Week 12 home matchup against the Cowboys on Sunday, Nov. 24.

Robinson rushed 16 times for 63 yards and a touchdown and brought in his only target for nine yards in the Commanders' 26-18 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night.

Robinson opened the scoring on a one-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, his seventh rushing TD of the season. Six of those trips to the end zone have come in the last six contests, and Robinson has managed at least Thursday's rushing yardage total in four of the last five games. Robinson does continue to be the clear lead back when healthy -- Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols combined for only five rush attempts against Philadelphia -- and that pattern should continue in a highly favorable Week 12 home matchup against the Cowboys on Sunday, Nov. 24.

Barkley rushed 26 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns while bringing in two of three targets for 52 yards in the Eagles' 26-18 win over the Commanders on Thursday night.

Barkley was the unequivocal team MVP for the Eagles on the night, with his 23- and 39-yard touchdown runs just 20 seconds apart in the fourth quarter pushing Philadelphia's lead from two to 16 points. The veteran back's yardage tally was actually only his fourth highest of the season, a testament to the caliber of his first Eagles campaign to date. Barkley's receiving yardage total was a season best, however, and he now has three multi-TD efforts and 1,137 rushing yards over 10 games heading into a favorable Week 12 road matchup against the Rams on Sunday night, Nov. 24.

McCaffrey (Achilles) practiced on a limited basis Thursday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

McCaffrey is enduring practice limitations this week in the wake of his season debut this past Sunday in Tampa Bay, a contest in which he turned 19 touches into 107 yards from scrimmage. Meanwhile, reserve RBs Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo combined for two carries for five yards. Assuming McCaffrey gains clearance for Week 11 action against the Seahawks -- be it on Friday's injury report or about 90 minutes before Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff -- he'll assume the lead-back role for the 49ers.

Rodriguez (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday night's game against the Eagles, Zach Selby of the Commanders' official site reports.

Rodriguez has registered 13 carries for 56 yards over the Commanders' last two games, but he will be a healthy inactive Thursday due to Brian Robinson returning from a hamstring injury. With Rodriguez sidelined, Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols will be the backup running backs Thursday behind Robinson.