NFL Player News

Heinicke (ankle) remains questionable for Sunday's game against the Saints but is hopeful to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Heinicke exited late in last week's loss to the Bears after aggravating a left ankle injury, but he was able to practice in a limited fashion Wednesday through Friday to build optimism about his chances of playing in the regular-season finale. The signal-caller is still seemingly being viewed as a game-time decision ahead of Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, as the Falcons want to see how he fares from a mobility standpoint in a pregame warmup before signing off on him making his fifth start of the season. Over his five appearances to date, Heinicke has completed 74 of 136 passes (54.4 percent) for 6.5 yards per attempt, five touchdowns and four interceptions while adding 15 carries for 124 yards and a score.

Lawrence (right shoulder/left finger), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Titans, is "trending in the right direction" ahead of the contest's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

According to Rapoport, the Jaguars aren't yet certain that Lawrence will be able to play through the AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder as well as the injury to a finger on his non-throwing hand, but the third-year signal-caller is pushing to play and doesn't appear to be at any risk of reinjury. Instead, Lawrence's availability looks as though it'll hinge on his ability to tolerate the pain, and since the Jaguars can secure the AFC South title with a win Sunday, the expectation is that he'll play even though he's probably well below 100 percent healthy. C.J. Beathard directed the Jacksonville offense in last week's 26-0 win over the Panthers and would be in line to start again Sunday if Lawrence is forced to miss a second straight contest.

Minshew completed 13 of 24 pass attempts for 141 yards and added one carry for nine yards in Saturday's 23-19 loss to the Texans.

It was the third start this season in which Minshew did not tally a touchdown, resulting in a mediocre fantasy performance to close out the regular season. The Colts' charismatic quarterback did a good job of protecting the football Saturday, which afforded Jonathan Taylor (ankle) the opportunity to post a monstrous rushing line (30/188/1) despite the losing effort. Minshew accrued 3,305 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and 14 turnovers while appearing in 17 games (13 starts) replacing injured rookie starter Anthony Richardson (shoulder). The latter underwent successful shoulder surgery and is lined up to start for the Colts in 2024, leaving Minshew -- an unrestricted free agent -- a likely target for teams in need of a veteran signal-caller this upcoming offseason.

Stroud completed 20 of 26 passes for 264 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Saturday's 23-19 win over the Colts. He added three rushes for 20 yards.

Stroud finished off his impressive rookie season with an outstanding performance in a must-win game. He delivered a deep strike to Nico Collins on the Texans' first play from scrimmage for a 75-yard touchdown and capped off an eight-play, 57-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown pass just before halftime. Stroud finished the regular season with a 23:5 TD:INT while averaging 8.4 yards per attempt and will lead the Texans into the postseason -- potentially as the AFC South division champs.

Rudolph completed 18 of 20 passes for 152 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Saturday's 17-10 win over the Ravens. He also lost a fumble.

Rudolph and the Steelers were playing in rainy conditions in Baltimore, which led to a conservative offensive gameplan. As accurate as he was, his game was fairly unremarkable except for a 71-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson -- a play that put Pittsburgh ahead for good. The Steelers still need additional help to reach the postseason, but Rudolph posted a 3-0 record as a starter to close the regular season, which should also boost his outlook for the 2024 season and beyond.

Huntley completed 15 of 28 pass attempts for 146 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 40 yards on eight attempts in Saturday's 17-10 loss to the Steelers.

The veteran backup made his first start of the season with the AFC's No. 1 seed opting to rest superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson for an inconsequential Week 18 matchup. Huntley was harassed in the pocket by T.J. Watt (knee) and Co. to the tune of four sacks for a combined loss of 28 yards. Huntley wound up throwing the Ravens' only touchdown in Saturday's defeat, adding 40 rushing yards with no turnovers to produce a modest fantasy score. The 26-year-old will report back to the sidelines when Jackson starts for Baltimore in the AFC divisional round.

Keenum (coach's decision) is listed as inactive for Saturday's game against the Colts, but he will serve as the emergency third quarterback, Drew Dougherty of the Texans' official site reports.

Keenum will the the QB3 for the second straight week after starting in Weeks 15 and 16. He'll only enter Saturday's game if both C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills are forced to leave due to injury.

The Giants signed Eason to their active roster Saturday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Easmon rejoined the Giants' practice squad Thursday after being cut from the team Dec. 4. He'll likely operate as the QB3 behind Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito for Sunday's contest against the Eagles.

Wilson (concussion) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

It's an uneventful end to what could realistically be Wilson's final season with the Jets. The third-year quarterback missed the final three games of the 2023 campaign due to a concussion, but given how Wilson was yo-yo'd in and out of the starting lineup since Week 11, it's fair to question if the team had whittled away the 24-year-old's confidence to the point of no return. With Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) set to start next season, it's unclear what the future holds for Wilson in a Jets uniform.

Lawrence (right shoulder/left finger) is listed as questionable but is pushing to play in Sunday's contest against the Titans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rapoport relays that Lawrence isn't at risk of further injuring his throwing shoulder, so his availability boils down to pain tolerance. The fact that the Jaguars can win the AFC South with a victory Sunday is another factor that would seemingly point toward Lawrence playing this week, though fantasy managers won't get official confirmation on that front until Jacksonville releases its inactive list 90 minutes prior to the game's 1 p.m. ET kickoff.