NFL Player News

Samuel (heel) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.

Samuel was able to draw the questionable tag for Week 7 after logging a limited practice Friday, but the seventh-year wideout will not travel with the team to Dallas due to a lingering heel injury. The Commanders will be without Samuel, Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) and Noah Brown (groin) for Sunday's NFC East tilt, which leaves Luke McCaffrey, rookie fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane and Chris Moore as the top wideouts in the passing game for Jayden Daniels. Tight end Zach Ertz would also be in line for more work on offense in the absence of Samuel, but the former is listed as questionable for Week 7 due to foot and shoulder injuries. Samuel's next opportunity to play is Week 8 against the Chiefs on Monday, Oct. 27.

The Cardinals are planning to start Brissett against the Packers on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The Cardinals are on a bye Week 8, and it appears they will give Kyler Murray additional time to heal from a mid-foot sprain and target a potential return for Week 9 against the Cowboys on Monday, Nov. 3. That puts Brissett in line for a second-straight start while Kedon Slovis serves as the backup quarterback. Brissett played well during Arizona's Week 6 loss to Indianapolis, with the veteran quarterback completing 27 of 44 passes (61.4 percent) for 320 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while adding 19 rushing yards on three carries.

The Cardinals are planning to start Jacoby Brissett instead of Murray (foot) against the Packers on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Murray drew the questionable tag for Sunday's game after being a limited practice participant all week. However, with the Cardinals on a bye for Week 8, it appears the team will sit Murray to give him more time to heal from a mid-foot sprain, which would make Week 9 against the Cowboys on Monday, Nov. 3 the next opportunity for the 28-year-old quarterback to play. Brissett had a strong showing in the Cardinals' Week 7 loss to the Colts, with the veteran completing 27 of 44 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while turning three carries into 19 yards.

The Panthers activated Coker (quadriceps) from injured reserve Saturday, but he remains questionable for Sunday's game at the Jets, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.

Coker has been a full practice participant over the past two weeks, and his return from IR indicates that he's tracking toward playing Week 7. The second-year wideout finished his rookie campaign with 32 catches (on 46 targets) for 478 yards and two touchdowns across 11 regular-season games. Coker should be utilized in two- and three-wideout sets alongside rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan, which would result in a decrease in offensive snaps for Xavier Legette and Hunter Renfrow.

Mingo (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Commanders and will remain on injured reserve.

Mingo earned the questionable tag for Week 7 after logging a full practice Friday, but the third-year wideout hasn't progressed enough in his recovery to return from a PCL sprain in his right knee that he sustained during the preseason in mid-August. Mingo's 21-day window to be activated from injured reserve opened Oct. 1, and he would be forced to remain on IR for the rest of the season if the Cowboys don't activate him prior to the window closing. Mingo's next opportunity to make his 2025 regular-season debut is Week 8 against the Broncos on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Godwin (fibula) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Lions, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Godwin will be sidelined for a second consecutive game due to a fibula injury that he picked up during the Buccaneers' Week 5 win over the Seahawks. The injury isn't related to the fibula that he broke during the 2024 campaign, but the Bucs will continue to play things cautiously with the veteran wideout. With Tampa Bay on a bye in Week 9, the Buccaneers could hold Godwin out for Week 8 against the Saints to give the veteran wideout more time to heal, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports. With Godwin and Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) both ruled out, Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers may have to rely more heavily on Rachaad White, Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson and Cade Otton in the offense depending on the statuses of Mike Evans (hamstring) and Emeka Egbuka (hamstring), both of whom are considered game-time calls for Monday night's game in Detroit.

Irving (foot) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Lions, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The announcement doesn't come as much of a surprise, given that Irving has been held out of practice while working through foot and shoulder injuries. In his absence, Rachaad White will continue to operate as the Bucs' lead option out of the backfield while Sean Tucker serves in a reserve role. Irving's next opportunity to play is Week 8 against the Saints on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Evans (hamstring) was a participant in Saturday's practice and is considered a game-time decision for Monday's game against Detroit, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The veteran wide receiver was on the field for Saturday's practice after taking a rest day Friday. Evans has not yet been given the green light to make his return from a three-game absence, and he joins rookie Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) as game-time calls for Monday night against the Lions. Chris Godwin (fibula) has already been ruled out, and with the Bucs playing in the penultimate game of Week 7, fantasy managers won't have as many options at wide receiver to fall back on if one or both of Evans and Egbuka was to ultimately be ruled out. Sterling Shepard, seventh-round rookie Tez Johnson, Ryan Miller, Kameron Johnson and tight end Cade Otton would be in line to see more targets from Baker Mayfield if Evans or Egubka (or both) were to be sidelined.

Egbuka (hamstring) was a limited participant in Saturday's practice and is considered a game-time decision for Monday's game against the Lions, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The rookie wideout suffered a hamstring injury against the 49ers in Week 6, which caused him to miss the first two practices of the week. However, Egubka managed to practice in a limited capacity Saturday, which gives him a chance at playing Monday night in Detroit. With two games taking place Monday, fantasy managers won't have as many options to work with if Egbuka ends up not playing. Chris Godwin (fibula) has been ruled out and Egbuka and Mike Evans (hamstring) are both game-time calls, which leaves Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson, Ryan Miller and Kameron Johnson as the Tampa Bay wideouts without an injury designation heading into Week 7. Tight end Cade Otton would also be in line for an uptick in targets from Baker Mayfield if one or both of Egbuka and Evans were ruled out.

Kirk (hamstring) will not participate in Saturday's practice, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Kirk popped up on Friday's practice report as a limited participant due to a hamstring injury. His downgrade to a DNP doesn't bode well for his chances of playing against the Seahawks on Monday, and his injury designation should be announced by the Texans following the conclusion of Saturday's practice. The Texans would turn to Xavier Hutchinson and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to take on larger roles in the offense behind top wideout Nico Collins if Kirk is not cleared to play against Seattle.