NFL Player News

Watson (shoulder) is considered week-to-week, but he is expected to avoid being placed on injured reserve, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Watson has already been ruled out for Sunday's matchup against the 49ers, but Schefter suggests he won't miss more than two weeks with the shoulder issue. That said, there have been a wide range of reports regarding Watson's status in what has been an ever-changing situation. PJ Walker will start in place of Watson in Sunday's game at Seattle.

Darnold will remain in a backup role for Week 8 after Brock Purdy cleared the five-step concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's game against the Bengals, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that Purdy entered the protocol in the aftermath of Monday's loss to the Vikings, which seemingly put Darnold in line to draw the Week 8 start against Cincinnati. However, Purdy ended up clearing all five steps of the protocol quicker than anticipated and no longer carries an injury designation into Sunday. As a result, Darnold will stick in his usual No. 2 role in Week 8.

The Giants elevated DeVito from the practice squad Saturday.

It's the third straight week DeVito has been called up, with Daniel Jones (neck) ruled out for Week 8. DeVito will serve as the backup to Tyrod Taylor in Sunday's contest against the Jets.

Jones (neck), who has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jets, could be cleared to return to game action as soon as the Giants' Week 10 matchup with the Cowboys, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Schefter's report differs slightly from one earlier Saturday from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who relayed that Jones could make a return from the serious neck injury he suffered Week 5 as soon as the Giants' Week 9 game against Las Vegas. According to Schefter, Jones still hasn't been cleared for contact while his neck injury has resulted in him experiencing weakness in his left (non-throwing) arm, though the quarterback's ability to practice on a limited basis over the last two weeks suggests the Giants aren't considering shutting him down for the season. Head coach Brian Daboll will likely shed more insight into Jones' situation next week, after Daboll had previously preferred not to answer questions regarding the signal-caller's status when asked about the matter Friday. In the immediate future, Tyrod Taylor will make his third straight start this Sunday in place of Jones.

Murray (knee) was not activated for Sunday's game against the Ravens, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

This should be zero surprise to fantasy managers given Murray was listed as doubtful on Friday's final injury report. That the electric signal caller was able to practice all week suggests the Cardinals are simply picking the best spot to activate Murray, with a matchup against a tough Ravens defense clearly seeming less than ideal to the organization. As a result, Joshua Dobbs is set to get what appears to be one final start before the inevitable return of Murray.

Jones (neck) could return this season and may even be available entering Week 9 against the Raiders, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

This seems to be a direct contradiction to Friday's report, which highlighted head coach Brian Daboll hardly squashing the premise that Jones could miss the entire season with a severe neck injury. It would seem unlikely the fifth-year quarterback would suddenly be healthy enough to play Week 9 after still not being cleared for contact, but it's still encouraging that the Giants seem to anticipate he'll play before the end of the year.

Purdy cleared the NFL's concussion protocol Saturday and has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Bengals, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Though Purdy was initially listed as questionable for the Week 8 contest following a full practice Friday, he had his designation removed after he was able to pass through the last of the five steps of the concussion protocol Saturday, when he was cleared by an independent neurologist. Since Purdy was also able to take part in non-contact portions of Thursday's practice, he should be well-versed in the 49ers' game plan for Week 8, despite having sat out Wednesday's practice session after entering the protocol following Monday's loss to the Vikings. Purdy may be operating without two key pieces on offense, however, as top wideout Deebo Samuel (shoulder) will miss a second straight game Sunday, and standout left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is listed as questionable and uncertain to play.

Purdy is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Cincinnati, though head coach Kyle Shanahan is optimistic the quarterback will clear the concussion protocol Saturday and start this weekend, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Purdy entered the protocol following Monday's loss to the Vikings, and due to the quicker turnaround than usual for the Week 8 game, he initially didn't appear to be on track to be available against the Bengals. However, Purdy has made rapid progress since being diagnosed with the brain injury, as he was cleared to return to practice Thursday as a limited participant after his concussion symptoms dissipated. He then took another step forward Friday, when he practiced as a full participant. In order to play Sunday, Purdy will still need clearance from an independent neurologist, something Shanahan expects to happen Saturday but can't actually be sure about. If Purdy isn't cleared, the 49ers will turn to Sam Darnold as their starting quarterback heading into Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.

Garoppolo (back) practiced fully Friday, Anthony Galaviz of The Fresno Bee reports.

After not practicing at all last week and being inactive for the Raiders' loss to the Bears, Garoppolo returned to the field Thursday as a limited participant. A full practice Friday sets the stage for the quarterback to return to the starting role Monday against the Lions, making him a Week 8 lineup option for those in deeper formats or in leagues that start two quarterbacks. In the five games he's played this season, Garoppolo has posted a 7:8 TD:INT and 1,079 passing yards.

Dobbs is in line to start Sunday's game against Baltimore with the Cardinals listing Kyler Murray (knee) as doubtful for Week 8, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Dobbs could be making his last start of the season Sunday, considering Murray was a full practice participant throughout the week and no longer is listed with a knee injury on Arizona's official injury report. The task won't be easy, with Baltimore leading or tied for the league lead in a slew of defensive stats, including net yards allowed per pass attempt (4.1), touchdown passes allowed (four) and points against (97).