NFL Player News
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Bailey Zappe QB | NYJ
Browns' Bailey Zappe: Serving as emergency QB
Zappe (coach's decision) is inactive but will serve as Cleveland's emergency third quarterback.
Zappe won't count against the gameday roster maximum, but he can enter the game if Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson are injured during the contest.
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Mason Rudolph QB | PIT
Titans' Mason Rudolph: Under center again
Rudolph will start for the Titans on Sunday against the Lions with Will Levis (shoulder) inactive.
Rudolph drew his first start with the Titans in Week 7 in a tough matchup against the Bills. He took to the air 40 times but averaged only 5.4 yards per attempt, a mark he will look to improve upon in a more favorable matchup. However, after the departure of DeAndre Hopkins, the Titans' wide receiver corps is among the worst in the league, which won't help Rudolph's cause.
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Will Levis QB | TEN
Titans' Will Levis: Second straight absence
Levis (shoulder) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Lions.
Levis logged limited practice sessions all week and was officially listed as questionable entering Sunday's game. However, the Titans tipped their hand when they elevated Trevor Siemian to the active roster from the practice squad Saturday, and Levis is now set to miss his second straight game. Mason Rudolph will draw another start for the Titans and will face a Lions secondary that has been vulnerable at times this season.
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Justin Fields QB | NYJ
Steelers' Justin Fields: Questionable for Monday's game
The Steelers added Fields to the injury report with a hamstring issue and are listing him as questionable for Monday's game against the Giants.
With Fields' Week 8 status now in question, the Steelers may have to turn to Kyle Allen to serve as Russell Wilson's backup Monday. According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the Steelers had planned to have some packages available for Fields, but after Fields tweaked his hamstring in practice, that plan will likely be scrapped even if he's ultimately active as Wilson's backup Monday.
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Bryce Young QB | CAR
Panthers' Bryce Young: Could start beyond Week 8
Young will start Sunday's game against the Broncos in place of the injured Andy Dalton (thumb), and the second-year quarterback could have the opportunity to keep the starting job beyond this week if he plays well in Denver, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Even though he was benched after leading the Panthers to uncompetitive losses in the first two games of 2024, Young was always expected to get another look in a starting role before the end of the season after getting some extended time to watch from the bench. However, with Dalton spraining his thumb in a car accident Tuesday and being listed as doubtful for the Week 8 contest, Young will return to the starting role perhaps a bit sooner than anticipated. While serving as the Panthers' scout-team quarterback for the past five weeks, Young has remained "engaged and involved," according to head coach Dave Canales, and the Panthers are hoping that the time off from starting with leave the 23-year-old better prepared as he returns to the lineup Sunday. Young won't be set up especially well for success in his first start since Week 2, as he'll not only be facing off against an imposing Denver defense, but he'll also be operating without his top two receivers in Diontae Johnson (rib) and Adam Thielen (hamstring).
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Jayden Daniels QB | WAS
Commanders' Jayden Daniels: Seemingly trending toward playing
Daniels (rib), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the Bears, looks to be tracking toward playing, but the team will need to see how he feels during pregame warmups before deciding on his status, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Daniels took the field for just one possession in last Sunday's win over the Panthers due to a rib injury that kept him from practicing Wednesday and Thursday. He returned to the field Friday as a limited participant, and he said after the session that he felt good and wanted to play against the Bears. The decision ultimately won't be Daniels' alone, with the coaching staff as well as the Commanders' medical team likely to make a call on whether he'll play based on how he looks while warming up Sunday. Daniels' status won't be confirmed until about 90 minutes before the 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff, when Washington posts its inactive list. If Daniels ends up sitting out, Marcus Mariota will make his first start of the season.
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Michael Pratt QB | TB
Buccaneers' Michael Pratt: Elevated from practice squad
The Buccaneers elevated Pratt from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
Pratt, a rookie seventh-round pick, was initially drafted by Green Bay but ended up on Tampa Bay's practice squad after late August roster cuts. It looks like he'll get a chance to work as an emergency No. 3 option behind Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask versus Atlanta on Sunday.
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Carter Bradley QB | JAC
Raiders' Carter Bradley: Elevated for Week 8
The Raiders elevated Bradley from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday.
Bradley will be available to suit up as a depth option in Las Vegas' quarterback room during Sunday's game against the Chiefs. Gardner Minshew is slated to start the Week 8 contest, while Desmond Ridder will work as his top backup.
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Tua Tagovailoa QB | MIA
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Officially cleared for Week 8
The Dolphins activated Tagovailoa (concussion) from injured reserve Saturday and cleared his injury designation for Sunday's contest against the Cardinals, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.
Though Tagovailoa was listed as questionable following Friday's practice, head coach Mike McDaniel had effectively confirmed that the star quarterback would start in his return from a four-game absence, per Louis-Jacques. The return of Tagovailoa should help reignite an offense that has the potential to be one of the most explosive and potent in the league but currently ranks last in the NFL with an average of 11.7 points per game.
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Tua Tagovailoa QB | MIA
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Trending toward playing
Tagovailoa (concussion) was activated off injured reserve Saturday ahead Sunday's game against the Cardinals. The quarterback is still listed as questionable, but he's expected to play.
The Dolphins didn't remove Tagovailoa's injury designation, but head coach Mike McDaniel already suggested Friday the Pro Bowl quarterback would play. The 26-year-old said he's been symptom-free since Sept. 13, so it's fair to assume the Dolphins offense will effectively return to one of most formidable in the league with Tagovailoa now back.