NFL Player News

The Bengals waived Collins on Tuesday, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Collins signed with Cincinnati in May after going undrafted out of Oklahoma State. He never seemed to have a real chance to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, considering the Bengals' crowded backfield, but he may be a candidate to end up on the team's practice squad if he makes it through waivers unclaimed.

Mason's backfield mate Elijah Mitchell (undisclosed) was placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.

Reports of Mason challenging Mitchell for the second spot on the depth chart actually predate Mitchell's injury troubles this summer, with the Niners apparently impressed by Mason's combination of size (5-foot-11, 223 pounds) and passing-down skills. He's no match for Mitchell in terms of speed, but that may not matter much for fantasy if Mason ever finds himself in the starting lineup under coach Kyle Shanahan. While Christian McCaffrey (calf) seems to be on track for Week 1 against the Jets, there's always considerable injury risk for a running back that piles up snaps and touches the way CMC does. While unlikely to have standalone value while McCaffrey is healthy, Mason is one of the more valuable backup RBs to stash on a fantasy bench -- and he should remain so unless rookie fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo makes a push up the depth chart after missing most of the summer with a hamstring injury.

Dotson was waived by the Chargers on Tuesday.

Dotson managed to catch on with the Chargers' 53-man roster in 2023 after a productive preseason, but he wasn't able to replicate that success this time around. He finished the season with 38 rushing yards on 11 carries and ultimately wasn't able to stick around in a depth backfield role. Should he clear waivers, Dotson could sign to the Chargers' practice squad or search for opportunities elsewhere.

Goodson will begin the season as the No. 3 running back after the Colts waived Evan Hull, Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star reports.

Goodson could begin the season as the backup to Jonathan Taylor if Trey Sermon misses time with a hamstring injury. Goodson's skill set best fits as a third-down, change-of-pace option.

Ward was cut by the Steelers on Tuesday, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.

Ward spent the last two seasons with the Titans, playing in 11 regular-season games in that time, before joining Pittsburgh on a one-year contract in May. According the Saunders, the Steelers intend to sign Ward to their practice squad, if he doesn't find a deal elsewhere.

Merriweather was waived by the Packers on Tuesday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.

Merriweather spent the second half of the 2023 season on the Packers' practice squad, and he signed with Green Bay in January on a reserve/future deal. He was competing for a depth spot at running back behind Josh Jacobs, and across three preseason outings, Merriweather turned 26 carries into 99 yards. If Merriweather clears waivers, he could look to stick around on the Packers' practice squad or explore his opportunities elsewhere.

The 49ers placed Mitchell (undisclosed) on injured reserve Tuesday.

Mitchell kicked off August with a strained hamstring that sidelined him for a good portion of training camp and the entire preseason slate, but he returned to practice last Wednesday, signaling he was making progress in his recovery. It's unclear if the aforementioned health concern precipitated this move, but he'll nonetheless miss the entire season. With Mitchell on IR, Jordan Mason, Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor will be the reserve running backs behind Christian McCaffrey (calf) to begin the campaign.

The Dolphins waived/injured Brooks (concussion) on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Brooks entered the concussion protocol eight days ago. If he clears waivers, he'll likely be cut with an injury settlement, allowing Brooks to find a new home once healthy. As a rookie last season, Brooks rushed 19 times for 106 yards but wasn't targeted in the passing game.

The Colts waived Hull on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Hull spent the preseason competing for a reserve role behind starter Jonathan Taylor, but it appears that Indianapolis is more comfortable with both Trey Sermon (hamstring) and Tyler Goodson as depth options. As a rookie last season Hull was only able to play one game with the Colts before going down with a knee injury. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the team may opt to bring Hull back via the practice squad.

Wiley was waived by the Commanders on Tuesday, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.

Wiley missed time in the spring due to a thumb injury after signing with Washington as an undrafted free agent. However, the Arizona product was healthy by training camp, but he couldn't lock down a role in the team's offense for the 2024 campaign.