NFL Player News

Siemian will start in place of Justin Fields (shoulder) Sunday at the Jets.

Considering Fields emerged from last Sunday's defeat in Atlanta with a separated left, non-throwing shoulder that includes partially torn ligaments, it's no surprise Siemian is getting a chance to direct the Bears offense just one week later. With Fields' inactive status confirmed, Siemian will take the field for the second time this season after handling three snaps in a Week 8 loss at Dallas. Siemian's most recent extended action occurred last year with the Saints, when he completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,154 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions while taking nine carries for 20 yards and another score in six appearances (four starts).

Fields (shoulder) is inactive for Sunday's game at the Jets.

When Fields was seen wincing and grabbing at his left, non-throwing shoulder near the end of last Sunday's loss in Atlanta, the table was set for the biggest fantasy question mark of Week 12 considering his production over the last six games (963 yards and 10 TDs through the air, 640 yards and six more TDs on the ground). On Wednesday, he revealed the extent of his injury, saying he was tending to a separated shoulder with partially torn ligaments. He still managed limited practices all week, and his availability came down to a game-time decision. Ultimately, though, the Bears will exercise caution and give Fields the week off, allowing Trevor Siemian to direct the offense and practice-squad call-up Nathan Peterman to serve as his backup. Fields will turn his attention to getting healthy enough to play Sunday, Dec. 4 versus the Packers.

Stafford (neck), who has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Chiefs, is showing improvement with his symptoms as he navigates the NFL's concussion protocol, and the Rams appear to view him as week-to-week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Stafford was diagnosed with a concussion following the Rams' Week 9 loss to the Buccaneers, resulting in him being ruled out for his first game of the season in the team's Week 10 loss to the Cardinals. He returned to the lineup Week 11, only to exit early in the Rams' loss to the Saints after re-entering the concussion protocol. According to sources familiar with the situation, Rapoport notes that Stafford hasn't been officially diagnosed with another concussion, but the quarterback is dealing with crossover symptoms that has kept him in the protocol for the second time in three weeks out of an abundance of caution. Notably, head coach Sean McVay said that Stafford is dealing with a neck strain and experienced numbness in his legs after taking a hard hit against the Saints, but those symptoms have reportedly dissipated over the past few days. Even though the Rams enter Sunday's game sitting on a 3-7 record and will be heavy underdogs against the Chiefs with the unproven Bryce Perkins set to make his first career NFL start in Stafford's stead, the organization isn't yet considering shutting the 34-year-old signal-caller down for the season. The Rams will likely wait and see what progress, if any, Stafford demonstrates during their next three practices before deciding if he's ready to return to the lineup Week 13 for a divisional game against the Seahawks.

Rodgers, who doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Eagles, has been playing through an avulsion fracture in his right thumb since injuring the finger in an Oct. 9 loss to the Giants, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Though he has yet to miss any games this season, Rodgers has been listed on Packers injury reports for seven straight weeks with the right thumb issue. The extent of the injury wasn't fully known until Rodgers quietly disclosed Wednesday that his thumb was fractured when Giants defender Oshane Ximines hit the quarterback's hand on a Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the Week 5 contest. Rapoport's report confirms that Rodgers is dealing with an avulsion fracture, an injury that results in a torn ligament that creates joint instability in the thumb. Though Rodgers said he'll continue to play and isn't considering surgery to address the injury either during the season or after the season, the avulsion fracture may in part explain why the reigning NFL MVP's performance has taken a step back in 2022. In the six games since he suffered the injury, the Packers have gone 1-5 while Rodgers has completed 62 percent of his throws for 6.7 yards per attempt and an 11:4 TD:INT.

The Rams are uncertain when Stafford (neck/concussion protocol) will be available to play again this season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

After he entered the concussion protocol for the second time in less than a month following his early exit from the Rams' Week 11 loss to the Saints, Stafford didn't practice in any fashion this week before being ruled out ahead of Sunday's game in Kansas City. As Schefter notes, Stafford suffered a strained neck in the game against the Saints, but he hasn't yet been diagnosed with his second concussion of the season, despite his inclusion in the protocol. However, with head coach Sean McVay noting that Stafford was experiencing some numbness in his legs after taking a hit in the game against the Saints, the 3-7 Rams could be inclined to take a cautious approach with the 34-year-old. Despite their unfavorable position in the NFC playoff picture, the Rams aren't yet planning to shut Stafford down completely, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. With that in mind, Stafford looks like he'll avoid being placed on injured reserve for the time being and will be evaluated on a game-by-game basis.

Watson has complied with the terms of his 11-game suspension and will be officially reinstated by the NFL on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

After being handed the ban Aug. 18, Watson was placed on the reserve/suspended list at the conclusion of the preseason and had been away from the Browns for about a month and a half before he was cleared in mid-October to resume working out at the team facility and attending meetings. Watson was then cleared to resume practicing Nov. 14, and once he gets another week of practice under his belt during the upcoming week, he'll unseat Jacoby Brissett as the Browns' new starting quarterback beginning with the team's Dec. 4 game in Houston. Watson's return to the lineup against his former Texans squad will mark his first regular-season appearance in 700 days, as he last took the field in Houston's Week 17 game in 2020.

Siemian appears on track to start at quarterback in Sunday's game against the Jets with Justin Fields (shoulder) listed as questionable but not expected to play, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Before making an official call on Fields' status when it releases its Week 12 inactive list 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff, Chicago will give Fields an opportunity to warm up early Sunday as he attempts to prove his health. However, after Fields was limited in practices all week due to what's been described as an AC joint sprain in his non-throwing shoulder, the second-year signal-caller is considered a "long shot" to play, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Bears seemingly telegraphed Fields' expected absence by elevating Nathan Peterman from the practice squad Saturday, with Peterman likely to serve as Siemian's backup. Siemian has made only one appearance off the bench in 2022, but the 30-year-old has previously picked up 29 starts since entering the NFL in 2015. Four of those starts came last season with the Saints, with Siemian completing 83 of 144 attempts (57.6 percent) for 924 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions in those outings. For as long as the game plan allows for it Sunday, expect the Bears to adopt a more conservative offensive approach under Siemian, who could struggle to help Chicago continue their streak of four consecutive games with at least 24 points.

Fields (shoulder), who is listed as questionable, will get a chance to warm up before Sunday's game at the Jets, but he doesn't seem likely to be available, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Adam Schefter of ESPN backed up Rapoport's assessment, which will be confirmed, one way or another, about 90 minutes before Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff. Assuming Fields doesn't gain clearance to play through the separated shoulder with partially torn ligaments that he sustained in his non-throwing arm near the end of last Sunday's loss in Atlanta, the Bears will turn to Trevor Siemian under center, with the recently elevated Nathan Peterman backing him up. In that scenario, Fields' next chance to suit up will arrive Dec. 4 against the Packers.

The Bears elevated Peterman to their active roster from their practice squad Saturday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

The bigger picture here is that Peterman's elevation could mean that Justin Fields (shoulder) may be held out of Chicago's Week 12 road game against the Jets. If that's the case, Peterman would likely serve as the team's No. 2 quarterback behind Trevor Siemian. Peterman has attempted only five NFL passes since 2018, all of which came in a single contest while with the Raiders in 2020.

The Bears elevated third-string quarterback Nathan Peterman on Saturday, which would seem to signal Fields' (shoulder) eventual absence ahead of the Week 12 matchup, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

It's important to note the Bears did not rule out Fields as of now, but NFL teams typically do not carry three active quarterbacks on the gameday roster, so this elevation is especially noteworthy. The dynamic dual-threat quarterback was a limited participant in practice all week, but should he eventually be ruled inactive ahead of the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, Trevor Siemian would likely get the start.