NFL Player News

Stafford (hip/back) remained limited Thursday at practice, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

There hasn't been any hint of genuine concern about Stafford's availability for Sunday's game in Chicago. He said his current back injury is unrelated to the one he played through last season, and his ability to practice in any capacity suggests he's on track to play through the pair of issues. A tough matchup with the Bears defense is probably the bigger concern, though it hasn't quite been the same dominant unit from 2018.

Brissett (knee) remained limited at practice Thursday, Andrew Walker of the Colts' official site reports.

Brissett, who is bouncing back from a sprained MCL, has encouragingly logged back-to-back limited sessions, but his status for Sunday's game against the Dolphins has yet to be solidified. Friday's practice will thus be a pivotal one for Brissett, but if he's ultimately deemed unable to go this weekend, Brian Hoyer would be in line to fill in at QB for the Colts.

Jackson -- who has been dealing with an illness -- didn't practice Thursday, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports,

We'll circle back on the QB's status no later than Friday, but Jackson has time to recover in advance of Sunday's game against the Bengals and at this stage there's nothing to suggest that his Week 10 status is in any danger.

Brissett (knee) practiced again Thursday, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reports.

The QB logged a limited practice Wednesday and the fact that he took the field again Thursday indicates that he avoided any setbacks. We'll have to see how the Colts end up officially listing Brissett's participation level, but his presence for back-to-back sessions bodes well for his chances of playing Sunday against the Dolphins.

Stafford (hip/back) said Wednesday that his current back injury isn't related to the issue he played through in 2018, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Stafford was noticeably hobbled during the latter stages of the 2018 season as he played through broken bones in his back. His proficiency as a passer dipped notably during that stretch, as he finished a full season with under 4,000 passing yards for the first time in his career. Conversely, the 31-year-old is on fire through eight contests this season, averaging 312 passing yards per game with a 19:5 TD:INT. The Lions and fantasy managers alike will hope that Stafford's current back injury won't impact his play to the extent his previous one did.

Mahomes (kneecap) was listed as a full practice participant Wednesday.

That's a major step forward for the quarterback, but Adam Teicher of ESPN.com noted earlier in the day that Mahomes was "still second in the QB line behind Matt Moore" during individual drills at practice Wednesday. At this stage, the Chiefs plan to increase Mahomes' workload this week and see how his knee responds, per Teicher. With regard to the signal-caller's status for Sunday's game against the Titans, coach Andy Reid noted that the team would "not put [Mahomes] out there unless it's safe." Mahomes' full practice participation therefore doesn't necessarily ensure that he'll start this weekend, but it does signal that he continues to trend in the right direction.

Keenum (concussion) isn't expected to receive the start Week 11 against the Jets, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Keenum will spend Week 10 working to progress through the five-step concussion protocol while Washington is on bye. Though the Redskins haven't yet announced a starter for Week 11, Garafolo relays that rookie Dwayne Haskins is the current favorite to face the Jets. Keenum could influence that decision if he manages to gain clearance from the protocol in quick fashion, but things currently appear to be trending towards the veteran receding into a backup role while the non-contending Redskins take a longer look at their first-round pick.

Stafford was limited in Wednesday's practice due to back and hip injuries, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

Stafford appears to have gotten nicked up during Sunday's 31-24 loss to the Raiders. There's not yet any reason to believe that the 31-year-old is in danger of missing time, as he wasn't held out of Wednesday's practice entirely. He'll have two more opportunities to upgrade his level of participation in practice this week. Considering the signal-caller's irreplaceable role in the Lions' offense, the team may simply be taking a cautious approach with his health ahead of a tough matchup against the Bears defense this weekend.

Brissett (knee) will be a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reports.

According to Safid Deen of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, coach Frank Reich called Brissett "day-to-day," leaving the Colts hopeful their starting quarterback will be ready to play this weekend versus the Dolphins. The 26-year-old was forced out of Sunday's 26-24 win over the Steelers due to a sprained MCL, but his ability to practice in any fashion three days later bodes well for his chances of avoiding any missed time. Of course, the Colts will continue to wait and see how Brissett responds to a week's worth of practices before making an official decision on his availability. Veteran signal-caller Brian Hoyer would be called upon to start in the event Brissett sits out Sunday.

Brissett (knee) indicated Tuesday that he's feeling better since exiting Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Steelers with a sprained MCL and remains optimistic about his chances of playing in Week 10 versus the Dolphins, George Bremer of The Anderson Herald Bulletin reports.

Brissett was unwilling to make any definitive claims regarding his status for the Colts' first practice of the week Wednesday, much less Sunday's game, but his positive outlook regarding the injury at least provides some early hope that he'll avoid missing time. If he's ultimately unable to go, veteran Brian Hoyer would receive the starting nod at quarterback.