NFL Player News

Rush (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday's game against the Saints but will serve as the emergency quarterback, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

Rush started the Falcons' first two regular-season games before being sidelined due to the return of Michael Penix and Tua Tagovailoa from their respective knee and oblique issues. The quarterback will remain the emergency third option behind the two active players, entering the game only if both Penix and Tagovailoa cannot continue.

Wilson (coach's decision) is inactive but will serve as the Saints' emergency third quarterback for Monday night's contest against the Falcons.

Wilson will operate as the team's No. 3 QB for the fourth game in a row to begin the 2026 campaign. Wilson will only be eligible to enter the contest if both starter Tyler Shough and top backup Spencer Rattler are forced out of the game.

Coach Dan Quinn said Monday that the Commanders are aiming for Daniels (left elbow) to have a full practice week and then start Sunday's game against the Giants, Zach Selby of the Commanders' official site reports.

The timing of Daniels' likely return to action is fortuitous for Washington after fill-in QB Marcus Mariota was knocked out of Sunday's defeat to the Colts in London and eventually diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, per Ben Standig of The Team 980 Washington D.C. Daniels has missed the last games after dislocating his left elbow for the second time in as many seasons back in Week 2. Wednesday's injury report will reveal if Daniels indeed is kicking off Week 5 prep with a full practice.

Coach Dan Quinn confirmed Monday that Mariota has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL in his right knee, and the quarterback's recovery timeline is to be determined, Ben Standig of The Team 980 Washington D.C. reports.

Meanwhile, Quinn expects Jayden Daniels (left elbow) to have a full week of practice and return to action this coming Sunday against the Giants, per Zach Selby of the Commanders' official site. When it comes to Mariota, the knee injury that knocked him out of Sunday's loss to the Colts in London typically is a multi-week injury, meaning seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis likely will be the backup signal-caller to Daniels in Week 5 and even beyond that point.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson said Monday that Williams (hamstring) won't practice during Week 5 and is still being classified as week-to-week rather than day-to-day, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Johnson noted that Williams has incurred no unexpected setbacks in his rehab program while he recovers from the Grade 2 right hamstring strain he sustained in a Sept. 20 loss to the Vikings, but the Bears are continuing to proceed cautiously with their franchise signal-caller. With Williams set to miss his third consecutive game this Sunday against the Packers, Tyson Bagent will draw the start while Case Keenum serves as the Bears' No. 2 quarterback. Williams still has a chance at returning to the lineup for Week 6 versus the Falcons, but he'll need to practice in some capacity to have a realistic shot at being cleared in advance of that contest.

Head coach Jesse Minter said Monday that he's uncertain whether Jackson (ankle) will be ready to play in Sunday's game against the Falcons, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports. "I don't know the chances yet," Minter said. "We're still gathering a lot of the information and the imaging and things like that, just dealing with a little bit of an ankle and we'll kind of see where that shakes out."

After sitting out the entire second half of Sunday's 24-18 win over the Titans due to the left ankle injury he sustained late in the second quarter, Jackson was spotted in a walking boot following the contest. The Ravens are tentatively Jackson as day-to-day, with Minter noting that at the very least, the quarterback's injury isn't "going to be crazy long-term." The team should have a better feel for Jackson's status once the results of the MRI he underwent Monday are available, and Minter expressed confidence in backup Tyler Huntley's ability to step in and direct the offense in the event the two-time MVP is unable to play Week 5.

Mariota has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee after he was forced out of Sunday's loss to the Colts in London, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports.

As expected, Mariota is dealing with a recurrence of the same injury that he sustained during Washington's preseason opener back on Aug. 14. Mariota was able to resume practicing fully before the start of the regular season, but he'll need to miss some time following his latest aggravation. The 32-year-old had started both of the Commanders' previous two games while Jayden Daniels (elbow) was sidelined, but Daniels is expected to practice fully in Week 5 and could be ready to start Sunday versus the Giants. If Daniels is cleared to play next weekend, rookie seventh-round pick Athan Kaliakmanis would step in for Mariota as the Commanders' No. 2 quarterback.

Keenum is expected to remain in a backup role for Sunday's game against the Packers after head coach Ben Johnson said that Tyson Bagent will start at quarterback Week 5, Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Chicago's emergency No. 3 quarterback through the first two games of the season, Keenum stepped into the starting role Week 3 against the Eagles after Caleb Williams sustained a Grade 2 hamstring strain in the previous game and after Bagent missing two practices leading up to contest while he was in concussion protocol. Despite guiding the Bears to a 27-7 win over Philadelphia while passing for 247 yards and accounting for three touchdowns, Keenum shifted to the No. 2 role in Week 4 while a healthy Bagent guided the Bears to a 23-12 win over the Jets. Keenum was still rewarded with a ceremonial start against the Jets, as he took a shotgun snap and handed off to D'Andre Swift on the opening play before giving way to Bagent under center for the rest of the game.

Head coach Ben Johnson said Monday that Williams (hamstring) will remain out for the Bears' Week 5 game against the Packers, Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

With Williams set to miss a third straight game while he continues to recover from a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, the Bears will have Tyson Bagent make a second consecutive start under center. Williams hasn't practiced in any fashion since sustaining the injury in a Sept. 20 loss to the Vikings, but if he's able to get back on the field in some capacity during Week 5 prep, it would bode well for his chances of returning to the lineup Week 6 versus the Falcons.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that Bagent will start Sunday's game against the Packers in Green Bay, Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Bagent will direct the Chicago offense for a second straight week after he guided the Bears to a comfortable 23-12 win over the Jets on Sunday. The Bears dominated time of possession (42:45 to 17:15) in the victory, with Bagent completing 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards and an interception while leaning heavily on the ground attack to churn out a franchise-record 34 first downs. Bagent's upcoming start against the Packers could be his last before shifting to a backup role, as Caleb Williams may be ready to return from his Grade 2 hamstring strain for the Bears' Week 6 matchup with the Falcons.