NFL Player News

Dalton will start Sunday's game against the Giants, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Justin Fields (ankle) is listed as questionable, but coach Matt Nagy said Nick Foles will serve as the No. 2 quarterback Sunday. While it's possible the plan changes for the season finale, Nagy did say earlier this week that Fields would need to be "extremely healthy" in order to play. Chicago's offense is otherwise in good shape from a health standpoint, while the Giants have two or three potential injury/virus absences on the defensive line, plus CB Adoree' Jackson (quad/illness) listed as questionable.

Coach John Harbaugh noted Friday that Jackson (ankle) "has a chance to play on Sunday (against the Rams), we'll have to see."

Harbaugh's words imply that Jackson, who didn't practice Thursday or Friday, is likely to be listed as questionable on the Ravens' final Week 17 injury report. If Jackson is unable to play this weekend, however, Tyler Huntley is available to fill in at QB now that he's off the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Jackson (ankle) wasn't spotted at Friday's practice, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

While it remains to be seen how the Ravens will officially list Jackson on Friday's final injury report, Zrebiec suggests that at this stage Tyler Huntley seems likely to start at QB for Baltimore against the Rams on Sunday.

Minnesota placed Cousins on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday.

As Adam Schefter of ESPN reported earlier Friday, Cousins tested positive for the virus and thus will be subject to an automatic five-day isolation period before he's eligible to rejoin the Vikings if asymptomatic. Cousins' move to the reserve/COVID-19 list officially rules him out for Sunday night's matchup with the Packers and paves the way for Sean Mannion -- who was activated from the list Friday -- to pick up his first start as a member of the Vikings. Kellen Mond and Kyle Sloter are on hand as depth options behind Mannion. Assuming Cousins isn't dealing with any overly severe symptoms while in quarantine, he could be ready to rejoin Minnesota and reclaim the starting role for the regular-season finale Sunday, Jan. 9 versus Chicago.

Cousins tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and will be unavailable for Sunday's game against the Packers because he's unvaccinated, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Even with the updated league protocols that include a reduced quarantine period for positive test results, Cousins -- who is in line to land on the reserve/COVID-19 list -- will be out for Sunday's divisional matchup. It's a tough blow for the Vikings, who are one game behind the 49ers and Eagles for the final two playoff spots in the NFC. Kellen Mond and Kyle Sloter currently are the quarterbacks available on Minnesota's roster for this weekend, unless Sean Mannion (illness) is able to return from the COVID-19 list.

Coach Dan Campbell said Friday that Goff (knee) is "doubtful" to play Sunday against the Seahawks, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Goff has been unable to practice this week due to the knee issue after missing last week's loss to the Falcons while on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The 27-year-old's outlook will be updated later Friday when the Lions release their official injury report for Week 17, but it appears Tim Boyle is poised to make his second straight start under center this weekend.

Lance has taken all the reps with the 49ers' first-team offense at practice this week, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The development is a residual effect of Jimmy Garoppolo's compromised health, which includes a Grade 3 UCL tear in his right thumb. As of Wednesday, he hadn't thrown since last Thursday's loss at Tennessee, and during the open portion of this Thursday's practice he was a spectator during warmups before hitting the weight room. The result has been no reps for Garoppolo, leaving all the high-profile ones for Lance. Considering the 49ers have just one session remaining this week, Lance seems to have a better chance to start Sunday's game against the Texans than Garoppolo does. In five appearances (one start) in his rookie campaign, Lance has 354 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 52 percent passing and 30 carries for 137 yards and one more TD.

Hurts (ankle) is trending toward approaching Sunday's game against Washington minus a Week 17 injury designation after practicing fully Thursday.

With the full session, Hurts is ahead of where he was last week when he logged a limited practice on Thursday. In the Eagles' Week 16 win over the Giants, Hurts rushed just twice for seven yards, but it's plausible that as he distances himself from the ankle sprain he suffered Week 12, the QB could log more attempts this weekend, with Philadelphia's top two backs Miles Sanders (hand, out) and Jordan Howard (stinger) both banged up.

Lock (ankle) was listed as a full participant on Thursday's practice estimate, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

Meanwhile, fellow signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) was listed as a non-participant. At this stage, it seems plausible that come Friday, Bridgewater will be ruled out for Sunday's game against the Chargers. In that case, Lock would be in line to draw his second straight start at QB this weekend.

Fields (ankle) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.

The limited activity marks no change from Wednesday, making it tough to gauge whether Fields is on track to be available for Sunday's game against the Giants. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, head coach Matt Nagy said Wednesday that Fields would need to be "extremely healthy" to play this weekend, perhaps suggesting that the rookie will have to put in a full practice by Friday in order to return to the lineup. Andy Dalton, meanwhile, practiced fully for the second day in a row Thursday after sitting out the Bears' Week 16 win over the Seahawks with a groin injury, which may be enough to put him in the driver's seat for the Week 17 start.