Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) got in a limited practice on Wednesday ahead of his team's Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders. Dowdle has been nursing an ankle injury for weeks, an issue which forced him to miss Week 17's win over the Detroit Lions. Dowdle's ability to get on the practice field on Wednesday is a promising development, although he will have to make it through the remainder of the week. If active, Dowdle will serve as the backup to Tony Pollard. If Dowdle doesn't play, the Cowboys would probably have to make a practice squad move as Deuce Vaughn (ankle) landed on injured reserve earlier in the week with an ankle injury of his own.

The Dallas Cowboys placed rookie running back Deuce Vaughn (ankle) on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and activated defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko (knee) from Injured Reserve in a corresponding move. Vaughn's move to IR is a sign that Rico Dowdle (ankle) should be OK to play in the Week 18 regular season finale against the Washington Commanders on Sunday after he sat out last week's win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday. The 22-year-old Vaughn was the talk of training camp over the summer, but he never really found a meaningful role with Tony Pollard and Dowdle in front of him in his rookie season. He finishes his first year in the NFL with 23 carries for 40 yards and seven catches for an additional 40 yards through the air. With Vaughn now out heading into the playoffs, Malik Davis will serve as the team's No. 3 RB.

The New York Jets are releasing veteran running back Dalvin Cook on Tuesday. The former Pro Bowler and the organization are reportedly parting ways mutually, as Cook looks to sign with a playoff team over the next week or two. Cook has had his worst season in the NFL by far, rushing 67 times for 214 yards (3.2 YPC) and catching 15 passes for 20 yards. He did not reach the end zone during his stint in New York. Ultimately, it would be surprising if any playoff team had a ton of interest in the 28-year-old given his lack of success in 2023. At best, he might end up as a team's RB3 or on a practice squad.

New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott rushed 14 times for 39 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. He also caught one of two targets for a gain of six yards through the air. The veteran running back has filled in admirably for Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), though he did take a major step back in the passing attack on Sunday. He had been averaging 6.3 catches over his last four games before this week's one-reception performance. Nevertheless, he salvaged his fantasy performance by finding the end zone and should continue to be viewed as a low-end RB2 option against the New York Jets during next week's season finale.