Yahoo Sports NFL

Backup running back Velus Jones Jr. missed Friday's practice with a hamstring injury, further depleting the Seahawks' running back depth ahead of Monday's game and increasing the workload for Zach Charbonnet and returning rookie Jadarian Price.

Running back Zach Charbonnet was limited in Friday's practice with a knee injury, reducing his availability for Monday's game against the Bears and opening opportunities for backup running backs including returning rookie Jadarian Price.

Rookie running back Jadarian Price returned to full practice participation after an IR stint and is expected to contribute to the Seahawks' running back rotation on Monday; his return is timely given injuries to Zach Charbonnet (knee) and Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring).

Wide receiver Tory Horton is expected to see increased offensive snaps and special teams opportunities as the Seahawks lean on him to fill the void left by the likely absence of Rashid Shaheed on Monday night.

Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed is expected to miss Monday's game against the Bears after missing his second consecutive day of practice on Friday, forcing the Seahawks to rely on other receivers to fill his offensive and special teams contributions.

Caleb Williams and the Bears offense may face increased blitz pressure from the Seahawks on Monday night due to the absence of edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu; without Nwosu's ability to slow pocket-escaping quarterbacks, Seattle is expected to compensate by blitzing more frequently.

Cousins remains the Raiders' starting quarterback despite a four-game losing streak; he started the season with a three-game winning streak and is the NFL co-leader in touchdown passes (16) despite the Raiders' No. 31-ranked rushing attack providing little offensive support. Head coach Klint Kubiak has shot down any notion of a quarterback controversy.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn praised Mendoza's competitive spirit, toughness, and ability to galvanize teammates; Glenn highlighted his processing ability, size, and arm talent as elite quarterback traits, noting "anything is possible" regarding his potential appearance in the game.

Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, has not yet been named the starting quarterback for the Raiders; Kirk Cousins has kept him on the bench longer than expected despite a four-game losing streak and increased calls to begin the Mendoza Era. Cousins started fast with a three-game winning streak and is the NFL co-leader in touchdown passes (16).

The TE played only 16 snaps but made a solid impact on eight routes, catching 2-of-2 targets for 35 yards and 4.38 yards per route run. His efficiency was strong in the passing game, though his run-blocking grades remain below 50.0 in each of the last two weeks as he continues to develop.

The TE returned after missing the Cleveland game but was deployed primarily as a run blocker, with more than half his snaps in that role. He drew zero targets on his limited route snaps, likely by design to focus on run-game development following his hand injury.

The WR was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive week, indicating limited offensive role or depth chart standing in the Ravens' receiving corps.

The WR continued to flash after his return last week with three catches for 25 yards, including two first-down conversions. Lane has demonstrated reliable hands in traffic and on critical third-down situations, positioning him for expanded role opportunity once Lamar Jackson returns to the lineup.

Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown did not participate Wednesday with an ankle injury but was full participant Friday; expected to play Sunday.

Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs did not participate Wednesday with a shoulder injury but was full participant Friday; expected to play Sunday.

Lions running back Jacob Saylor was limited Wednesday with a neck injury but was full participant Friday; expected to play Sunday.

Vikings tight end Gavin Bartholomew did not participate Wednesday with an ankle injury but was full participant Friday; expected to play Sunday.

Vikings running back Aaron Jones missed Wednesday practice with a knee injury but was limited Thursday and full participant Friday; expected to play Sunday.

Indianapolis might be very intrigued by a trade package built around Jonah Coleman and draft capital from the Broncos in a potential Jonathan Taylor deal; indicates possible role change and trade speculation.

The Broncos have inquired frequently about Jonathan Taylor this week and appear open to sending a bevy of picks to the Colts for a potential trade; indicates possible role change and team interest in acquiring him.

J.K. Dobbins is described as a distraction to the Broncos after another circus press conference, with commentary suggesting it's time to trade him; indicates potential role uncertainty and organizational friction.

RJ Harvey's knee injury is not believed to be serious, suggesting minimal fantasy impact and likely continued availability.

The Broncos have inquired frequently about Jonathan Taylor this week, suggesting potential interest in acquiring the running back from the Colts and indicating Denver may be open to sending multiple picks to the Colts for Taylor.

Sean Payton noted a blank spot in his draft evaluation process for 2022, specifically mentioning that he does not recall draft readings on Cardinals tight end Trey McBride because he was not in the draft room that year, suggesting uncertainty about his pre-draft assessment of McBride.

Sean Payton reflected on his pre-draft evaluation of Patrick Mahomes, noting that Mahomes' career trajectory exceeded projections. Payton stated that if he had foreseen Mahomes' eventual success, he would have traded up to the No. 1 overall pick. Payton highlighted Mahomes' exceptional football intellect, arm strength, and arm angles as standout traits during evaluation, though Mahomes played in a different offensive system at Lubbock, Texas.

Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph emphasized that limiting Kenneth Walker's impact will be mission critical for the Denver Broncos to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, indicating Walker is a key offensive threat the Broncos must contain.

Sean Payton noted that J.K. Dobbins' numbers have peaked and emphasized the depth of the Broncos' running back room, suggesting limited upside for Dobbins in a three-back committee where balancing workload is more challenging than with two backs. Payton stated 'his numbers have peaked' and highlighted the analytical data showing burst and speed across the depth chart.

With RJ Harvey sidelined, the Broncos may turn to Jonah Coleman to provide juice in the run game against Kansas City, presenting an opportunity to evaluate whether Coleman is the lead back the team needs.

RJ Harvey suffered a knee injury in practice and was ruled out for the Broncos' game against Kansas City Chiefs, but a source told The Denver Post that the injury does not appear to be serious or hold him out long term. With the Broncos two games away from their bye week, the team may put him into rehab mode for a return after the bye, suggesting a near-term recovery window.

Golden turned in a very nice day but continues to struggle with drops, which the source calls a recurring problem. The source notes this is baffling given Golden had no drop issues in college and expresses frustration that the drops haven't cleaned up despite ongoing expectations they would.

Watson had a monster day with 8 catches on 10 targets for 113 yards and +0.20 EPA per Reception. However, his target share in the red zone was 0%, which the source identifies as a problem given Watson's elite receiver profile and past red zone success. The source advocates for more red zone targets for Watson going forward, noting the Packers rank 22nd in red zone TD scoring (51.7%) and lack a quick-twitch QB or strong run game to complement their freak WR.

Love averaged 2.32 seconds to throw (0.39 seconds below NFL average) and was pressured on only 31.7% of dropbacks (7.3% below NFL average) despite Panthers blitzing on 43.9% of plays. Notably, Love performed better against the blitz (+0.38 EPA per Play) than without it (-0.17 EPA per Play), and better on early downs (+0.14 EPA per Play) than late downs (-0.06 EPA per Play)—an inversion from his season trend.

The source notes that Brock Purdy has been forced to develop chemistry with a changing cast of receivers due to injuries in the 49ers' receiver room. The source argues that adding a dependable receiver like Garrett Wilson would provide Purdy with a reliable target in crucial moments rather than continuing to work with an inconsistent group.

The source identifies Wilson as a potential trade target for the 49ers to address a receiver room made increasingly difficult by injuries. Wilson would provide a receiver capable of creating separation and giving Brock Purdy a dependable answer in crucial moments; the source emphasizes imagining Wilson in Kyle Shanahan's offense threatening defenses while creating room for everyone around him, particularly in high-leverage January situations.

Smith faces his former team, the Raiders, in Week 8 after a tumultuous 2-13 season in Las Vegas marked by 19 TDs and 17 INTs (most in NFL). Now with the Jets, he's posted a bounce-back performance with only 2 INTs and 10 TDs through 7 games while ranking 13th in passing yards (1,623). The matchup carries personal significance given his public frustration with the Raiders organization last season, including a late-November incident where he gestured at booing fans after a loss to Cleveland. Though Smith has downplayed the revenge narrative in media, the source characterizes this as a circled 'revenge game' given the circumstances and his close relationship with former Raiders coach Pete Carroll.

The source's prior bold prediction for Jake Ferguson to have a comeback game against the Eagles completely missed; he recorded zero catches in that game.

Javonte Williams generated 155 rushing yards against the Eagles and has been the focus of offensive attention this week; he is the primary back in the Cowboys' backfield with Tyler Goodson operating as RB2.

The source projects Tyler Goodson will score his first touchdown as a Cowboy against Arizona; he is settling in as the team's RB2 and had a strong game hidden under Javonte Williams' 155-yard rushing performance against Philadelphia. This would be only his third touchdown in his four-year NFL career.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes maintained full participation throughout the week with a knee injury; appears fully healthy for Sunday's game against Denver.

Wide receiver Rashee Rice progressed from limited participation Wednesday and Thursday to full participation Friday with a hamstring/knee injury; appears on track to play Sunday against Denver.