Who’s starting, who’s hurt, and who’s on the move?Â
NFL news is nonstop, and we’re breaking it all down week by week this season.
Here’s the latest on what’s happening around the league entering Week 12:Â
Burrow fully participates at Bengals practice
Joe Burrow was already ahead of schedule in returning to action after undergoing toe surgery in September. He might have expedited his return process even further on Wednesday.
The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback was a full participant at Wednesday’s practice, according to the team’s injury report. It marks the first time that Burrow has been a full participant at practice since he was sidelined with the toe injury.
Burrow’s practice window was opened last week, giving the Bengals 21 days to either activate him or rule him out for the season. As Burrow was previously expected to be sidelined for three months from the injury, he told FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer earlier in November that he was targeting to return for the Bengals’ Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Now, Burrow might be returning a week sooner than that as the Bengals prepare to face the 9-2 New England Patriots. At 3-7, the Bengals are nearing must-win territory, if they aren’t already in it.Â
If Burrow plays on Sunday, he’ll be without his top wide receiver. Ja’Marr Chase had his one-game suspension upheld for spitting at Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey on Tuesday.Â
Jackson did not attend open Ravens practice
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was absent from the portion of practice open to reporters, marking the second straight week he was missing for Wednesday’s session.
Jackson, who already missed three games this season because of a hamstring injury, was listed with a knee issue last week, but he was still able to play in Baltimore’s 23-16 win over Cleveland on Sunday. He threw for 193 yards and was sacked five times while also having two deflected passes intercepted.
Jackson ran for only 10 yards on four attempts in that game.
Dart could play for Giants on Sunday
Jaxson Dart continues to progress through concussion protocol, and New York Giants interim coach Mike Kafka said the rookie quarterback is trending toward playing Sunday at Detroit as long as there are no setbacks in the process.
Kafka said Dart would go through a non-contact practice Wednesday, but would not reveal whether he or veteran Jameis Winston would get the majority of snaps with the first-team offense. Dart missed the game last weekend against the Packers, a 27-20 loss that Winston started, after getting concussed Nov. 9 in a loss to Chicago.
Kafka confirmed the plan is for Winston to serve as the backup against the Lions if Dart is cleared to start, which is the Giants’ plan rather than taking a conservative approach and holding the 22-year-old out until Dec. 1 at New England.
“If he’s healthy and cleared to go, then I’d like Jaxson Dart to play,” Kafka said. “Only if he’s healthy and ready to go, and that’s based on what the doctors have to say.”
Penix Jr. needs ACL reconstruction
Atlanta Falcons quarter Michael Penix Jr. will have season-ending surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
The Falcons announced Penix’s surgery plans on Wednesday, two days after saying he would be placed on injured reserve and miss at least four games. The team said Penix has a partially torn ligament in the knee.
The loss of Penix leaves veteran Kirk Cousins as the starter for the remainder of the season as the Falcons (3-7) prepare to play at New Orleans on Sunday.
Penix suffered the injury in Sunday’s 30-27 overtime loss to Carolina, extending the Falcons’ losing streak to five games.
Coach Raheem Morris is scheduled to speak with reporters later Wednesday.
Penix had two ACL surgeries on his right knee during his college career. It is not known how another surgery will affect his status for the start of the 2026 season. Penix had started nine game for Atlanta in 2025, throwing for 1,982 yards with 9 touchdowns against 3 interceptions while posting an 88.5 passer rating.
Shedeur Sanders to make first NFL start Sunday
Shedeur Sanders will make his first NFL start on Sunday in Las Vegas as the Browns turn to the high-profile quarterback while fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel recovers from a concussion.
Sanders replaced an injured Gabriel for the second half of last week’s 23-16 loss to Baltimore. It was a shaky debut as Sanders, who was drafted by Cleveland in the fifth round, completed just 4 of 16 passes with an interception. He also was sacked twice and fumbled once.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that Gabriel remains in the concussion protocol but “is improving.”
Find more on this developing story here.
Stroud, Pitre both out for Texans on Thursday
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud missed this past weekend’s game while in the concussion protocol, and remains in it heading into Thursday’s matchup with the Bills. Per coach DeMeco Ryans by way of NFL Network, both Stroud and safety Jalen Pitre are out for Houston’s Thursday Night Football game against Buffalo, and both due to the concussion protocol.
Davis Mills has been the Texans quarterback for the last two games, with Houston winning both times. He’ll step in for Stroud once again on Thursday. Mills threw for 274 yards on 26-for-41 passing with one touchdown on Sunday against the Titans. That was Mills’ third-consecutive appearance, as Stroud injured himself in a week 9 matchup against the Broncos and has not played since. Mills filled in for Stroud for the rest of the game against Denver, which Houston lost, 18-15.
Rodgers might play through wrist fracture
Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his fractured left wrist could still play on Sunday when the Steelers visit Chicago.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday the team will evaluate Rodgers’ availability later in the week and that the key to Rodgers’ potential return will be whether he can function safely with a brace protecting the wrist.
Mason Rudolph, who filled in capably in the second half of Sunday’s 32-14 over Cincinnati, would start for AFC North-leading Pittsburgh (6-4) when it faces the NFC North-leading Bears (7-3) if Rodgers cannot.
The 41-year-old Rodgers, the oldest active player in the league, appeared to hurt the wrist while getting hit after a heave to the end zone with the Steelers driving late in the first half.
The four-time MVP clutched the wrist in the huddle following the play, though he did stay in to make one more pass — an incompletion to Roman Wilson — before the drive ended in a Chris Boswell field goal.
Carter denies sleeping through practice
Abdul Carter, Giants linebacker and first-round pick, was benched during the opening series of Sunday’s game against the Packers. This was the team’s discipline for Carter missing a practice in the lead-up to the game last week, which led to rumors that he had actually slept through that practice.
Per ESPN, Carter denies those reports, and says that it was simply a scheduling snafu. “My mistake was an honest mistake. I own the fact that it was an honest mistake. I was getting treatment and I told Coach [Mike] Kafka that, too. But to say I was sleeping at that time just wasn’t true. And it also wasn’t a trend. This was the only time it happened.”
Carter spoke up on the matter to preserve his reputation, as he admits that a mistake was made, but wanted to give clarity on what that mistake was.
Jaxson Dart remains in concussion protocol
It’s unclear if Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will be cleared to face the Lions on Sunday, or whether Jameis Winston will make back-to-back starts. Interim coach Mike Kafka said Dart remains in concussion protocol.
“I’m just going to see that through, talk with the medical (staff) and when they give us the thumbs-up, then we’ll take the next action,” Kafka said.
The Giants had a chance to win on Sunday against the Packers despite a poor defensive effort, which allowed 27 points to a Green Bay that had struggled offensively of late. Winston was intercepted in the end zone with 36 seconds left, and the journeyman quarterback was sacked and fumbled on the game’s final play.
Dart took over as the Giants’ starting QB before their fourth game of the season, against the Chargers. The rookie has started seven games and appeared in nine, managing a 62.7% completion percentage with 1,417 passing yards and 10 touchdowns against 3 interceptions.Â
Josh Jacobs has knee contusion, won’t need surgery
Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs won’t require surgery for the knee contusion that caused him to leave the Packers’ victory over the New York Giants on Sunday, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Monday.
LaFleur also noted Jacobs could “potentially” play in Week 12 against the Minnesota Vikings if the swelling in his knee goes down.
“We’ll see where he’s at,” said LaFleur. “It’s a contusion. It’s more or less trying to get the swelling down. Unfortunately, that’s a pretty hard surface over there and that’s a byproduct of that.”
Jacobs appeared to hurt his left knee when he was knocked out of bounds by Giants safety Jevon Holland on a first-quarter carry. Jacobs initially stayed in the game before going to the sideline in obvious pain and eventually headed into the locker room. He had seven carries for 40 yards before exiting a game the Packers eventually won 27-20.
Emanuel Wilson received a heavier workload in Jacobs’ absence and rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown. Wilson’s 11 carries matched his season high.
Jacobs, 27, has rushed for 648 yards on 169 carries this season. He has 11 touchdown runs and enters Monday night’s action ranked second in the league in that category, behind Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor (15).
Giants not making staff changes before Week 12 game
Following another blown fourth-quarter lead that caused a fifth consecutive loss and dropped the Giants to 2-9 this season, interim coach Mike Kafka is not planning to make any changes to his staff this week before playing at Detroit on Sunday.
“I would say status quo,” Kafka said Monday on a video call with reporters. “I wouldn’t anticipate any. As a matter of fact, we’re going to go and attack this week. I’m excited for this week of prep. The coaches are excited about it.”
Status quo means Shane Bowen remains in his role as defensive coordinator. His unit allowed 27 points to Green Bay, which had scored 20 combined over the previous two weeks, including a seven-play, 65-yard touchdown drive in just over three minutes that provided the final margin of defeat.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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