NFL Player News

Fields completed 13 of 21 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Monday's 33-14 win over the Patriots. He added 14 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Fields led the Bears' offense to a big performance with both his arm and legs. He found Darnell Mooney for several big gains in the first half and connected with Cole Kmet for 26 yards midway through the second quarter on a drive that ultimately ended in a field goal. With both a passing and rushing score, Fields managed only his second multi-touchdown performance of the season. Most importantly from a fantasy perspective, Fields remained aggressive on both designed runs and scrambles and has now tallied at least 50 yards on the ground in three of his last four contests. After a slow start to the season, Fields has become the focal point of Chicago's offense in recent weeks.

Zappe completed 14 of 22 passes for 185 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Monday's 33-14 loss to the Bears.

Zappe entered the game early in the second quarter in relief of the benched Mac Jones and immediately jumpstarted the New England offense, throwing for a 30-yard touchdown on his first possession while connecting on a 43-yard completion to DeVante Parker to set up another score on New England's next drive. However, Zappe cooled off considerably in the second half, completing only nine of his 16 passes for 76 yards to go along with both of his picks. Even so, he appears to have performed well enough to be considered for a Week 8 start against the Jets, and he may have created a genuine quarterback controversy in New England.

Jones completed three of his six passes for 13 yards and an interception in Monday's 33-14 loss to the Bears. He added three rushes for 24 yards.

Jones returned from a three-game absence caused by a high-ankle sprain and got off to a lackluster start. He was ultimately benched after throwing an interception deep in Bears' territory early in the second quarter. Bailey Zappe entered in his place and immediately led the Patriots' offense to two scoring drives, though he cooled down quite a bit across the final two quarters of the game. Jones managed to hold onto his starting role while rehabbing his high ankle sprain, but there may now be a true quarterback controversy in New England. At a minimum, it's unclear whether Jones or Zappe will get the call as the starter in a pivotal Week 8 matchup against the Jets.

Coach Bill Belichick told Scott Zolak of 98.5 The Sports Hub that Mac Jones (ankle) will start for the Patriots on Monday against the Bears, relegating Zappe to backup duties.

While Jones is back following a three-game absence due to a high left-ankle sprain, it isn't out of the question that Zappe will be a part of the game plan in Week 7, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official site. Leading the Patriots to a 2-1 record in place of Jones, Zappe completed 73 percent of his passes for 596 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. If he mixes into the offense Monday though, Zappe seems likely to have a limited snap count, if any.

Coach Bill Belichick confirmed that Jones (ankle) is slated to start Monday night's game against the Bears, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Jones thus is back as the Patriots' starting quarterback following a three-game absence due to a high left-ankle sprain, though Evan Lazar of the team's official site relays that there's been some speculation backup Bailey Zappe could also potentially take some snaps in the contest. In any case, those who waited things out on Jones all the way up to Monday's kickoff are slated get some level of Week 7 fantasy production from the 2021 first-rounder.

Jones (ankle) is listed as active for Monday night's game against the Bears.

Per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, Jones, who has missed the Patriots' last three games due to a high-ankle sprain, is back in uniform and expected to start Monday's contest, with Bailey Zappe on hand in the event that he suffers any in-game setbacks in his return to action. In that context, Jones profiles as a fantasy lineup option for those who waited things out regarding his Week 7 status, though it remains to be seen how pass-heavy the team will be inclined to go in the contest, with RBs Damien Harris (who didn't play Week 6) and Rhamondre Stevenson both available versus Chicago.

Johnson reverted to the Broncos' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.

Johnson was active but did not play after being elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's loss to the Jets. The veteran quarterback served as Denver's No. 2 quarterback behind Brett Rypien, as Russell Wilson was sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring injury Week 7. Johnson completed 57 of his 85 passes for 634 yards and five touchdowns to two interceptions over four games between the Ravens and Jets last season, and he should continue to serve as the Broncos' quasi-backup quarterback if Wilson can't return Week 8 versus the Jaguars.

With Garrett Gilbert not elevated from the practice squad ahead of Monday night's game against the Bears, Jones (ankle) and Bailey Zappe are in line to be on the Patriots' Week 7 game-day roster, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

At this stage, the report notes that the Patriots haven't announced a starting QB for the contest, but Jones is expected to play. That said, Reiss suggests that "the possibility Zappe gets snaps can't be dismissed" either. In any case, official confirmation of Jones' availability will be confirmed once New England's inactives are announced ahead of Monday's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff.

Head coach Frank Reich announced Monday that Ehlinger will serve as the Colts' starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Ehlinger, a 2021 sixth-round pick, will get the opportunity to see his first extended action at the NFL level beginning with Sunday's game against the Commanders. Indianapolis got off to a 3-3-1 start with Matt Ryan (shoulder) under the helm, but Reich has decided to bench the 37-year-old veteran in a move unrelated to his injury. The Colts also have 33-year-old former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles in the roster, but Foles doesn't have a long-term future with the team and will serve as the understudy to Ehlinger. The Colts are taking a leap of faith in inserting the unproven 24-year-old as their new starter, but he'll at least get a soft landing spot Week 8 with the home matchup against the 3-4 Commanders.

Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks said that PJ Walker will start Sunday's game in Atlanta, regardless of the health of Darnold (ankle) and Baker Mayfield (ankle), Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Darnold hasn't been available for the Panthers' first seven games while recovering from the left ankle sprain he suffered in the team's preseason finale, but he appeared to be a candidate for the starting gig once he was deemed ready to return from injured reserve. The 25-year-old has a week of practice under his belt and could be activated from IR before the Week 8 contest if his ankle responds well to the Panthers' upcoming workouts, but even in that scenario, Darnold won't be available in anything more than a No. 2 capacity with Wilks handing Walker a third straight start after Walker played mistake-free football while guiding Carolina to a 21-3 upset over Tampa Bay in Week 7. Walker likely won't have a long leash on the starting role, and Mayfield was one of the NFL's worst-performing starters through the first five weeks of the campaign before missing the last two contests with his own injury, so the door isn't closed on Darnold getting a chance to run the Carolina offense before season's end.