NFL Player News

Jones returned to practice in a limited capacity on Friday, making him truly questionable to play this weekend. With No. 1 WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) cleared to play, Jones would only be a dart-throw FLEX option, if he is also active. The Packers’ top-tier defense does not make for a matchup to target.

Mitchell was a headcase in Indianapolis but got with the program after being traded to New York last year. He closed the season with 301 yards in eight games as a Jet. The team heaped praise on Mitchell throughout the offseason and he has seemingly ridden that momentum into camp. Mitchell’s spike games will be hard to pin down, but he should at least provide Best Ball drafters with some usable weeks.

Stefanski said the starters will get a series or about 10 plays, depending on what happens first. He declined to name a Week 1 starter. Michael Penix has not participated in team drills yet and Stefanski confirmed that he would not do so in joint practices with the Colts next week. The lack of practice reps likely means Penix is slated for backup duties to open the year, even if Stefanski isn’t willing to make that call just yet.

Coming off a serious leg injury that ended his 2025 season in November, Skattebo has fared well in offseason practices and training camp, claiming he’s fully healed from his leg break. For now he’s listed as a co-RB1 alongside Tracy, who was up and down as the Giants’ lead back last season after Skattebo went down to injury. Devin Singletary listed as the lone RB2 likely means Tracy would get first crack at lead back duties if Skattebo misses any time in 2026. Tracy will be worth rostering in most 12-team formats.

It looks like Canales wants to see Brooks — who missed 2025 with a knee injury — in live game action during Carolina’s second preseason game. Hubbard is expected to mix in as well. Neither running back is likely to see more than a handful of touches against Buffalo. Brooks has impressed during training camp, with no restrictions coming off the serious knee injury.

Egbuka reportedly limped off the practice field Wednesday with the help of Bucs trainers and was examined on the sideline for a while before watching the rest of practice with his cleats off. Though the Bucs are likely being cautious with the second-year stud receiver, Egbuka’s status will be well worth monitoring in the coming days. An Egbuka absence would open up an opportunity for WR Ted Hurst, who has impressed throughout the offseason.

LaPorta, operating over the middle as a trusted target for Jared Goff, has shown “just how much Detroit missed him the second half of the 2025 season after he suffered a back injury,” Twentyman said. “He’s been terrific throughout the start of camp. In an early practice team period, Goff found LaPorta down the left seam for a big gain down to the nine-yard-line. The next play was a touchdown pass to LaPorta over the middle. That’s been a common occurrence all through camp.” LaPorta managed just 40 receptions in 2025 while missing eight games with a lingering back issue that required surgery in November. He set career marks last year in receiving success rate (69 percent) and yards per catch (12.2). LaPorta was targeted on 21 percent of his routes, the second highest mark on the team.

This is the second straight practice McNichols has missed with the quad issue. He’s slated to function as Washington’s No. 3 back behind some combination of Rachaad White and Jacory Croskey-Merritt this season. McNichols was efficient in 2025, averaging five yards per carry on 44 rushes in Washington.

It’s not quite a ringing endorsement for Murray, acquired from the Cardinals this offseason. Murray had a brief competition with incumbent starter JJ McCarthy that included inconsistent play from both signal callers. On Tuesday the Vikings said the competition was over, and that Murray had won. “In my opinion,” O’Connell said, "[Kyler] has got the skill set and the abilities not only just from the standpoint of accuracy and his ability to affect the game with his athleticism, but he’s also proven to be smart, very hardworking, and be able to take in a lot of information and churn that out. Now we really want to give him the opportunity to really start building a comfort level not only with the system but with the guys.” Reportedly fired up about proving himself after flaming out with the Cardinals, Murray should be an upgrade for Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson in 2026. Murray has worked closely with Addison throughout the offseason.

“I want more than (the Super Bowl),” Johnson told The Athletic. “I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored (37.9), and I want to surpass them. I want shutouts. I want blowouts.” It’s enough to make a fantasy manager hyperventilate. The Caleb Williams-led Bears would have a long way to go if they are to eclipse the legendary 2013 Denver offense led by Peyton Manning — an offense that supported a range of viable to high-end fantasy options. Chicago last season ranked ninth in points per game (25.9), just behind the Colts. The Bears ranked tenth in points per offensive snap and 14th in red zone touchdown rate. If the Bears are to somehow challenge the 2013 Broncos, Johnson would likely need to call a far more pass-heavy game than he did in 2025, when the Bears were among the run-heaviest offenses in the NFL. If Johnson is indeed intent on maximizing points, everyone from Williams to Colston Loveland to D’Andre Swift to Rome Odunze to the injured Luther Burden could be major fantasy factors in 2026.

Thornton was at practice in street clothes Tuesday, missing his fourth straight. He left a training camp practice early last week and has not received a diagnosis or return timetable. Jack Bech, Jalen Nailor, and Tre Tucker are listed as the Raiders’ starting wide receivers on the team’s first unofficial depth chart of the preseason. Thornton is listed as Nailor’s backup but may be losing ground to Malik Benson as he misses time.