Christian McCaffrey is expected to make his debut for the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Former All-Pro running back McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers from the Carolina Panthers on Thursday for second, third and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-rounder in 2024.
The tight turnaround initially made it look unlikely McCaffrey would be overly involved in a rematch of Super Bowl LIV from the 2019 season.
However, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, McCaffrey will play and the 49ers will have a package of plays ready for him.
The Chiefs will have a new lead runner in their backfield, with rookie Isaiah Pacheco set to get the bulk of the carries over 2020 first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Kansas City's closest rivals in the AFC West, the 4-2 Los Angeles Chargers, face NFC West opponents themselves in the form of the Seattle Seahawks.
They had hoped to have wide receiver Keenan Allen back from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Week 1, but his status was still up in the air heading into Sunday.
Star Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett is set to play having been listed as questionable with a hamstring injury of his own.
The Baltimore Ravens, another prospective AFC contender, have been boosted with tight end Mark Andrews (ankle) and Rashod Bateman (knee) both active for their meeting with the Cleveland Browns.
The Dallas Cowboys will not have to defend D'Andre Swift in Dak Prescott's return to action. Detroit Lions running back Swift is once again inactive because of ankle and shoulder injuries.
Detroit's division rivals the Green Bay Packers are looking to end a two-game losing run and get their offense back on track against the Washington Commanders.
Yet they will be without oft-injured left tackle David Bakhtiari because of a flare-up in his knee. The Packers have remodelled a struggling offensive line, shifting Elgton Jenkins from right tackle to left guard. Yosh Nijman takes over at right tackle, with rookie Zac Tom filling in for Bakhtiari.
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins will return from a knee injury as Aaron Rodgers desperately searches for targets he can trust.
Colts benching quarterback Richardson for Flacco
Anthony Richardson took himself out of the Indianapolis Colts' last game.
For the next game, the Colts decided to remove Richardson from the starting lineup altogether.
The Colts are benching Richardson for their game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings and will start Joe Flacco at quarterback.
The decision, which was reported by multiple media outlets on Tuesday, came a day after Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen said he was "evaluating" whether Richardson would remain the starter.
It also came two days after Richardson admitted pulling himself out of Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans because he was "tired."
The Colts selected Richardson fourth overall in the 2023 draft, but he has mostly struggled during his time in Indianapolis.
Sunday's performance against the Texans may have been his worst, however, as he completed just 10 of 32 passes for 175 yards and was sacked five times.
His paltry 44.4 completion percentage on the season is the worst among qualifying quarterbacks, as is his 57.2 passer rating.
In six games this season, he has 958 passing yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. He's rushed for 242 yards but also has an NFL-worst six fumbles.
The Colts are 2-3 in games Richardson has started and finished, and 2-1 in games Flacco has finished.
The 39-year-old Flacco started in Weeks 5 and 6 with Richardson sidelined due to an oblique injury, and he has completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 716 yards with seven touchdowns to just one interception for a 102.2 passer rating.
Texans wide receiver Diggs to miss rest of season with torn ACL
Stefon Diggs' first season with the Houston Texans is over after just eight games.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday that Diggs tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.
Diggs was injured in Sunday's 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on a non-contact play, as he tried to make a cut before pulling up and grabbing his right knee.
An MRI revealed the severity of the injury.
Diggs arrived in Houston as part of a blockbuster trade with the Buffalo Bills this past offseason.
Acquired for a 2025 second-round pick, Diggs reworked his contract with the Texans and will become a free agent after this season.
In his first season with Houston, the 30-year-old Diggs had a team-high 47 receptions for 496 yards with three receiving touchdowns.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Diggs amassed 1,000 receiving yards each of the last six seasons, and led the NFL with a career-high 1,535 yards in 2020.
Diggs is the second receiver to sustain a serious injury this season for the AFC South-leading Texans with Nico Collins currently on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Collins, who must sit out at least one more game, leads Houston with 567 receiving yards despite being sidelined since Week 5.
Steelers hold off Giants on Monday Night Football
Calvin Austin scored two touchdowns, including a tie-breaking 73-yard punt return in the third quarter, to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 26-18 victory over the New York Giants on Monday.
Austin also hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson that gave the Steelers a 23-9 lead with 13:16 left to play. Pittsburgh (6-2) also received 114 rushing yards from Najee Harris and four field goals from Chris Boswell to win its third straight game and retain first place in the AFC North.
Wilson, meanwhile, delivered another solid performance in his second start since missing the season's first six games with a calf injury. The veteran quarterback completed 20 of 28 passes for 278 yards and no interceptions.
Tyrone Tracy rushed for a career-high 145 yards on 20 carries and had a 45-yard touchdown run for the Giants, who had a chance to tie the game late after getting to the Pittsburgh 35-yard line in the final minute.
Daniel Jones overthrew a pass for Devin Singletary, however, as the Steelers' Beanie Bishop came up with an interception that sealed the victory and handed New York (2-6) a third straight loss.
Greg Joseph kicked four field goals for the Giants, including three in the first half to match Boswell as the teams went into half-time tied at 9-9.
Austin broke the deadlock, however, with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. The wide receiver fielded a punt at his own 27-yard line, broke free down the left sideline and out-sprinted all pursuers to record the Steelers' first punt return touchdown since 2019.
Wilson's touchdown strike to Austin early in the fourth put Pittsburgh up by two scores, but Tracy broke off his lone touchdown run on the following possession to bring New York within 23-15 with 11:07 left. The Giants failed on the two-point conversion try, though, as Jones' short pass intended for Malik Nabers was broken up.
Jones finished 24 of 38 for 264 yards with the late interception. Darius Slayton led New York receivers with 108 yards on four catches, while Nabers had seven catches totaling 71 yards.
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