NFL Player News

Coach Brian Flores wouldn't commit to Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter for Week 5 on Monday, Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald reports.

Flores noted that Fitzpatrick is likely to retain the starting gig in San Francisco, per Beasley, but that a final decision hasn't yet been made. The Dolphins have only one win through four contests, so Fitzpatrick could be nearing the end of his rope as a bridge starter. Fellow rookie first-round signal-callers Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert have already gotten the opportunity to thrive under center, and it looks like Tagovailoa could get the chance to join that group before long. However, per Michael Giardi of NFL Network, Flores remains hesitant to rush Tagovailoa onto the field so soon after recovering from a serious hip injury and recent illness.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said after Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Eagles that he's "not sure, totally" whether Garoppolo (ankle) will be available Week 5, Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

"I know he'll have a good workout here Monday and Tuesday, and hopefully he'll be good to go for Wednesday," Shanahan said, "but I'm not sure yet." Garoppolo has yet to return to practice since suffering a sprained ankle Week 2. Nick Mullens threw two interceptions (including a pick-six) and fumbled once en route to being benched mid-game Sunday, and though C.J. Beathard looked competent upon entering the lineup late, the 49ers are desperate to get Garoppolo back in the driver's seat. San Francisco currently sits at the bottom of the NFC West with a 2-2 record.

Darnold (shoulder) could be forced to miss time while recovering from a sprained AC joint, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rapoport adds that the Jets could make a decision on Darnold's availability for Week 5 based on whether or not he's able to throw during Wednesday's practice. Though the 23-year-old signal-caller was able to retake the field after getting hurt in the first half of last Thursday's game, it now looks as though veteran backup Joe Flacco is trending toward entering the lineup.

Beathard entered Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Eagles and completed 14 of 19 pass attempts for 138 yards.

Sunday's starter (and primary backup) Nick Mullens struggled with turnovers in the second half and was benched for Beathard late in the fourth quarter. The third-string quarterback orchestrated two no-huddle drives that concluded with a Hail-Mary heave that would have clinched the victory had it not fallen incomplete. Beathard entered the contest with a 57 completion percentage and a 12:13 TD:INT for his career, but those stats came back in 2017-2018 when the 49ers had a far inferior offensive line and fewer playmakers. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will have an important decision to make regarding who starts under center against the Dolphins on Sunday, assuming Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) isn't ready to return from injury.

Allen completed 24 of 34 pass attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns Sunday against the Raiders. He also carried three times for minus-1 yard and a touchdown in the 30-23 win.

Allen completed 71 percent of his passes while averaging a healthy 8.5 yards per attempt. He completed touchdown passes to Gabriel Davis and Cole Beasley in the first half while adding a one-yard touchdown plunge of his own in the fourth quarter. Allen has been nothing short of excellent through four games, totaling 15 touchdowns compared to one interception. He'll look to continue his hot start in another favorable matchup next Sunday against the Titans.

Mullens was benched for C.J. Beathard in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Eagles, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. He completed 18 of 26 passes for 200 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while also losing a fumble prior to the benching.

Mullens put the 49ers up 14-8 in the third quarter with a five-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle, but he let the Eagles seize control in the fourth quarter with a pair of costly turnovers. He lost a fumble on his own 42, which led to an Eagles touchdown on the ensuing drive, then threw a pick-six on the first play of San Francisco's next drive. It will be up to Beathard to navigate San Franciso's fourth-quarter comeback attempt, and he could take over for Mullens moving forward while Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) recovers from his injury.

Carr completed 32 of 44 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Bills. He also gained 20 yards on four carries.

It took a lot of volume to get there, but Carr put together another strong performance as he attempted to keep pace with Josh Allen, posting a season high in passing yards while completing better than 72 percent of his passes for a fourth straight game. Carr could be headed for another shootout in Week 5 as the Raiders head to Kansas City to take on Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs.

Goff completed 25 of 32 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 17-9 win over the Giants.

The Rams' offense couldn't get much going in this one, but Aaron Donald and the Rams' defense made sure they didn't need to. Goff now has a 6:2 TD:INT and has completed better than 70 percent of his passes in three straight games heading into a Week 5 clash with a Washington defense that's allowed multiple passing TDs in three of four games so far this season.

Bridgewater went 26-for-37 with 276 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, adding six carries for 32 yards and a rushing touchdown during Sunday's 31-21 win against Arizona.

The 27-year-old signal-caller has composed winning starts in consecutive outings, handing Carolina its first back-to-back wins since Weeks 5 and 6 of 2019. Bridgewater has provided ample production in the yardage department through four appearances, throwing for more than 285 passing yards per game, but he had just two total touchdowns entering Sunday's contest. The scoring breakout from Bridgewater comes as Carolina prepares for a favorable QB matchup against Atlanta's bottom-three pass defense.

Jones completed 23 of 36 passes for 190 yards and an interception in Sunday's 17-9 loss to the Rams. He also gained 45 yards on six carries.

On a day when the Giants' defense played well, Jones and the offense weren't able to take advantage. The second-year QB was sacked five times, and he was able to complete only one pass over 20 yards as he got little time in the pocket to let routes develop. Jones now has a miserable 2:5 TD:INT through four games, but his numbers could get healthier in Week 5 against a Cowboys defense that just surrendered 49 points to the Browns.