NFL Player News

LaPorta was a non-participant at Wednesday's practice due to a back injury.

Most Lions skill-position players take a back seat to RB Jahmyr Gibbs and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown in the pecking order for touches, but LaPorta still has put together a respectable 40-489-3 line on 49 targets through nine games this season. LaPorta will have two more opportunities to practice during Week 11 prep, but if he isn't able to participate Thursday or Friday, he could be at risk of missing his first contest of the campaign and second game overall in his two-plus years as a pro.

Flacco (shoulder) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Jay Morrison of SI.com reports.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports that Flacco didn't throw passes Wednesday but is scheduled to do so Thursday. Flacco played through the same injury before a Week 10 bye, throwing for 470 yards and four TDs in the Week 9 loss to Chicago. Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Flacco said the bye was much-needed, though his gaudy stat line suggests the shoulder injury wasn't too limiting. He's expected to make at least one or two more starts, including this Sunday against the Steelers, before a potential Joe Burrow (toe) return at the end of November or in December. The Bengals opened Burrow's 21-day practice window earlier this week.

Pearsall (knee) is returning to practice Wednesday, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.

Pearsall's participation level Wednesday remains undisclosed, but it will be encouraging to see him handling any amount of reps at all in his first on-field practice activity since suffering a PCL injury in his right knee Week 4. That said, Pearsall has managed to work on the side field on multiple occasions in recent weeks. It appears possible that both Pearsall and quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) could retake the field Sunday on the road against Arizona, though full clarity on the status of both players may not arrive until after the 49ers have had an opportunity to evaluate them across a full week of practice.

Stevenson (toe) has been ruled out for Thursday night's game against the Jets.

With Stevenson slated to miss his third consecutive contest, TreVeyon Henderson is on track to continue to lead the Patriots' backfield Thursday night on the heels of rushing 14 times for 147 yards and two TDs while adding one catch for four yards in the team's Week 10 win over the Buccaneers. Meanwhile, Terrell Jennings (knee, questionable) -- if available -- would be next up for New England's carries versus New York, while D'Ernest Johnson and Jonathan Ward are candidates to be elevated from the team's practice squad to provide added backfield depth.

London didn't practice Wednesday due to an illness, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

After being held out of the end zone through the first three games of the season, London has responded with TDs in four of his last five appearances on his way to a 37-532-6 line on 58 targets during that span. He's now dealing with an illness at the start of Week 11 prep, but he at least has two more practices this week to prove his health ahead of Sunday's contest against the Panthers.

Moore secured both of his targets for nine yards during Buffalo's loss to the Dolphins in Week 10.

Moore continues to handle a depth gig in Buffalo's pass-catching corps, and he figures to reprise a similar role at home against the Buccaneers on Sunday. Across three regular-season appearances since the Bills' bye, Moore has tallied four grabs for 51 yards on seven targets.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy (toe) will be a limited but "aggressive" participant at Wednesday's practice with the intention to start Sunday's game at Arizona, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

On the heels of Purdy's eighth absence of the season this past Sunday against the Rams, Shanahan told David Lombardi of SFStandard.com on Monday that the 49ers "want three aggressive practices, and we want to hear from him and make sure he feels good after them, too." Wednesday's development indicates that Purdy isn't completely past the turf toe injury that has bothered him since Week 1, but he's at least putting himself in a position for his first game action since Week 4. Mac Jones has been filling for Purdy during his extended absence.

Kmet (back) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

Kmet cleared the concussion protocol in time to suit up for Chicago's comeback win over the Giants in Week 10, but he appears to have sustained a back injury during that contest. If the veteran tight end is able to resume handling full reps Thursday and/or Friday, he'll have a solid chance to avoid carrying an injury designation entirely for Sunday's road matchup against the Vikings. Kmet has drawn two or fewer targets in four consecutive appearances, with most routes for the tight end position instead going the way of rookie Colston Loveland.

Gadsden (quadriceps) is slated to practice Wednesday, Eric Smith of the Chargers' official site reports.

Gadsden was forced out of Sunday's 25-10 win over the Steelers in the third quarter after logging 38 snaps in the contest. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the tight end is viewed as day-to-day with a quad bruise, but Gadsden's looming participation in practice Wednesday -- in any capacity -- is a positive sign ahead of this weekend's game against the Jaguars.

Godwin (fibula) was limited at Wednesday's walkthrough.

According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports, Godwin wasn't spotted at the media-access portion of Wednesday's session, but his activity level implies he was able to get in some on-field reps for the first time since coming out of a Week 5 win against the Seahawks with a fibula injury. Coach Todd Bowles told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on Monday that he didn't expect Godwin to be available Sunday at Buffalo, so the veteran wide receiver may be merely increasing his activity level with the aim to return Week 12 or beyond.