NFL Player News

It was a walk through practice session for the Jets but Hall was estimated as a DNP. He played through a lingering knee issue in Week 15 against the Jaguars — going for 51 yards on 11 touches — after missing Week 14’s loss to Miami. If Hall can log a limited practice on Thursday or Friday, he should be ready to go for this week’s game against the Rams. His workload should continue to be smaller than usual while he battles through the knee injury.

Alexander has missed the last four games while dealing with a knee injury he suffered in Week 11 against the Bears. The veteran corner logged two full practices last week but was a DNP on Friday and ruled out for Week 15. Now, he’ll look to return for Week 16’s game against the Saints on Monday night. Alexander has played on 232 coverage snaps this season, per PFF, earning a coverage grade of 78.3 while allowing 14 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns on 25 targets. His return will only add to a Packers defense that currently ranks eight in points allowed and 10th in yards allowed this season.

What appeared to be a maintenance day for Higgins when he was listed as DNP now looks like something more concerning on Thursday. It’s worth noting that Higgins was not seen during the portion of practice that is open to the media, but we typically know what that means when it comes to a player’s practice status. Unless the team’s injury report suggests otherwise, then Higgins will be a DNP on back-to-back days, which puts his Week 16 availability squarely in doubt for the next 24 hours. He’ll be a name to watch on Friday’s injury report.

Reid isn’t coming right out and saying it, but Mahomes appears to be set to start on Saturday against the Texans. Reid said he wants to see how Mahomes responds to Friday’s practice, but Mahomes is undoubtedly trending in the right direction. The Chiefs’ QB1 was a full participant in practice all week, and Reid himself said Mahomes “moved around pretty good” when on the field. Fantasy managers can have a contingency plan in place if they deem it necessary, but everything is pointing to Mahomes being active, barring a surprise setback.

With the Ravens playing on Saturday, we should learn of player’s game statuses soon. That said, Bateman was a DNP in Thursday’s practice after popping up on Wednesday as a limited participant due to a foot injury. Bateman has dealt with foot injuries in the past, but head coach John Harbaugh declined to comment on his status Thursday after practice. We’ll check back in once Bateman’s Week 16 availability is released on the team’s final injury report.

Another DNP on Thursday would mark two straight missed practices for Njoku, who seems to be trending toward missing a second consecutive game with his hamstring injury. Tight end Jordan Akins caught three passes for 30 yards on four targets in last week’s loss to the Chiefs but won’t be on the fantasy radar if Njoku sits.

Ertz was seen in a non-contact jersey at Thursday’s practice. If he’s unable to log a limited/full practice on Friday, he will, in all likelihood, be ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Eagles. Rookie Ben Sinnott, who ran 25 routes in last week’s win over the Saints, would be the favorite to replace Ertz but will be a thin play after seeing just one target in Week 15.

Watt was spotted at Thursday’s practice and will presumably be listed as limited, just as he was on Thursday. The star pass rusher said his ankle has felt pretty good this week, which seems like enough to suggest he’ll have a chance to suit up for the pivotal AFC North tilt. The Steelers will release their final injury report shortly, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he was a game-time decision for Saturday.

Otton was seen sporting a knee brace and working off to the side at Thursday’s practice. His production has slowed in recent weeks after an early stretch in which he topped 75-plus receiving yards in three-straight games, as he’s managed just 10-144-0 on 17 targets in his last four games, but Otton remains a pivotal part of the Buccaneers’ offense. If he’s not able to go in Week 16 against the Cowboys, second-year tight end Payne Durham would be next in line to see work.

We don’t know the capacity in which Mayfield practiced, but his return to the field is a good sign for his Week 16 outlook, regardless. With the Buccaneers in the thick of the playoff race and/or the NFC South divisional race, it’s hard to imagine Mayfield missing Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. We’ll have more clarity on Friday when the team’s final injury report is released, but Mayfield seems to be trending in the right direction.

Per Colts beat writer James Boyd, Pierce was “doing some agility work off to the side” at Thursday’s practice. The Colts’ speedy deep threat entered the league’s concussion protocol on Monday after suffering a concussion in last week’s loss to the Broncos. He’ll be a long-shot to play in Week 16 if he can’t get on the field on Friday.