The Insiders Podcast: Lamar Jackson questionable Sunday + Josh Jacobs makes season debut Sunday

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is facing a misdemeanor charge for possessing marijuana after being pulled over on October 12th. The Colts acknowledged the situation but offered no further comment. This adds to an already tumultuous season for the Colts, who just fired their GM after a loss to the Titans and are now facing the unbeaten Vikings in Minnesota.

Baker Mayfield is cleared to return for the Buccaneers after missing the last three games with a dislocated thumb. He practiced fully this week while wearing a custom protective glove designed with help from the Tampa Bay Rays equipment staff to prevent the thumb from bending too far backward. Todd Bowles confirmed he is ready to go for Sunday's game against Carolina.

Bo Nix is averaging under six air yards per attempt this season, the worst in the NFL, indicating significant inconsistency in his passing game and offensive execution.

Brandon Cooks will be part of the 49ers' receiving corps on Sunday against Atlanta; with Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans both out, Cooks, Christian Kirk, and George Kittle will be the primary receiving options for Brock Purdy.

Breece Hall, the Jets running back, has been out with a quad injury and practiced on a limited basis this week; the team will take the decision on his availability all the way up to game time and he is listed as questionable.

Brian Thomas Jr. has been benched by Jacksonville, playing just 15 snaps last week in London and failing to catch a pass in the last two weeks; the source reports that several teams believe Thomas Jr. is now available for trade, with the Chiefs and Steelers among potential suitors, as Jacksonville has been unable to consistently utilize him as the deep threat they envisioned to open up other receivers.

Brock Bowers was limited earlier in the week with hamstring and calf issues but was a full participant in practice, clearing him to play for the Raiders against the Rams. He remains a huge part of the Raiders' passing game with Kirk Cousins, and the team is sitting at 3-3 while moving the ball effectively.

Brock Bowers is dealing with both a hamstring injury and a calf injury but is expected to play in the Raiders-Rams matchup. Despite the dual injury concerns, his expected availability suggests he will be active for the game.

Brock Purdy has his 49ers unbeaten with 17 total touchdowns and just two interceptions this year; he is the second player in NFL history to have 15 or more touchdowns and two or fewer turnovers in a 6-0 start, joining Tom Brady in that elite company.

Brock Purdy faces challenges with the 49ers' receiving corps missing Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans; instead relying on Brandon Cooks, Christian Kirk, and George Kittle. The source notes it will be fascinating to see if the 49ers can keep their division-leading performance going without Evans right before the bye week.

Bryce Young, the Panthers quarterback, is playing the best ball of his career as the Panthers position themselves to extend their lead in the NFC South division.

Caleb Williams threw a terrific dart to Rome Adunze for an incredible catch in the Bears' win over the Patriots. Williams finished 22 of 33 for 308 yards and two touchdowns in the game, leading the Bears to a 30-24 victory.

Christian Kirk is expected to make his season debut on Sunday against Atlanta; with Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans both out, Kirk will be part of the 49ers' receiving corps alongside Brandon Cooks and George Kittle.

Christian Watson was limited all week but is expected to play for the Packers against the Lions.

Deebo Samuel is out for Sunday's game against Atlanta; without both Deebo and Mike Evans, the 49ers' receiving corps will rely on Brandon Cooks, Christian Kirk, and George Kittle, which presents challenges for Brock Purdy.

Drake Maye played a fantastic game against the Bears but threw an unsightly interception into the end zone in the second quarter. This interception was the Patriots' 14th giveaway of the season, contributing to their minus-seven turnover differential. The Patriots have already exceeded their 16 total giveaways from all of last season.

Drew Locke has impressed both behind the scenes and when he's been in on game action; while there is no QB controversy right now, his performance is worth noting for the long term of the season as the Seahawks manage Sam Darnold's struggles.

Fernando Mendoza is positioned as the eventual successor to Kirk Cousins in the Raiders' quarterback plan. The source suggests that if the Raiders lose their next two games and fall to 3-5 (five losses in a row), the team may transition to Mendoza regardless of Cousins' strong play; conversely, if the Raiders win and reach 5-3, Cousins likely keeps the starting role.

Garrett Wilson, the Jets' best player, has been a non-factor in several losses this season; the Jets coaching staff, including Frank Reich and Aaron Glenn, have emphasized the need to get the ball to Wilson more, with Glenn setting a reminder in his headset to ensure Wilson receives more targets.

George Kittle will be a primary receiving option for Brock Purdy on Sunday; with Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans both out, Kittle is being used essentially as a receiver in the 49ers' offense.

Jadarian Price, the Seahawks' first-round pick, is not in the lineup right now; the Seahawks were hoping to surround Sam Darnold with cleaner offensive conditions by featuring Price and eventually Zach Charbonnet, but neither are available, making it difficult to establish a run game.

Chiefs offensive lineman Jalen Moore remains in concussion protocol and is out for this week's game.

The source reports that Jonathan Taylor is among the Colts' best players who could be moved at the trade deadline if Indianapolis loses its next two games against the Vikings and Jaguars; the team could trade him for draft capital as part of a potential fire sale, though the source notes it's too early to confirm whether the Colts will pursue such moves.

Jordan Addison is expected to play in the Vikings' matchup against the Colts, maintaining availability for the unbeaten Vikings' offense.

Jordan Mason is questionable for the Vikings' matchup against the Colts, creating uncertainty around his availability for the unbeaten Vikings' offense.

Josh Jacobs is expected to return to the field for the Packers on Sunday after missing the first six games of the season on the commissioner's exempt list while the league investigated his offseason arrest for domestic abuse. The source reports Jacobs was able to do almost everything at practice this week and kept himself in good shape. While not expected to be in full football shape immediately, he should be ready to spark the Packers' run game, though the team may bring him along slowly.

Justin Jefferson is expected to play in the Vikings' matchup against the Colts, despite the Vikings being unbeaten and facing an injury-depleted Colts team missing cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and tight end Tyler Warren.

Kenneth Walker has 665 rushing yards in his first season with the Chiefs and is on pace to set the single-season rushing record; his signing is proving to be the off-season move of the year and is a key component of the Chiefs' number one ranked offense.

The Seahawks' run game is struggling, which is limiting Kenneth Walker's opportunity and effectiveness; the source notes the team really needs to use him right now given the offensive challenges.

Kirk Cousins is playing great for the Raiders, tied for the league lead in touchdown passes with 14 and leading in passing yards with six. The source frames the Raiders' next two games (Rams and Jets) as a roadmap for determining whether Cousins keeps the starting role or if the team transitions to Fernando Mendoza; if the Raiders emerge with wins and reach 5-3, Cousins likely keeps the job regardless of how well he plays.

Lamar Jackson is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Ravens after missing the last two games with a high ankle sprain suffered in week four. He returned to practice this week in limited fashion and has been progressing, though he was not a full participant. The source reports the decision on his status will likely come down to how he feels over the next 48 hours, with the possibility it could go until Sunday morning. A source told the outlet it's currently 50-50 whether he plays, and they are hopeful but not optimistic at this point.

Lamar Jackson has won seven of his nine matchups against the Bengals, demonstrating strong historical performance in this division rivalry ahead of a crucial divisional game.

Matthew Golden was limited all week but is expected to play for the Packers against the Lions.

Mike Evans has been declared out for this week's game despite the 49ers initially believing they could manage his Achilles tendonitis through the week. Kyle Shanahan's team wisely decided to give him rest rather than risk further injury.

Mike Evans is out for Sunday's game against Atlanta; he suffered Achilles tendonitis last week and was unable to finish the fourth quarter against the Commanders, and his absence raises legitimate questions about the 49ers' offensive efficiency without him.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is healthy and available for the game against Seattle.

Puka Nakua is listed as questionable for the Rams with a calf injury. He did not practice at all today; the issue was not a calf strain but rather his inability to feel explosive off his calf during yesterday's practice. He will be tested before the game to determine his status.

Chiefs wide receiver Rasheed Rice is out once again with a hamstring injury suffered in week four; this will be the second game he misses due to the injury.

Ramondre Stevenson caught a dump-off pass from Drake Maye and turned it into a 48-yard touchdown with help from good blocking in the Patriots' game against the Bears. This play helped the Patriots cut into a 20-7 deficit, bringing them to within 20-14 at halftime.

Rome Adunze made an incredible catch on a terrific dart from Caleb Williams in the Bears' win over the Patriots, showcasing his receiving ability in the offense.

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is struggling as a result of the team's struggling run game; despite this, the Seahawks are sticking with Darnold as their established, quality starting quarterback.

Sam Darnold has thrown seven interceptions over just five games, a really poor clip; the Seahawks are sticking with him despite this poor performance and the emergence of Drew Locke, who has impressed both behind the scenes and in game action.

Saquon Barkley was limited again at practice but is expected to return for the Eagles on Monday Night Football. The Eagles have lost other running backs including Ted Figley and Will Shipley to IR, making Barkley's return excellent news for Philadelphia's run game.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is healthy and available for the game against Seattle.

Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy is healthy and available for the game against Seattle.

Zach Charbonnet has been activated on the Seahawks roster after recovering from a torn ACL, but he will not play this week. Head coach Mike McDonald said Charbonnet is simply not ready yet. This is significant because the Seahawks' running game needs a boost to support Sam Darnold's play-action game, but Charbonnet could return in the coming weeks.

Zach Charbonnet is still coming back from a knee issue and is not in the lineup right now; the Seahawks were counting on him as part of their plan to establish a run game and provide cleaner offensive conditions for Sam Darnold.