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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean has continued his consistent and efficient performance throughout the season, earning recognition in the latest 2025 NFL cornerback rankings ahead of Week 11. His sustained high level of play has been a hallmark of his year-long clinic in efficiency.
Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Will Johnson experienced a brief pause in his impressive campaign in Week 10 due to a back injury. Despite the setback, Johnson has solidified his position among the league's most disciplined young corners, boasting a strong 74.9 PFF coverage grade through the first 10 weeks of the season, with his metrics consistently backing up his on-field performance.
Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney is set to make his highly anticipated return to MetLife Stadium this Sunday, facing his former team, the New York Giants. McKinney, who spent his first four seasons with the Giants after being drafted in 2020, established himself as a defensive leader, captain, and playmaker, forcing 11 turnovers. After the Giants let him walk in free agency, he signed a significant four-year deal with Green Bay. McKinney reflected on his time in New York, acknowledging the "ups and downs" but crediting it for molding him into his current self. With the Packers, he's become a premier safety, earning Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors last season and playing all defensive snaps this year, expressing excitement to play a strong game against his old teammates.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson was added to Thursday's injury report, being limited in practice due to new knee and hamstring issues. This development is particularly worrisome given his history of recurring hamstring problems and a torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2024 season. The team will provide further updates on his status ahead of Sunday's game against the Giants, as his health is a significant concern for the Packers' offense.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was upgraded to full participation in Thursday's practice, despite dealing with a laceration to the top of his throwing hand, which is not expected to impact Sunday's game against the Bears. McCarthy is currently navigating a challenging season, with star receiver Justin Jefferson's production significantly lower in their four starts together. While two of McCarthy's passes targeting Jefferson were intercepted in the recent Ravens game, Jefferson defended his quarterback, calling him "a great player," "a great quarterback," and "a great kid," despite his own frustrations with the team's overall performance.
Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is striving to return to his 2022 Offensive Player of the Year form, which he described as "savage mode" with an "f-it mentality," after a challenging season. Reflecting on his past dominance (128 catches, 1,809 yards, 8 TDs in 2022), Jefferson admitted "Life" had impacted his focus, and he aims to rediscover his pure love for the game. Currently, he's navigating the team's transition to quarterback J.J. McCarthy, with his production in their four starts together (4.25 catches, 52.3 yards per game) falling below his career averages, though his season average of 76.2 yards per game still ranks ninth in the NFL. Following a game against the Ravens where he caught only four of twelve targets and two passes intended for him were intercepted, Jefferson acknowledged it "definitely wasn't one of my best games." He passionately defended his body language, clarifying his frustration stemmed from his intense desire to win, not from issues with McCarthy or play-calling, and expressed confidence in McCarthy, calling him "a great player" and "a great kid."
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London was limited in Thursday's practice, appearing on the injury report with both an illness and a new back issue. He had been held out of Wednesday's practice solely due to the illness. It remains unclear if these new ailments put his availability for this weekend's game against the Panthers in jeopardy, making his status one to monitor.
Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain is likely to miss his third consecutive game, as he remained out of practice on Thursday due to a pectoral injury. With no practice participation throughout the week, it's improbable he will return to the lineup for the upcoming game against the Chiefs, impacting the Broncos' secondary.
Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins missed his second consecutive practice on Thursday due to a foot injury he sustained in last Thursday's victory over the Raiders. His status for the upcoming game against the Chiefs remains uncertain, potentially affecting the Broncos' backfield depth.
The New York Jets have placed wide receiver Garrett Wilson on injured reserve due to a knee injury, sidelining him for a minimum of four games. His earliest potential return is Week 15, which would include matchups against the Jaguars, Saints, and Patriots. This is Wilson's second knee injury this season; he previously missed two games after hyperextending the same right knee in Week 6 against the Broncos. The injury jeopardizes his streak of three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, amidst the Jets' league-last passing attack. Despite his past production, he's not considered a must-hold in shallow fantasy leagues given the team's struggles.
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle returned to practice on Thursday as a limited participant, after sitting out Wednesday due to a quad injury. This practice pattern is consistent with his routine before playing against the Saints last Sunday, indicating a strong likelihood that he will be available for this Sunday's game against the Falcons. Linebacker Trevin Wallace (shoulder) and safety Lathan Ransom (hand) remained out of practice, while Derrick Brown (knee) was a full participant.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has made a surprising return to practice this week, following a serious toe injury he sustained back in Week 2. His unexpected presence on the practice field comes as the team's current starter, Joe Flacco, continues to manage his own right shoulder injury, which kept him limited in Thursday's practice. The Bengals, despite a 3-6 record, still have a chance to contend for the AFC North title.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (right shoulder) returned to practice Thursday on a limited basis, following an AC joint sprain suffered in the Week 8 loss to the Jets. He had missed Wednesday's session after the bye week. Despite the injury, Flacco played in Week 9 against the Bears, throwing for 470 yards on 47 passes. His status for Sunday's game against the Steelers remains uncertain; if he can't play, Jake Browning would start. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip/pelvis) did not practice Thursday.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (hamstring) remained a limited participant in practice on Thursday, continuing his recovery from an injury that has sidelined him for the last three games. Ridley's ongoing hamstring issue comes after his return from a year-and-a-half absence, where he showed flashes of his 2020 form with over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns for the Jaguars. The Titans signed him to a substantial four-year, $92 million contract, hoping he can regain his peak performance despite quarterback uncertainty with Will Levis and target competition from DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough demonstrated playmaking ability in his second career start, leading the team to a road win over the Carolina Panthers with 282 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 128.9 passer rating. Shough's performance, particularly his success on throws outside the numbers, shows progress in his bid to be the long-term answer at quarterback. Meanwhile, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is under pressure after the team squandered a 19-point fourth-quarter lead and lost on a strip-sack in the final play. This marks the third loss in four games for the Jaguars, leading to questions about their quarterback situation.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is facing scrutiny after the team lost a 19-point fourth-quarter lead and the game on a strip-sack in the final play. This marks the third loss in the last four games for the Jaguars, prompting first-year head coach Liam Coen to reportedly contemplate the need for a different quarterback solution. In contrast, New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough displayed playmaking ability in his second career start, leading the team to a road win over the Carolina Panthers. Shough completed 19 of 27 passes for 282 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, achieving a 128.9 passer rating. He improved his starting record to 1-1 and is showing progress in proving himself as a potential long-term answer for the Saints.
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons returned to practice Thursday as a limited participant, after missing the last two games due to a hamstring injury and sitting out Wednesday's session. His return to the field suggests a potential availability for this weekend's game against the Texans. The team expects to provide a further update on Friday regarding Simmons' chances of playing. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley (hamstring) also remained limited.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris revealed that wide receiver Darnell Mooney broke his collarbone on the first day of training camp, an injury previously described as a shoulder issue. Mooney made his season debut in Week 2, with Morris noting the first four weeks felt like training camp for him. The receiver has also dealt with hamstring injuries throughout the season, leading to limited practice and missed games. This has impacted his production, resulting in 13 catches for 190 yards and no touchdowns on 35 targets, a significant drop from his previous season where he recorded 64 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns. The Falcons, currently 3-6 and on a four-game losing streak, are struggling offensively, averaging 211.4 passing yards per game, and will look to turn things around against the Carolina Panthers.
Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was back to full practice participation on Thursday, having missed Wednesday's session with an elbow injury. Several other Lions players were limited, including right tackle Penei Sewell (ankle), running back Sione Vaki (ankle), and tight end Brock Wright (ankle). However, tight end Sam LaPorta (back), cornerback Terrion Arnold (concussion), and safety Kerby Joseph (knee) missed their second consecutive practice. Defensive lineman Pat O'Connor (knee) was also out. Edge rusher Marcus Davenport (shoulder), left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder), guard Miles Frazier (knee), edge rusher Josh Paschal (back), cornerback D.J. Reed (hamstring), and running back Jacob Saylors (back) remained limited, while center Graham Glasgow (back) and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee) were full participants.
Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin was a limited participant in practice on Thursday due to a hamstring injury. Fannin, who signed a four-year contract in May 2025, has shown potential as a pass-catcher, breaking FBS records for tight ends in receiving yards and catches during his college career. Despite being behind David Njoku on the depth chart, his ability to work from the slot suggests he could share the field and contribute. Advanced statistics show Fannin averaging 39.3 air yards per game and accounting for 17.4% of the team's total air yards. He has also been active in recent games, catching four passes for 44 yards in Week 10. Fannin's proficiency in the passing game is expected to translate to the NFL level.
