NFL Player News

A seventh-round pick in 2012, Molk appeared in 12 games for the Chargers’ injury-ravaged line last year. He never developed into Nick Hardwick’s successor. Johnnie Troutman looks like a good bet to stick on the roster.

Highsmith rolled his ankle late in the Steelers’ Week 10 win over the Commanders and needed assistance getting to the sideline. We could safely assume, based on replay, that Highsmith would miss some time with the injury, but now we have a bit of a timeline. With their bye week already passed, a 2-3 week absence would put Highsmith on pace to return in Week 14 or 15. Highsmith has totaled 19 tackles, four TFLs, and three sacks for the Steelers in six this season.

The Buccaneers’ bye week could not come at a better time. The week off will give Wirfs some time to recover without the risk of missing an extra game, and the team is still holding out hope that Mike Evans (hamstring) can return in Week 12 after the bye. Wirfs will likely miss a game or two, but it seems unlikely the team will place him on injured reserve. Still, it’s a massive loss for the Buccaneers, who will likely replace him with veteran backup Justin Skule, who replaced him on Sunday.

Overshown exited Week 10’s game with a non-contact injury but was able to walk off the field under his own power. With the injury not appearing significant, Overshown is expected to undergo treatment, and seems unlikely to miss any significant time. Overshown has totaled 67 tackles, seven TFLs, and four sacks in nine games this season.

Winston crashed back to earth in Week 9, throwing for 235 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions in the Browns’ loss to the Chargers. A Week 8 win over the Ravens in which he threw for 334-3-0 has likely bought him some good grace with the team, but the Browns shouldn’t be in a hurry to pivot to Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has a career line of 522-1-6 on 136 pass attempts. Winston gets a plus fantasy matchup in Week 11 against the Saints, who he spent the previous four seasons with. He’s a high-risk, high-reward QB2.

Harbaugh said he sees “a little bit of a three-headed monster” in the Ravens’ backfield, but we’ll take that comment with a grain of salt. Justice Hill is averaging just 6.4 opportunities/gm this season, and Henry is leading the league in rushing through the first 10 weeks. We’d expect Mitchell to get additional work in the coming weeks, but a true “three-headed monster” approach seems unlikely, especially with Lamar also handling work on the ground.

Things aren’t going well in Chicago. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been put to the test as of late, as his offense has inexplicably scored just 27 points in its last three games since coming off the bye. It’s a far cry from the 31.7 points they averaged from Weeks 4-6. Waldron is in his first season as the Bears’ OC, but with Eberflus entering 2024 already on the hot seat, he can ill-afford to bank on other coaches who are underperforming in their role. A change could be in order if Eberflus hopes to save his job.

Fournette’s missed almost two full years of regular season football. The veteran running back joined the Bills’ practice squad in October of last season but played in only two games. He rushed 12 times for 40 scoreless yards in those games and was not in training camp this offseason. The Colts met with Fournette before the start of the season but opted against signing him. The Bengals placed Zack Moss (neck) on injured reserve last week, and made a deadline trade with the Bears to acquire Khalil Herbert. Clearly still interested in upgrading their backfield, they’ll see if Fournette can find a way to fit on the roster, should they opt to sign him.

LaPorta exited in the third quarter of Sunday’s win against the Texans after hauling in a 37-yard pass. Campbell does not appear overly concerned about LaPorta’s injury, but a one-game absence could be in store for the second-year tight end. We’ve seen other players play through a similar injury, so it’s too early to rule him out just yet. His name will be one to watch on this week’s injury report.

Howard, 31, was released by the Dolphins in March and did not sign with a team during training camp. The veteran corner struggled in coverage last season, earning a PFF coverage grade of 51.9 while allowing 44 receptions for 502 yards and two touchdowns. The Bengals are hoping Howard could provide a boost to a pass defense that’s allowing the 11th-most passing yards per game, but it’s hard to imagine him as anything more than added depth given his age and struggles in recent seasons.