NFL Player News

Coach Doug Pederson said Monday that Hurts will start in the Week 17 game against Washington, Daniel Gallen of The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports.

The Eagles were eliminated from playoff contention with Sunday's 37-17 loss to the Cowboys. Hurts will close out the season under center for the Eagles, aiming to play spoiler for Washington. Through three games as a starter, Hurts has completed 62 of 113 passes (54.9 percent) for 847 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, and he's added 238 yards and a score on the ground. His accuracy could improve, but Hurts has still recorded a respectable 7.7 yards per attempt this season, on par with Drew Brees and Russell Wilson.

Garoppolo (ankle) isn't expected to be activated from IR in advance of Sunday's season finale against the Seahawks, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Assuming Garoppolo remains sidelined this week, he'll turn his focus to recovering from the significant high right ankle sprain that derailed his 2020 season. When asked Monday whether Garoppolo will be the 49ers' QB in 2021, coach Kyle Shanahan said, "I do believe Jimmy's going to be our quarterback next year." As for Week 17, C.J. Beathard is expected to draw the start against Seattle.

Stafford (ankle) hopes to suit up against the Vikings in Week 17, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.

Stafford was forced out of Saturday's loss to the Buccaneers after suffering an ankle sprain on the first drive, and he toughed out a rib-cartilage injury and a slight ligament tear in his right thumb during the Lions' previous two games. He doesn't anticipate undergoing offseason surgery to address the injury in his thumb, per Justin Rogers of The Detroit News. Stafford is set to undergo a medical evaluation Wednesday before the Lions make a call on his status for Week 17, but given Detroit is eliminated from playoff contention, it could make sense to simply sit the veteran signal-caller and preserve his health for 2021.

Coach Kliff Kingsbury said Monday that he's "hopeful" Murray (lower leg) will "be in position to play" against the Rams in Week 17, Kevin Zimmerman of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Kingsbury didn't provide more specifics of Murray's injury, per Zimmerman, other than calling it a lower leg issue. The second-year pro suffered the injury on the final drive of Saturday's 20-12 loss to the 49ers, and while it initially appeared worrisome, it now looks like he's avoided a severe issue. Arizona requires a win over the Rams on Sunday for any chance of getting into the playoffs, so Murray will no doubt do his best to suit up. Of course, if he's not at full health it could impede his vaunted scrambling abilities.

Wolford may be needed to make his first NFL start Week 17 against the Cardinals with top quarterback Jared Goff's status in question after he was diagnosed with a broken and dislocated right thumb following Sunday's 20-9 loss to the Seahawks, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports.

Despite picking up the injury late in third quarter when his throwing hand was struck by the helmet of Seahawks defensive end Benson Mayowa, Goff remained in the contest and played every snap in the loss, finishing the day with 24 completions for 243 yards, no touchdowns and an interception on 43 attempts. Goff was able to force the dislocated digit back in place during the game, but since he's still dealing with a fracture, his ability to hold the football securely and throw it without discomfort could be compromised heading into Week 17. As a result, Wolford will stay ready for a potential starting assignment in a regular-season finale that will have playoff implications for both the Rams and Cardinals in Week 17. It's a tough spot for Wolford, who has yet to make his NFL debut and hasn't seen competitive action since the 2019 preseason.

Coach Andy Reid said Monday that "there's a good chance" Chad Henne starts Sunday's game against the Chargers rather than Mahomes, Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star reports.

The 14-1 Chiefs have already clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs by virtue of Sunday's win over the Falcons, so the team realistically could opt to not risk Mahomes' health in a meaningless regular-season finale. It also seems plausible that Kansas City's other key starters could receive an extra week of rest. If the star quarterback indeed sits Week 17, he'll wrap up the 2020 regular season with 4,740 passing yards and an impressive 38:6 TD:INT.

Coach Ron Rivera said Monday that Heinicke will start Week 17 if Alex Smith (calf) can't go, Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic reports.

Heinicke replaced a moribund Dwayne Haskins for Washington's final two drives of last Sunday's 20-13 loss to the Panthers, throwing for 137 yards and a touchdown while avoiding any turnovers. Rivera hinted that Smith could be trending in the right direction for Week 17, but Heinicke would be in line to suit up in Philadelphia if the 36-year-old veteran remains sidelined.

Watson (arm) said he expects to play Week 17 against the Titans, Jordan Cohn of 97.1 FM The Ticket reports.

Watson injured his arm/elbow on a strip sack late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Bengals, but he came back out on the field for Houston's final two snaps in the closing seconds. While the quarterback said he'll be fine for Week 17, interim coach Romeo Crennel sounded more cautious, noting that the team's medical staff will need to evaluate Watson before any decisions are made. AJ McCarron has been Houston's backup QB all season, so he'd likely get the nod for Week 17 if Watson ends up being ruled out. The Texans also have Josh McCown on their roster, but he's been a healthy scratch ever since signing with the team in early November.

Tannehill completed 11 of 24 pass attempts for 121 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions Sunday. He rushed three times for 55 yards and another touchdown but also lost a fumble in a 40-14 loss to Green Bay.

Tannehill and the entire Tennessee passing attack were under duress all evening after falling behind by two scores right out of the gate. The Titans' usually solid offensive line struggled mightily when asked to protect against the Packers' athletic edge rushers. A predictable gameplan combined with snowy conditions at Lambeau Field led to an inefficient and poor showing from every Titan aside from Derrick Henry. Luckily for his fantasy managers, Tannehill was able to rip off a big touchdown run to offset what would have been an ugly passing performance. Expect the Titans' signal-caller to perform better in a much softer matchup that will take place indoors against the Texans on Sunday.

Rodgers completed 21 of 25 pass attempts for 231 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in Sunday's 40-14 win over the Titans. He added 19 yards on three carries.

Rodgers was in his element on a snowy night at Lambeau Field under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. While the veteran gunslinger did throw his fifth interception of the season, his four incompletions marked a new low for 2020. The 36-year-old currently sits north of a 70 percent completion rate for the first time in his career while also eclipsing the 4,000-yard mark for the ninth time over 11 full seasons. With 44 touchdowns to the aforementioned five picks, Rodgers has put himself firmly in the MVP discussion. Look for the future Hall of Famer to end the year on a high note as the Packers attempt to lock up the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye when they take on the Bears in Week 17.