NFL Player News

Smith was carted off the field 10 days ago after suffering a knee injury in practice. It was later determined to be a contusion for Smith, who took some time off to recover and is now back on the field. Smith totaled 5.5 sacks for the Browns in 16 games last season and signed a two-year contract extension with them earlier this offseason. Not counting a 2021 campaign in which he appeared in just one game due to injury, Smith’s 5.5 sacks are his fewest since 2018. He and the Browns hope he can bounce back to his old form heading into his age-32 season.

Daboll also added that he doesn’t plan to change up the quarterback’s practice reps this week, giving Jones full reign over the offense for Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Jones led the Giants to three touchdown-scoring drives in Week 9’s loss to the Commanders but averaged a paltry 6.7 YPA in a conservative passing game. Jones needed all four quarters in the loss to surpass the century mark through the air and did connect with tight end Theo Johnson no a 35-yard score late in the game. Jones could have some solid fantasy upside in Week 10, but we would count on him outside of 2QB/Superflex leagues.

Estime ran five times for 35 yards in the Broncos’ Week 9 loss to the Ravens. His opportunities came primarily in garbage time, but his performance was apparently enough to warrant more touches going forward. Fantasy managers should take this news with a grain of salt, as Payton has failed to deliver on promises of increased workloads for other players in the past. That said, it’s easy to see why the Broncos would give Estime a longer look, as Javonte Williams has totaled just 46 rushing yards on his last 29 carries, and is averaging a meager 3.8 YPC this season. Estime is worth a stash ahead of Week 10’s game against the Chiefs, but we wouldn’t rush to start him until we see how things play out.

Rapoport reports that “the belief is he suffered a hip pointer,” but Underdog’s James Palmer also noted a possible oblique injury to London late Sunday evening. On the surface, it sounds like London is at risk of missing Week 10’s game against the Saints, but Monday’s test will give us a better sense of his availability. Wednesday’s injury report will also be worth monitoring, as it will be our first look into whether or not London is playing through the injury early in the week.

Diggs exited Week 9’s game against the Patriots in the second quarter and did not return to the field. The veteran safety has started all eight games he’s appeared in this season and has tallied 42 tackles while earning a PFF coverage grade of 70.6 this season. Third-year safety and former UDFA Mike Brown will likely take over for Diggs moving forward.

Gardner Minshew saw himself benched for the second time this season in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who can be partly blamed for Minshew’s struggles, was dismissed following Sunday’s loss. There’s a lot for the Raiders to figure out heading into their Week 10 bye. Pierce is staring down the barrel of a one-and-done season as head coach if he’s unable to right the ship. There’s a good chance Desmond Ridder finds himself as the Raiders’ starter when the team returns in Week 11 against the Dolphins, but we wouldn’t expect him elevate the Raiders’ offense any more than Minshew or Aidan O’Connell did.

Coleman’s injury caused him to miss the final few plays of the Bills’ Week 9 win over the Dolphins. There’s apparently enough concern over the injury for the team to put him through additional tests to determine its severity. The Bills were already without Amari Cooper in Sunday’s win and now run the risk of being without Coleman in Week 10 against the Colts. We’ll see what news comes of these tests in the coming days, but this will be something for fantasy managers to watch.

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise after Prescott exited Week 9’s game with the injury. Prescott was seen limping on his way to the sideline and could be at risk of missing Week 10’s game against the Eagles. Whether or not he’s at risk of missing any time will likely be determined by Monday’s MRI results. With the Cowboys sitting at 3-5 and their season already on the brink of being lost, they can ill-afford to be without their QB1 in a pivotal NFC East matchup next week.

The Saints started the season with a 2-0 record while outscoring opponents 91-29. Since then, the team has lost seven straight games while looking increasingly uncompetitive, but the final straw was Week 9’s 23-22 loss to the Panthers. Allen did his best to rebuild his reputation as the former Raiders’ coach who went 8-28 from 2012-2014, and at times, appeared to have the Saints moving in the right direction. Last year he delivered a 9-8 season after winning four of his team’s final five games, but this is clearly a roster that’s trending toward a complete overhaul. The team is expected to name special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who interviewed for the Saints’ head coaching job in 2022, as its interim head coach. Allen’s tenure with the Saints went just over two seasons, and his final record with the team is a disappointing 18-25. It seems unlikely he would be a candidate for any head coaching jobs in the future after two failed stints.

Scott was released from the Steelers in September and has been working his way back from his injury over the last two months. The veteran running back is now hoping to join a team in the coming days and could have plenty of suitors. Scott caught on with the Eagles in 2018 but didn’t start making an offensive impact until 2019. He’s a versatile weapon out of the backfield who has rushed for over 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns in limited roles while also racking up 71 receptions for 566 yards and one touchdown. His skillset should have several teams intrigued as he looks to catch on with a team for the second half of the season. Scott reportedly already has a workout with the Saints on tap.