NFL Player News

Jones (ankle) is listed as active for Monday night's game against the Bears.

Per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, Jones, who has missed the Patriots' last three games due to a high-ankle sprain, is back in uniform and expected to start Monday's contest, with Bailey Zappe on hand in the event that he suffers any in-game setbacks in his return to action. In that context, Jones profiles as a fantasy lineup option for those who waited things out regarding his Week 7 status, though it remains to be seen how pass-heavy the team will be inclined to go in the contest, with RBs Damien Harris (who didn't play Week 6) and Rhamondre Stevenson both available versus Chicago.

Johnson reverted to the Broncos' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.

Johnson was active but did not play after being elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's loss to the Jets. The veteran quarterback served as Denver's No. 2 quarterback behind Brett Rypien, as Russell Wilson was sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring injury Week 7. Johnson completed 57 of his 85 passes for 634 yards and five touchdowns to two interceptions over four games between the Ravens and Jets last season, and he should continue to serve as the Broncos' quasi-backup quarterback if Wilson can't return Week 8 versus the Jaguars.

With Garrett Gilbert not elevated from the practice squad ahead of Monday night's game against the Bears, Jones (ankle) and Bailey Zappe are in line to be on the Patriots' Week 7 game-day roster, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

At this stage, the report notes that the Patriots haven't announced a starting QB for the contest, but Jones is expected to play. That said, Reiss suggests that "the possibility Zappe gets snaps can't be dismissed" either. In any case, official confirmation of Jones' availability will be confirmed once New England's inactives are announced ahead of Monday's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff.

Head coach Frank Reich announced Monday that Ehlinger will serve as the Colts' starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Ehlinger, a 2021 sixth-round pick, will get the opportunity to see his first extended action at the NFL level beginning with Sunday's game against the Commanders. Indianapolis got off to a 3-3-1 start with Matt Ryan (shoulder) under the helm, but Reich has decided to bench the 37-year-old veteran in a move unrelated to his injury. The Colts also have 33-year-old former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles in the roster, but Foles doesn't have a long-term future with the team and will serve as the understudy to Ehlinger. The Colts are taking a leap of faith in inserting the unproven 24-year-old as their new starter, but he'll at least get a soft landing spot Week 8 with the home matchup against the 3-4 Commanders.

Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks said that PJ Walker will start Sunday's game in Atlanta, regardless of the health of Darnold (ankle) and Baker Mayfield (ankle), Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Darnold hasn't been available for the Panthers' first seven games while recovering from the left ankle sprain he suffered in the team's preseason finale, but he appeared to be a candidate for the starting gig once he was deemed ready to return from injured reserve. The 25-year-old has a week of practice under his belt and could be activated from IR before the Week 8 contest if his ankle responds well to the Panthers' upcoming workouts, but even in that scenario, Darnold won't be available in anything more than a No. 2 capacity with Wilks handing Walker a third straight start after Walker played mistake-free football while guiding Carolina to a 21-3 upset over Tampa Bay in Week 7. Walker likely won't have a long leash on the starting role, and Mayfield was one of the NFL's worst-performing starters through the first five weeks of the campaign before missing the last two contests with his own injury, so the door isn't closed on Darnold getting a chance to run the Carolina offense before season's end.

Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks said that PJ Walker will start Sunday's game in Atlanta, regardless of the health of Mayfield (ankle) and Sam Darnold (ankle), Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Wilks may elect to evaluate the Panthers' starting quarterback situation on a week-by-week basis, but "as of right now," the coach said that Walker has earned the job after playing mistake-free football while throwing for two touchdowns in Carolina's 21-3 upset win over Tampa Bay in Week 7. Given Walker's underwhelming career numbers prior to last week, he's unlikely to have a long leash on the starting role, so a healthy Mayfield or Darnold eventually could get another look if Walker's play takes a step backward. Even before he suffered a left high-ankle sprain Week 5 that kept him out the last two games, Mayfield was playing his way out of the starting job. Through his five starts, Mayfield completed just 54.9 percent of his passes for 4:4 TD:INT and 6.3 yards per attempt while the Panthers got off to a 1-4 start to the season.

Ehlinger is expected to make his first NFL start Sunday against the Commanders, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.

The Colts are benching Matt Ryan, who threw a pick-six in the team's Week 7 loss to Tennessee and has turned the ball over 12 times in seven games. Ehlinger has been bumped up to the top of the depth chart, with Nick Foles expected to back him up Week 8. Indianapolis selected Ehlinger in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Texas.

Interim coach Steve Wilks said Monday that Walker will remain the Panthers' starting quarterback Week 8 against the Falcons regardless of the health of Baker Mayfield (ankle) or Sam Darnold (ankle), David Newton of ESPN.com reports.

Walker has earned the No. 1 job after a clean two-touchdown performance in Carolina's Week 7 upset win over the Buccaneers. Mayfield had been struggling prior to hurting his ankle, and Darnold was hardly better as the Panthers' starter last season, so another competent performance from Walker come Sunday could be enough to keep him cemented as the starter moving forward.

Tagovailoa (concussion/ankle) completed 21 of 35 pass attempts for 261 yards and a touchdown while adding 15 yards on four carries in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Steelers.

Tagovailoa returned to the field after a two-game layoff due to multiple injuries, leading his team to victory in a nationally televised game in the process. The statistics weren't gaudy from a fantasy perspective, but managers should be pleased he made it through a full game after getting knocked out early the last time he returned from injury this season. With one of the best wide receiver duos at his disposal in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Tagovailoa is an appealing fantasy option heading into a soft matchup against Detroit next Sunday.

Rypien completed 24 of 46 passes for 225 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 16-9 loss to the Jets.

Rypien earned his second career start in the absence of Russell Wilson (hamstring), though the Broncos showed no signs of curtailing their passing volume. He started the game in promising fashion by leading Denver to a touchdown on its third offensive possession, though that was the majority of the scoring for the team on the day. Despite averaging only 4.9 yards per attempt, Rypien also managed to keep his primary pass catchers involved, as Jerry Jeudy earned 11 targets and Courtland Sutton nine. Wilson is optimistic that he'll return for a Week 8 matchup against the Jaguars, and if that's the case, Rypien will revert to his backup role.