NFL Player News

Head coach Antonio Pierce said Wednesday that O'Connell will replace Gardner Minshew as the Raiders' starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Steelers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Minshew is being demoted to the backup role after starting the first five games of the season. Pierce said he doesn't anticipate going back to Minshew, but the coach did leave the door open to make another change if he eventually feels one is needed, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com. O'Connell will start off with a home game against Pittsburgh, leading an offense that played its past two games without wideout Davante Adams (hamstring), tight end Michael Mayer (personal) and right tackle Thayer Munford (knee).

Tennessee signed Siemian to its practice squad Wednesday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Siemian previously spent some time on Tennessee's practice squad back in 2020, though that came under a different coaching staff. The journeyman signal-caller is still familiar with head coach Brian Callahan's offensive concepts, as Siemian was with the Bengals for training camp and the preseason in 2023 while Callahan served as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator. The status of top quarterback Will Levis (shoulder) hasn't yet been determined for Sunday's game against the Colts, so Siemian could be elevated from the practice squad to back up Mason Rudolph is Levis is ruled out for Week 6.

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Wednesday that that Brissett will move into the backup role while rookie Drake Maye starts Sunday's game against the Texans.

From the moment the Patriots selected Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, it was inevitable that he would eventually claim the starting job. However, to begin the season, the team turned to the experienced Brissett rather than rushing the rookie into action. With New England sitting on a 1-4 record entering Week 6 and averaging just 12.4 points per game, Maye will now be given the opportunity to help spark the team's struggling attack while Brissett moves into the No. 2 role.

Richardson (oblique) is slated to practice Wednesday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Richardson was listed as a limited practice participant all of last week prior to being deemed inactive ahead of the Colts' 37-34 loss to the Jaguars, with Joe Flacco picking up the start in his stead. The team's first Week 6 injury report will be released later Wednesday and will reveal whether Richardson is able to upgrade his participation level. In any case, head coach Shane Steichen confirmed Monday that Richardson will reclaim starting duties for the Colts once healthy enough to play, per James Boyd of The Athletic.

Head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Wednesday that Maye will start Sunday's game against the Texans, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Mayo noted that the team's decision to switch starting quarterbacks from Jacoby Brissett to the rookie first-round pick was based on the belief that Maye gives the Patriots the best chance to win. Maye thus assumes the starting role for the 1-4 Patriots, who head into Week 6 action averaging just 12.4 points per game, ahead of only the Dolphins for the worst mark in the NFL. While the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft will be working behind an offensive line with question marks and throwing to a wide-receiver corps that ranks last in the NFL in catches (39) and receiving yards (342), Maye does possess the sort of arm talent and mobility that could help spark New England's stagnant offense. His running ability in particularly could give him a degree of fantasy utility in deeper formats, especially those with lineups featuring two quarterbacks or a QB flex spot.

Rattler is viewed as a "strong candidate" to start Sunday against the Buccaneers with Derek Carr (oblique) expected to miss multiple games, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report.

A rookie fifth-round pick out of South Carolina, Rattler has yet to make his NFL debut, and he's been inactive as the Saints' No. 3 quarterback behind Carr and Jake Haener through the team's first five games. Though it was Haener who entered in relief of Carr during Monday's 26-13 loss to Kansas City, the Saints may be inclined to turn the offense over to Rattler, who possesses strong arm talent but at times played recklessly during his five-year collegiate career. During his three preseason appearances, Rattler completed 20 of 38 pass attempts (52.6 percent) for 202 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions while rushing seven times for 26 yards and one touchdown as well as a lost fumble.

Carr is expected to miss multiple games due to the left oblique injury he sustained in Monday's 26-13 loss to Kansas City, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report.

Though the Saints haven't released the results of the MRI that Carr underwent Tuesday, his oblique injury appears to be significant. While he has played through injuries in the past, the Saints' athletic training staff plans to take the decision out of the quarterback's hands, according to Garafolo. After Sunday's game against the Buccaneers, the Saints will host the Broncos in a Thursday night game Week 7, so Carr is at risk of missing at least those two contests, and possibly additional time beyond that. Jake Haener came on in relief for the final drive Monday and would seem to be the top candidate to start in place of Carr, though Garafolo relays that rookie fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler is also under consideration to start.

Brissett is expected to move into a backup role with the Patriots planning to start Drake Maye in Sunday's game against the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Though he won the starting job coming out of the preseason, Brissett never looked to be in line for a long-term stay atop the depth chart after the Patriots selected Maye with the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft. After Brissett presided over an offense that ranks 31st in the league with averages of 250.8 yards and 12.4 points per game, not to mention a 1-4 record, the Patriots are now ready to turn the keys over to Maye. Brissett will slide back into the familiar No. 2 role he's occupied across multiple stops in his NFL career, and if Maye stays healthy and provides a lift to the offense, the Patriots could even explore moving the 31-year-old veteran to a quarterback-needy team ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline. Brissett is on an expiring contract and carries a modest cap number of $7.88 million.

The Patriots are planning to have Maye start Sunday's game against the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

While New England has yet to officially confirm the move, expect head coach Jerod Mayo to announce it when he meets with the media Wednesday. The decision to turn to Maye -- the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft -- isn't a major surprise, as the Patriots had struggled to a 1-4 start with Jacoby Brissett directing an offense that averaged 250.8 yards and 12.4 points per game, both of which are the second-worst marks in the NFL. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Maye boasts an ideal frame for a quarterback and is blessed with a strong arm and good mobility, but his fantasy upside could be limited in 2024 due to the Patriots' shaky offensive line and dearth of high-quality pass-catching threats.

Fields will begin Week 6 prep Wednesday as the Steelers' first-team quarterback, while Russell Wilson (calf) works with the second team in his first full practice since Week 1, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

After being named the Steelers' starter coming out of the preseason, Wilson aggravated a calf injury during Week 1 prep and he has yet to play this season. Fields has since guided the team to a 3-2 record while completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 7.1 yards per attempt and a 5:1 TD:INT to go with 172 yards and three scores on the ground. Though Fields has generally performed well, coach Mike Tomlin stopped short of declaring that he will retain the starting role for Sunday's game in Las Vegas, especially with the 25-year-old coming off his least efficient outing of the season in a Week 5 loss to Dallas. Tomlin indicated that the Steelers will wait and see how Wilson comes out of his first full practice in more than a month before potentially mixing him in with the first team Thursday and/or Friday. The Steelers will presumably lock in a Week 6 starter following Friday's practice, though Tomlin may not disclose to the media whether Fields or Wilson will get the nod.