NFL Player News

With Brock Purdy (toe) unlikely to be ready to play Sunday against the Texans, Jones is expected to make another start at quarterback, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Jones has been starting since Week 2 and appears to be ready to make a sixth consecutive start, as Purdy continues to deal with his turf toe issue. Across his five starts, Jones has completed 67 percent of his passes at 6.9 yards per attempt with six touchdowns and four interceptions. He's done enough to help manage the 49ers to four wins across those five games, but Jones carries minimal fantasy value outside of two-quarterback formats.

Coach Kevin O'Connell said after Thursday night's loss to the Chargers that McCarthy (ankle) will start Week 9 against the Lions if he's healthy, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

McCarthy hasn't played since Week 2, as Carson Wentz has started each of the Vikings' last five contests. However, Wentz -- who has been playing through a painful left (non-throwing) shoulder issue -- was sacked five times Thursday and looked defeated at the end of the loss to the Chargers, as he was pressured and hit relentlessly by the Los Angeles defense. The Vikings have dropped two games in a row and three of the last four with Wentz at quarterback. McCarthy has been logging limited practices of late, and he'll now have 10 days to try and get ready for a date with Detroit.

Purdy (toe) is not expected to start Sunday against the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rapoport added that Mac Jones is expected to make another start for San Francisco. Purdy has logged back-to-back limited practices Wednesday and Thursday, but it sounds like his toe needs more time to heal. Jones has completed 67 percent of his passes and has helped guide the 49ers to a 4-1 record while under center. If Purdy is unable to play Sunday, his next chance to suit up will be Week 9 against the Giants.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that there's a "real possibility" Daniels misses just one start with his low-grade hamstring strain.

Daniels has already been ruled out for Monday night's game against the Chiefs due to the hamstring injury he suffered in last Sunday's loss to the Cowboys, but it sounds like he's not looking at any sort of extended absence. Marcus Mariota will be under center against Kansas City, and Daniels would then be in line to return to the lineup in Week 9 at home against the Seahawks.

Wentz completed 15 of 27 passes for 144 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Vikings' 37-10 loss to the Chargers on Thursday night. He also fumbled once but recovered.

Wentz's final stat line essentially underscores how difficult a night it was for the veteran quarterback against a defense that sacked him five times, as he worked through a painful left (non-throwing) shoulder issue, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN. The 2016 second overall pick finished with a meager 67.5 QB rating and essentially sealed the loss with his one pick, which came at the Chargers' 33-yard line early in the fourth quarter on a pass intended for Justin Jefferson. Wentz certainly has had his moments during his five-game starting tenure, but his days as the top quarterback may be over for the time being because J.J. McCarthy (ankle) should have a chance to return for a Week 9 divisional road clash against the Lions on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Herbert completed 18 of 25 passes for 227 yards with three touchdowns and one interception while adding seven rushes for 62 yards in the Chargers' 37-10 win over the Vikings on Thursday night.

Herbert faced an uphill battle coming in, considering the aggressive tendencies of the Vikings' defense and makeshift nature of his offensive line. However, the sixth-year pro and his teammates performed admirably, heating up starting in the latter portion of the first quarter and clicking from that point forward. Herbert connected with Oronde Gadsden from eight yards out for the first points of the night, and he then launched a beautifully thrown 27-yard scoring strike to Ladd McConkey down the right sideline just before halftime. Herbert capped things off with a six-yard TD toss to rookie Tre' Harris early in the fourth quarter while subsequently leading Los Angeles to another pair of scoring drives that culminated in Cameron Dicker field goals. Herbert now has back-to-back three-touchdown tallies within a span of five days heading into a favorable Week 9 road matchup against the Titans on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Purdy (toe) was a limited practice participant Thursday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Purdy continues to operate with a cap on his practice reps as he battles through a nagging turf toe injury that has forced him to miss five of the last six games. He may be trending toward a sixth absence of the season after coach Kyle Shanahan told Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area on Monday that it'd be a "stretch" for Purdy to play Sunday in Houston. Shanahan typically has been announcing the 49ers' starting quarterback Friday ahead of Sunday matchups, so Mac Jones may be confirmed in such a capacity by week's end. Where that leaves Purdy is another story, as he could be anything from active as the backup, inactive as the emergency third QB or inactive without suiting up this weekend, assuming he isn't named the starter.

McCarthy (ankle) is listed as inactive Thursday at the Chargers but will be available as the emergency third quarterback, Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

McCarthy thus won't be active for a fifth consecutive game due to his ongoing recovery from a high right-ankle sprain, but his standing as the emergency third QB for a second straight contest gives him a chance to play if both starter Carson Wentz and backup Max Brosmer leave Thursday's matchup due to injuries. McCarthy himself has put together back-to-back weeks of limited on-field work, and coach Kevin O'Connell even told Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com that the second-year quarterback's workout Tuesday was "just not there," but could have been if the Vikings had a Sunday game on the schedule. McCarthy's next chance for his first action since Week 2 is Sunday, Nov. 2 in Detroit.

Bridgewater (teeth) did not participate in Thursday's practice.

Bridgewater has missed the first two practices of the week, so Friday's injury report will provide clarity on whether he serves as Baker Mayfield's backup against the Saints on Sunday. Connor Bazelak is the lone quarterback on the practice squad, so he would likely be elevated to the active roster for Week 8 if Bridgewater is unable to play.

Jackson (right hamstring) remained limited at practice Thursday.

Back-to-back limited practices are encouraging with regard to Jackson's chances of returning to action Sunday against the Bears, but the star QB presumably will need to practice fully Friday in order to head into the weekend without an injury designation. Per Jonas Shaffer of TheBaltimoreBanner.com, offensive coordinator Todd Monken noted after Thursday's session that Jackson looked "really good" and took a step forward, while implying that the QB's Week 8 availability is in his own hands. "If he says he's ready to go, I'm ready to go," Monken added.