The Insiders Podcast: Hall of Famer Mike Ditka passes away at 86 + Lamar Jackson out, Jayden Daniels back

Aaron Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy have been seen having heated exchanges on the sideline, but multiple reports indicate they are fine. McCarthy said Rodgers thinks it's really good to have this much passion among players, viewing it as an indication of a player-led team. Rodgers and McCarthy sat down multiple times to discuss things, and Rodgers sees the frustration as a positive sign of team leadership.

St. Brown (referred to as 'Pastor Tan' in the source) is out for the Denver Broncos.

Rookie Antonio Williams is expected to step up with Jayden Daniels, with the team really liking him in that role. The source notes the two have chemistry as well. If Daniels can't run or can't take hits due to his elbow injury, he'll need to dump it off to somebody in a hurry, making Williams a potential target outlet.

Mayfield was actively involved in preparing Jalen Daniels for the short-week game against Dallas, participating in extra quarterback meetings, walkthroughs, and on-field drills including hotel patio sessions on Wednesday night before the Thursday game; the source notes Mayfield was 'in motion' during these preparation sessions.

Hall will be out for his team.

Brock Bowers was returning from injury; the Raiders kept details quiet about his return status, similar to their general approach of keeping injury information private.

Brock Purdy has been surgical from a clean pocket this season and is known for navigating the pocket and being elusive; he emphasizes utilizing his legs to get 10-12 yards and move the chains for first downs, which he's doing in a big way heading into the 49ers-Seahawks matchup.

Irving had a huge night in the Buccaneers' 24-16 win over the Cowboys, scoring his second touchdown of the game and posting a career-high 165 rushing yards.

Williams remains questionable and is eyeing a return for the Bears as their quarterback.

Caleb Williams popped up as questionable on the injury report. He has gotten back into some running and the Bears have a plan in progress with the quarterback involving both running and throwing.

DJ Moore is aggravating his AC sprain heading into Monday night's game against the Rams, which opens the door for Keon Coleman to become Josh Allen's trusted target.

With Kyle Menungai sidelined by a foot injury, DeAndre Swift is expected to carry a massive load in the Bears' run game. Ben Johnson is not concerned about Swift's two lost fumbles this year, indicating confidence in his role and workload going forward.

Schultz (referred to as 'Ferguson' in the source) was targeted by Dak Prescott on a second-and-one play in the final Cowboys drive of the game.

Debo Samuel serves as a big safety valve for Brock Purdy to prevent sacks and generate easy yards in the 49ers offense, according to the Seahawks' assessment heading into their matchup.

Debo Samuel has been rejuvenated in San Francisco and is looking like his old self at age 30 after appearing to regress the last year or two; the 49ers are giving him handoffs and easy touches on screen passes to serve as a safety valve for Brock Purdy and protect him from sacks.

With Tyler Huntley starting at quarterback for the Ravens, Derrick Henry will see increased usage in support of the offense. The source notes Henry will be featured both running between the tackles and running on the perimeter as the Ravens attempt to create explosive plays through their scheme adjustments.

Deshaun Watson has recorded three consecutive game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime for the Browns, putting him in rare company with Tim Tebow and Vince Young. The source notes his execution in the regular season looks vastly different and improved compared to the preseason, and he is chipping off rust week by week. He is using his legs more to extend plays, though he is not the true dual-threat he was in Houston; the Browns are happy to see this mobility despite questions about confidence coming off two Achilles tears.

Deshaun Watson has already recorded three fumbles in 2024, and the Browns want to see him hold onto the ball more going forward. This is a concern area despite his improved overall execution and performance compared to the preseason.

Smith will be out for his team.

Drake Maye played better last week, providing relief in the Patriots building after he had been on the wrong track and looked shaken for a few games; the source says it was a poor decision-making and confidence issue rather than scheme or injury-related.

Emmanuel Wilson received 21 carries last week for the Seahawks due to injuries at running back (Jadarian Price on IR, Zach Charbonnet still recovering from torn ACL).

Pickens caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys-Buccaneers game; he was not in the game on the previous play but returned to score.

Chase is dealing with a concussion and is questionable for the Bengals-Dolphins game on Sunday.

Jadarian Price, the first-round running back for the Seahawks, is on injured reserve, contributing to Seattle's running back depth issues.

Daniels will need to rely on dump-off passes if he can't run or take hits effectively; the source emphasizes his limited experience with the Buccaneers offense and no prior experience facing the Dallas Cowboys defense, yet he performed well in his second career start on a short week with extra preparation including hotel walkthroughs and cram sessions.

Jayden Daniels will play against the Giants with a new and larger brace on his thrice-dislocated left elbow. The source indicates this is something he will try to play through and manage. Early word suggests this injury will bring him back sooner than previous elbow dislocations, missing only a couple of games, but questions remain about how close he is to 100% functionality and whether he can escape and trust his body.

Jayden Daniels is returning to action after missing time, as referenced in the episode title indicating his return.

Rookie running back Jeremiah Love is trending in the right direction regarding his ankle injury ahead of the Lions-Cardinals game, per head coach Mike LaFleur.

Jordan Addison is questionable with a hamstring injury heading into the Vikings' game.

Jordan Love has been historically dominant against the Chicago Bears with a 13-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 113 passer rating against them—the best passer rating any quarterback has ever posted against the Bears franchise, surpassing Aaron Rodgers' 107 rating. He now has eight touchdowns and three interceptions on the season.

Jefferson is questionable for the upcoming week.

Justin Jefferson missed last week's game against the Dolphins and is questionable with an ankle injury heading into the Vikings' matchup against an undefeated Minnesota team.

Keon Coleman is rewriting his narrative as a reliable playmaker for Josh Allen after two years of being called a bust. In year three, he came in with a different purpose, working with Bills great Stevie Johnson on his release and with trainer Mo Wells. He had 118 yards and a touchdown last week, is sleeping better (a previous issue), and is blocking with a defensive basketball mentality. With DJ Moore aggravating his AC sprain, Coleman has become the guy Allen can trust on Monday night.

Lamar Jackson suffered an unconventional ankle sprain (not high or low) in the first half against the Titans in Week 5 and will miss at least this week against Atlanta; the injury is rare and depends on rehab and functional ability. Head coach Jesse Minter noted Jackson is working hard to return but the team does not know if he will be available next week. The injury is particularly challenging for Jackson's return timeline because his elite athleticism and elusiveness mean he must be the complete package to play, making it harder to get him back on the field.

Lamar Jackson could miss multiple weeks with a left ankle injury, forcing the Ravens to start backup Tyler Huntley in Sunday night football. The Ravens do not have an exact timeline on his return, though coach Jesse Minter indicated he does not know if Jackson will return next week but will do everything in his power to come back.

Michael Pittman Jr. is out for the Steelers-Colts game.

Wide receiver Rashad Bateman expressed confidence in backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, saying Huntley has Lamar's back and will carry the Ravens along the way.

Rico Dowdle is out for the Steelers-Colts game.

Sam Darnold needs to have a strong game against San Francisco to prove the Seahawks can function without their typical running game, which is their built-in offensive identity.

Barkley has been ruled out after suffering an injury in week four against the Rams; he will miss the Eagles-Jaguars game in London.

Saquon Barkley has been ruled out after an injury. The source indicates this is a significant development for the Eagles' backfield heading into their London game against the Jaguars.

Bigsby has been placed on injured reserve; he will not be available for the Eagles-Jaguars game in London.

Higgins suffered an adductor injury in the second half against the Jaguars and is questionable for the Bengals-Dolphins game on Sunday.

Terry McLaurin is coming back from a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable for the game against the Giants. The source indicates he's looking more like a game-time decision, with the team to know more on Saturday whether he can play. The Commanders want to bring out Daniels and McLaurin together as a package deal, noting the two had serious chemistry during training camp and were locked in scoring touchdowns together.

Travis Hunter played all defensive snaps this past week and is expected to play more offense as the year progresses, though the plan remains unchanged. The source reports he has been a star at cornerback with buzz around the league; a Jags coach told the source Hunter will be talked about as a top-five cornerback by next offseason, and a source compared him to Jalen Ramsey 2.0 based on his athleticism and playmaking ability against the Bengals.

Tyler Huntley will start for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5 against Atlanta in place of injured Lamar Jackson. This marks Huntley's first start in the Declan Doyle era as offensive coordinator. The Ravens are hopeful the offense can function with Doyle calling plays for Huntley.

Huntley steps in for Lamar Jackson with the Ravens hopeful the offense can function with O.C. Declan Doyle pulling the strings. However, Huntley has limitations compared to Jackson—he can't replicate the "crazy cool Lamar things" Jackson does when getting off running and throwing on the run. The Ravens will still try to create explosive plays through motions, shifts, and change of direction before the snap, with heavy usage of Derrick Henry both between the tackles and on the perimeter.

Tyler Huntley will start for the Ravens in Sunday night football against the Steelers in his first start in the Ravens offense. Coach Jesse Minter said Lamar is one of one but the Ravens will build around their playmakers and offensive line. The challenge will be producing explosive plays; Jackson ranked fifth in the NFL with nine passes of 25 yards or longer, while in two starts last season Huntley totaled just one pass over 25 yards. However, players in the locker room insist they have faith in Huntley, with wide receiver Rashad Bateman saying Huntley has Lamar's back and will carry them along the way.

Zach Charbonnet has not yet been activated and is still recovering from a torn ACL, leaving the Seahawks without depth at running back.

Flowers is questionable for the upcoming week.