NFL Player News

The Saints didn't activate Siemian (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list, making him ineligible to play Monday versus the Dolphins, Amie Just of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Taysom Hill (illness) also wasn't activated from the COVID-19 list, leaving Ian Book to handle his first NFL start and practice squad call-up Blake Bortles as the Saints' Week 16 backup quarterback. Siemian's next chance to be available to the offense arrives Sunday versus the Panthers.

Garoppolo didn't practice Monday after head coach Kyle Shanahan disclosed the quarterback suffered a right thumb sprain when he was sacked late in the first half of San Francisco's 20-17 loss to Tennessee in Week 16, Keiana Martin of the 49ers' official site reports.

Since the 49ers played a Thursday night game Week 16, the team's session Monday isn't an official one. As a result, information on the extent of Garoppolo's participation in practice won't be known until the 49ers release their first official Week 17 report Wednesday. At the moment, Garoppolo's availability for Sunday's matchup with the Texans is looking iffy, a less-than-ideal development while the 49ers look to maintain position in the wild-card race with two weeks to play. Rookie signal-caller Trey Lance could take some first-team reps in practice over the next few days if the 49ers have any concern about Garoppolo's thumb as the Week 17 contest approaches.

The Lions activated Goff (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday.

Just as head coach Dan Campbell confirmed earlier Monday, Goff cleared the NFL's COVID-19 return-to-play protocols after a week-long stint on the list. With Goff unable to clear the protocol ahead of Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Falcons, Tim Boyle stepped in as the starting quarterback. Boyle will return to backup duties Week 17 in Seattle now that Goff is back at the team facility and ready to resume practicing.

Boyle will reprise his normal duties as the Lions' backup quarterback Week 17 in Seattle after head coach Dan Campbell confirmed Monday that Jared Goff (illness) is due back from the reserve/COVID-19 list after clearing the NFL's return-to-play protocols, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.

Detroit has yet to officially add Goff back to the 53-man roster, but that transaction is merely a formality now that the signal-caller has been cleared to report back to the Lions' team facility. While Goff was unable to practice this past week before he was deactivated in advance of Sunday's game against the Falcons, Boyle stepped in for his second start of the season. After a wretched showing in his Lions debut Week 11 in Cleveland, Boyle was far more competent in directing the offense in Atlanta. He completed 24 of 34 attempts for 187 yards and a touchdown, though he threw a game-sealing pick in the red zone to send Detroit to a 20-16 loss. Boyle's performance was probably enough to keep him ahead of David Blough as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart for the final two games of the season.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Monday that Goff (illness) will return from the reserve/COVID-19 list and be ready to start Week 17 in Seattle, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.

Detroit has yet to officially activate Goff from the list, though that looks to be just a formality now that the quarterback has cleared the NFL's COVID-19 return-to-play protocol. Goff was able to test out of the protocol in one week, as he reportedly first contracted the virus last Monday. While Goff was sidelined for Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Falcons over the weekend, Tim Boyle stepped in for his second start of the season and completed 24 of 34 attempts for 187 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Barkley was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.

Barkley spent 10 days on the COVID list before gaining clearance. Now that he's healthy, he should revert to his role as the Panthers' No. 4 quarterback behind Cam Newton, Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker.

Head coach Ron Rivera said he expects Allen to appear in relief of starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke at some point during Sunday's game against the Eagles, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.

Though Heinicke will retain the top job heading into Week 17, his place atop the depth chart is on shaky ground on the heels of disastrous starts against the Cowboys that bookended a Week 15 absence against the Eagles while he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Between the two games against Dallas, Heinicke completed only 18 of 47 attempts (38.3 percent) for 243 yards (5.2 YPA) and a 2:3 TD:INT ratio, with Washington losing by a combined margin of 83-34. Allen, meanwhile, relieved Heinicke in both contests, though the latter's brief departure from the Week 15 loss was the result of an injury. In small samples of action in those games, Allen completed 12 of 19 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, but over a larger body of work in his first three professional seasons, the 25-year-old was one of the more turnover-prone signal-callers in the NFL. Assuming Rivera sticks to his plan to have both quarterbacks play Week 17, neither will be an appealing fantasy option while handling less than a full workload. Rivera is leaving the door open for Allen to potentially start the team's Jan. 9 season finale against the Giants if Heinicke struggles again Week 17.

Head coach Ron Rivera said that Heinicke will remain Washington's starting quarterback in Sunday's game against the Eagles, but backup Kyle Allen is expected to receive some reps in the contest, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.

After both Heinicke and Allen weren't able to clear the NFL's COVID-19 protocols ahead of a Week 15 loss to Philadelphia, the two signal-callers were activated prior to the matchup with Dallas. Though he got in a pair of practices before the game, Heincke struggled to move the offense in an embarrassing 56-14 loss to the Cowboys, completing only seven of 22 attempts for 121 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions before he was benched in favor of Allen. The outcome was already decided by the time he took the field, but Allen looks like he'll get an opportunity to at least play a drive or two Week 17 after he completed eight of 10 attempts for 67 yards and a touchdown over his 17 snaps versus Dallas. Given the possibility that he won't handle a full workload against Philadelphia, Heinicke will be tough to trust for managers who may be thinking of using him in fantasy championship matchups.

Cincinnati placed Allen on the reserve/COVID-19 list after he tested positive for the virus, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Allen will need to clear the NFL's COVID-19 protocols before seeing action again, and the Bengals will be left without their top backup behind starter Joe Burrow for the time being. Jake Browning will slot in as Cincinnati's No. 2 quarterback until Allen returns.

Heinicke (illness) completed seven of 22 pass attempts for 121 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday's 56-14 loss to Dallas.

Heinicke returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list for this contest, only to be greeted with a rude welcome from a relentless Dallas defense. Washington started the second half down 42-7, so head coach Ron Rivera rolled out backup Kyle Allen -- who threw for 67 yards and a touchdown -- to get some work in garbage time. The Football Team may opt to go with Allen over Heinicke moving forward based off of the contrasting performances Sunday, with whoever ends up starting having the task of keeping Washington's slim playoff hopes alive against the Eagles in Week 17.