NFL Player News and Weather Week 9.

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Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Kenyan Drake's ankle injury isn't as severe as first believed.
Kingsbury said the team was "very fortunate" Drake's injury wasn't as bad as they thought when he was carted off the field a couple weeks ago against the Seahawks. Kingsbury called Drake "day to day" but didn't say whether he would suit up against the Dolphins this week.

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Colts coach Frank Reich said Jonathan Taylor is dealing with "a little bit of" an ankle injury.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Kenny Golladay (hip) won't play in Week 9 against the Vikings.
He'll have more tests to see where he's at moving forward. It's clearly not a good sign that Golladay was ruled out in advance so early in the week.

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The Packers are pessimistic about Aaron Jones (calf) playing Thursday against the 49ers.
With Jones limited at Monday's practice and Jamaal Williams and AJ Dillon out for Week 9 -- Williams had close contact with Dillon, who has COVID-19 -- Green Bay could turn to Tyler Ervin and practice squad RB Dexter Williams this week against the Niners.

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports George Kittle (foot) will miss "extended time."
Kittle is expected to miss eight weeks. It’s currently unclear if he'll be able to return at all this year. The 27-year-old broke his foot on the artificial turf in CenturyLink Field and, along with QB Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), is out indefinitely.

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Cowboys placed QB Andy Dalton on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

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Deebo Samuel (hamstring) has been declared out for Week 9 against the Packers.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially activated Antonio Brown from the suspended list on Tuesday, the team announced.

Coach Bruce Arians said Tuesday that Brown will have a role in Sunday night's game against the New Orleans Saints.

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NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports the Cowboys have benched QB Ben DiNucci for Week 9 in Andy Dalton's absence, and that Garrett Gilbert and Cooper Rush will compete to start against the Steelers.

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NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports the Packers are "on track" to play Thursday's game against the 49ers.
The Packers will be without A.J. Dillon, Jamaal Williams, and LB Kamal Martin due to COVID-19 protocols. They haven't had any further positive tests and are expected to play this week.

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ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the 49ers have shut down their facility due to a positive COVID-19 test.
This comes a day before the 49ers are scheduled to play the Packers. The Packers have also been dealing with a mini-outbreak, with A.J. Dillon, Jamaal Williams, and Kamal Martin all in COVID protocols. For now, Thursday night's game remains on as scheduled.

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Calvin Ridley (foot) is not practicing Wednesday.
X-rays were negative on Ridley's foot after he had to leave last Thursday night's game, and he was later diagnosed with a mid-foot sprain. Mid-foot injuries are always scary due to the location of the dreaded Lisfranc. For now, the Falcons are hopeful Ridley won't miss too much, if any, time.

Christian McCaffrey (ankle) returned to practice Wednesday.
This is McCaffrey's first practice since going down in Week 2. He reportedly "looked good" cutting during the portion that was open to the media. The Panthers are expected to activate McCaffrey from IR after holding him out last week.

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The Texans will close its facilities Thursday due to a positive COVID-19 test.
As always with positive tests, the Texans will shut down its facilities and force the player who tested positive (to be revealed on tomorrow's transactions wire) to keep at home. Any players who were deemed in close contact will also quarantine and be ruled out for Sunday due to the league's five-day window.

49ers placed WR Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/COVID-19 list and he will miss Thursday's Week 9's game against the Packers.
Deebo Samuel and LT Trent Williams join Aiyuk on the COVID-19 list as close contacts to Kendrick Bourne, who was previously ruled out. Samuel was already set to miss the game, but the 49ers now will be without their top two wide receivers and best left tackle. It is fair to question how this game is moving forward as planned on Thursday night and, if it is indeed played, who will catch passes from Nick Mullens.

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Kenyan Drake (ankle) was held out of practice on Wednesday.
This was the Cardinals' first practice out of their bye, and all signs point to Chase Edmonds handling the bulk, if not all, of the backfield touches against the Dolphins' 32nd run defense according to DVOA.

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49ers TE Jordan Reed (Knee) will be activated from injured reserve and play Thursday night against the 49ers.
On IR since early October, Reed looks like a go for Thursday Night Football.


NFL Network's Peter Schrager said Packers RB Tyler Ervin is expected to get "the bulk" of the team's rushing workload Thursday night.
This would suggest Aaron Jones (calf) won't suit up to face the 49ers.

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Aaron Jones (calf) is active for Week 9 against the 49ers.

Josh Jacobs (knee, illness) was downgraded to "DNP" for Thursday's practice.
We wouldn't normally bat an eye at this — Jacobs has been listed with his knee many times this season — but it is notable that the Raiders promoted RB Theo Riddick from the practice squad on Thursday.