NFL Player News

The 2023 fifth-round pick has proven to be an exceptionally good depth piece thus far, posting PFF coverage grades (in a 584-snap sample size over two years) of 76.5 in 2024 and 65.4 in 2023. He’s mostly played as an outside corner. Chicago’s depth chart behind Tyrique Stevenson, Jaylon Johnson (also hurt) and Kyler Gordon is shaky enough that the team might pursue outside help at final cuts. Smith will be on the final year of his rookie deal in 2026.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported an hour ago that Braelon Allen will get the start, but he didn’t explicitly rule out Hall for Week 8. Fowler’s report makes things relatively black and white. Hall will miss today’s game versus the Raiders. He got in three practices this week before being listed as questionable on Friday. Though a Week 9 return is on the table, the Jets’ failure to put Hall on IR, only for him to miss at least five games, suggests his injury is worse than they initially expected. It’s possible he’s held out beyond today’s game. Braelon Allen will continue to dominate the Jets’ backfield touches until Hall returns.

Burks was limited in Friday’s practice before being listed as questionable. With Terry McLaurin done for the year, Burks is one of several role players for the Commanders who will be asked to step up in the back half of 2026. Burks has nine catches for 152 yards and two scores in five appearances this year.

The Panthers netted second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks for McCaffrey when they sent him to San Francisco in 2022. Indy reportedly turned down an offer of a second-round selection plus another pick for Taylor, meaning they have their eyes set on the full compensation that Carolina landed. The fact that the Colts abruptly changed their stance on trading Taylor at all this weekend suggests it’s only a matter of time before a deal gets done. They have until November 10th, the Tuesday after Week 9, to find a trade partner.

Rapoport mentioned that Breece Hall is still dealing with his quad injury, though he didn’t explicitly say that Hall will not play this week. For now, fantasy managers should assume he is out, marking his fifth absence because of the injury. Allen is averaging 20.8 touches and 105 yards from scrimmage without Hall this year. He is back on the RB1/2 border for Week 8.

Schefter threw out several names, many of whom have already been bandied about as trade candidates. Among the lesser-discussed options, he included Jerry Jeudy and Jauan Jennings in addition to Ridley. All three are veteran wideouts who have simply disappeared in the current iterations of their respective offenses. Even with new landing spots in the cards for the trio, none of them are worth holding onto in standard fantasy leagues. Ridley has five catches for 81 yards this year. He is expected to play through his hip injury today.

Though teams can change their minds in very short periods of time, Rapoport’s wording on this matter is rather definitive. Sitting at 2-5 with Jalen Hurts out for the year, it makes sense for the Eagles to be sellers at the trade deadline. Players including Dallas Goedert, Riq Woolen, and Hollywood Brown have also been the subject of trade rumors. All three are more likely than Barkley to land with new teams over the next week. Barring a change of heart from GM Howie Roseman, Barkley will continue to be the focal point of a failing offense for the remainder of the season.

Pickens has been playing through the shoulder issue for a few weeks, but the hamstring was a new addition to his injury report. We suspect the hamstring injury is what earned him the questionable tag on Friday, though it’s a moot point now. Staring down a likely shootout with a weak Arizona defense, Pickens, even at less than full strength, is a locked-in WR2 for Week 8.

Waddle suffered the chest injury late in the Broncos’ Week 7 win over the Cardinals and a doomed trick play. He was leveled by Josh Sweat several yards behind the line of scrimmage. The Broncos held him out of Wednesday’s practice before giving him two limited sessions and a questionable tag. Though we suspect he is on some form of a snap count, it looks like Waddle is giving it a go. Already struggling to put up WR3 fantasy numbers, we’re regarding him as a high-risk FLEX play versus Kansas City.

Schefter added that the team does not feel their current four-game losing streak is the fault of Cousins. He threw for nine touchdowns in the first three games, all of which the Raiders won. Cousins has just seven touchdowns over his past four outings, though he has only thrown two interceptions and taken just five sacks during that stretch. The Raiders are probably right to lay the blame elsewhere. Still, No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is waiting in the wings. He is the future of the franchise, and his time grows closer with every Raiders loss. Vegas takes on the Jets this week. They then get a gauntlet of San Francisco, Seattle, and Denver. A 0-3 run that late in the season would likely spell the end of Cousins as their starter.

Crosby was the subject of rampant trade rumors as the deadline approached last year. Nothing materialized then, but the team ultimately found a partner in the Ravens during the offseason. The deal was signed and Crosby had his flight to Baltimore booked, but the Ravens backed out at the last minute after Crosby failed his physical. Crosby’s baulky knee was a long-term concern for the Ravens, though it hasn’t even been mentioned this year. Schefter added that Crosby no longer wants to be traded, which was not a foregone conclusion this time last year. Even in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the Raiders are still contenders in the AFC West, giving them reason enough to hold onto their star pass-rusher.