NFL Player News

Merriweather (6’0/205) was a star high school basketball player who earned a hoops scholarship offer from Western Michigan but chose to attend Iowa when it became apparent that football is a more realistic path to the professional sporting realm. A versatile chess piece who has the chops to play free safety, box, or in the slot, Merriweather became a full-time starter in 2020 for the Hawkeyes’ ferocious defense that allowed just 14.0 PPG, but really emerged last year when he held opponents to a 42% catch rate, 7.9 yards per reception and a sparkling 11.7 NFL passer rating when targeted, for an 88.1 PFF overall grade. He ran a 99.9th percentile 1.49s 10-yard split but ran only a 4.62s 40-yard dash (60%) for a very respectable 7.87 RAS. A cerebral player, Merriweather recorded just one penalty in his entire career and has the athleticism to crash down on short passes with a vengeance. While Merriweather doesn’t have the demonstrable ball production of his 2023 safety group contemporaries, he shows enough versatility and potential to warrant a long look in training camp.

The same is apparently true of GM Trent Baalke. Mired at a 2-8 record, the Jags are two-touchdown underdogs vs. the Lions on Sunday. “Based on several conversations, while Jaguars staffers are still working and grinding, there is a pall permeating the situation,” Rapoport said. “A doom.” It’s not hard to see why. Pederson’s style has gone stale even faster in Jacksonville than it did in Philadelphia. The 56-year-old seems to get too easily out-schemed on Sundays, and the locker room vibes that have leaked out to the public seem rancid. Yet another Jags regime change is a matter of when, not if.

Boyd popped up on the injury report Saturday and is listed as questionable with a back injury for the team’s Week 11 game against the Vikings. Boyd has not drawn a target in the previous two games while operating as the third option through the air behind Calvin Ridley and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.

Gross-Matos has been sidelined since Week 5 with a knee injury that required a stint on injured reserve. Now a situational player for the San Francisco defense, Gross-Matos should return to a modest role in clear passing situations for a 49ers team looking to make a second half push for the playoffs.

Speaking Saturday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters that wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s back injury is “not of high concern” after the star wide receiver popped back up on the injury report Saturday, ultimately drawing a questionable tag for the team’s Monday Night Football contest against the Texans. The coach’s comments ease a bit of the uncertainty for fantasy managers that are likely counting on the alpha wide receiver’s production for Week 11.

Collins was activated from injured reserve ahead of the team’s Week 10 game against the Lions but was ultimately held out of action for the fifth consecutive game. He proved his health in practice this week, upgrading to a full participant in the final two sessions before being removed from the injury report on Saturday. The Texans will look to get back in the win column against the Cowboys after dropping two straight.

Lamb was not listed on the team’s injury report to begin the week, appearing to be fully cleared of the AC joint sprain suffered in Week 10. He then popped back up on the injury report Saturday, this time with a back injury. Fantasy managers will want to confirm the status of the alpha wide receiver prior to Sunday’s main slate to gauge his expected level of health for Monday Night Football.

There isn’t much known regarding Jackson’s situation but he did not travel with the team ahead of their Week 11 divisional tilt against the Steelers. The winner of that game steps into first in the division, making the showdown one to watch. Amplifying information should be provided by the team regarding Jackson’s status moving forward.

Kay Cabot notes that Wills Jr.'s knee injury flared up. He told reporters this week that he was benched earlier in the season for making a “business decision.” Wills Jr. was referring to not trying to play through an injury against the Ravens earlier in the year. He was off the injury report, but played only two snaps in Week 9 before the Browns bye week. Now he’s hurt again and won’t play against the Saints. The former first round pick is set to hit free agency this offseason.

Kyed notes that Barmore’s absence from practice on Friday won’t preclude him from suiting up on Sunday. Barmore was placed on the NFI list after dealing with blood clots. The former second round pick had a career year last year and now all signs point to the Patriots getting a big piece for their defense back in Week 11 against the Rams.

Mayer was a full participant in practice this week. While he’s still listed as questionable for Week 11 against the Dolphins, expect him to suit up now that he’s been taken off injured reserve. Due to the presence of Brock Bowers, Mayer is merely the team’s TE2 and not on the fantasy radar.