NFL Player News

Mahomes completed 31 of 47 passes for 410 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the Chiefs' 34-28 overtime win over the Chargers on Thursday night. He also rushed three times for 32 yards and lost a fumble.

Mahomes completed all three of his scoring throws in the fourth quarter and overtime, the last a 34-yard game-winner to Travis Kelce to cap off an OT-opening five-play drive. The 2018 NFL MVP's passing yardage total was also a season high, and perhaps most encouraging for fantasy managers, his prolific connections with Kelce and Tyreek Hill were alive and well to the tune of 22 completions for 339 yards and three total touchdowns. The performance was an especially timely one for Mahomes considering the context of the fantasy playoffs, especially when factoring in he'd disappointed in multiple games since Week 6. The stellar all-around night gives Mahomes plenty of momentum heading into a Week 16 home matchup against the Steelers a week from Sunday.

Dalton (hand) did not practice Thursday ahead of the Bears' Monday night contest against the Vikings.

The quarterback came into the week with the expectation that he'd be available for Monday's game, but his inability to participate Thursday complicates the situation a little. Dalton will still have three more days to prove his health prior to the matchup with the Vikings and slot back in as the backup to Justin Fields.

With Case Keenum (illness) slated to join Baker Mayfield (illness) on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Mullens is now a candidate to start Saturday's game against the Raiders, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

The Browns currently have numerous players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but Cabot relays that under the NFL's newly introduced COVID-19 protocols, some asymptomatic vaccinated players potentially could be cleared for the contest, with added clarity on that front likely to arrive Friday afternoon. If neither Mayfield nor Keenum gain clearance, however, Mullens -- who was elevated from Cleveland's practice squad Thursday -- would be in line to serve as the team's starter Week 15.

Keenum has tested positive for COVID-19, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, Keenum will join fellow QB Baker Mayfield (illness) on the reserve/COVID-19 list, which currently leaves Nick Mullens as the Browns' top available signal caller as Saturday's game against the Raiders approaches.

Burrow (finger) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.

Burrow's return to the field as a full participant confirms that his absence from Wednesday's session was maintenance-related. The quarterback initially suffered the injury to a finger on his throwing hand in the Bengals' Week 13 loss to the Chargers, but he played through the issue Week 14 and turned in one of his better outings of the season in a 26-23 overtime loss to San Francisco, finishing with 25 completions on 34 attempts for 348 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Allen (toe) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Chris Brown of the Bills' official site reports.

The Bills are viewing Allen as day-to-day while he deals with a mild case of turf toe on his left foot, but the early expectation is that he'll be ready to go for Sunday's game against the Panthers. Ideally, Allen will upgrade to full participation in Friday's practice to put to rest any concern about his availability, but if not, he could carry a questionable designation into the weekend. Mitchell Trubisky is also taking some of the first-team reps in practice this week, staying prepared for a potential starting assignment if the Bills elect to hold Allen out Sunday.

Fields (hand) was listed as a full participant on Thursday's estimated practice report.

Field bruised his left hand during Sunday's loss at Green Bay, a contest in which he completed 18 of 33 passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while taking nine carries for 74 yards. But the injury didn't impact his ability to handle every rep at Thursday's walkthrough, which can't be said for Andy Dalton (left hand), who was a non-participant. If Dalton doesn't gain clearance to play Monday against the Vikings, Nick Foles again would serve as Fields' backup.

Mullens was elevated from the Browns' practice squad ahead of Saturday's game against the Raiders.

Mullens will join the Browns' active roster ahead of Week 15 after Baker Mayfield tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. If Mayfield is unavailable Saturday, Mullens will serve as Cleveland's No. 2 quarterback behind Case Keenum.

Hurts (ankle) was a limited practice participant Thursday.

Hurts similarly was listed on Wednesday's injury report, but on Thursday he was the first quarterback to log a handoff as he split first-team reps with backup Gardner Minshew. When the quarterbacks moved on to another drill, though, Hurts walked slowly while Minshew and Reid Sinnett jogged to the next destination, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Hurts missed the Eagles' last game prior to the team's Week 14 bye, and it remains to be seen if he'll be cleared to play from the high left-ankle sprain he sustained Nov. 28.

Jones (neck) remained a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Jones has now been listed as a limited participant on each of his team's eight practice reports since he was diagnosed with a strained neck coming out of a Week 12 win over the Eagles. As his lack of advancement to full activity would suggest, Jones remains in a holding pattern in his recovery from the injury, with head coach Joe Judge telling Sean Farrell of The Bergen Record on Thursday that there's "no change" in the quarterback's status at this point. Unless he gains clearance from doctors Friday to resume taking contact, Jones will likely miss his third consecutive game Sunday against Dallas, paving the way for Mike Glennon to make another start.