This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
We're into the second week of preseason action, with a few games Friday and the majority of the matchups Saturday. Even so, we have plenty of news to work through as we inch ever closer to meaningful football.
Training Camp Storyline
Titans' Rushing Attack
On the surface, the Titans backfield is among the most straightforward in the league. Derrick Henry returned from foot surgery for the team's postseason loss to Cincinnati to close 2021, but he appeared to lack explosiveness. That's expected given the proximity to the injury, but we won't see Henry this preseason. That adds at least some question as to how effective he will be. The question of Henry's backup also was in question to start training camp. Dontrell Hilliard appears to have secured the second spot on the depth chart, which will push Hassan Haskins down the depth chart and perhaps limit him to a special teams role to begin his rookie season.
Injuries
- Trey Sermon exited practice early Thursday due to an undisclosed injury. The 49ers' backfield is suddenly one to keep a close eye on, as Elijah Mitchell is likely to miss the entire preseason. That leaves Tyrion Davis-Price and Jeff Wilson as the remaining healthy running backs who are likely to factor into the carry distribution this season.
- Miles Sanders has missed practice since the team's preseason opener. He is expected to be ready for Week 1, but there should be some concern regarding his ability to stay healthy. Sanders has had several lower-body injuries in recent seasons, including hamstring, knee and ankle issues. Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott likely would form a committee at running back, and Gainwell in particular could be an interesting late-round dart if Sanders is sidelined longer than expected.
- In more positive news, Michael Gallup caught passes while running routes Friday. His status for Week 1 is still in doubt, but there should be some hope that he'll avoid the PUP list, which would automatically cost him the first four games of the campaign. If Gallup misses time, CeeDee Lamb and Dalton Schultz should see all the targets they can handle, while Jalen Tolbert will also have the chance to contribute immediately.
- Like Gallup, KJ Hamler is also returning from a torn ACL. Hamler is ahead of Gallup, however, as he is already off the PUP list and should return to full practice by the end of August. It remains to be seen if that's enough time for him to ramp up for a Week 1 matchup against Seattle. A trendy breakout candidate in 2021, Hamler could post some decent numbers thanks to the Broncos' quarterback upgrade and Hamler's shift up the depth chart due to Tim Patrick's season-ending injury.
- Kadarius Toney has been dealing with a hamstring or related lower-body injury for the last week. He is reportedly "moving well" but will not play in Sunday's preseason game against the Bengals. Toney should be ready for the regular season, barring a setback.
Job Battles
- The reports building up Dameon Pierce continue to get stronger. Houston coach Lovie Smith has declined to name a starter and claims to be allowing the team's backs sort things out based on their performance. Pierce made a strong case for the starting role after his first preseason game with the Texans and appears to be trending up.
- Kyle Philips isn't the biggest name among rookie receivers, but he appears to be impressing in Tennessee. John Glennon of SI.com reported Thursday that Philips is contending for the slot role, a role originally projected for Robert Woods. However, with Treylon Burks sidelined, Woods and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine could be the outside receivers with Philips in the slot if Burks isn't ready.
- Demarcus Robinson signed with Baltimore on Friday. Robinson landed with the Raiders this offseason but was surprisingly released Tuesday. He'll have the chance to immediately carve out a role in Baltimore, though Robinson would have to rise up the depth chart quickly to get enough volume to get anywhere near the fantasy radar.
- Demetric Felton has taken reps at running back after beginning training camp as a receiver. The move could be related to Kareem Hunt's ongoing contract dispute — though he has returned to team activities. Felton will fight with D'Ernest Johnson for a depth role among the Browns' running back corps, assuming he sticks at the position.
