Overview
- Cleveland keeps Shedeur Sanders as the starter for a third game after Dillon Gabriel’s concussion, with Gabriel available again and Deshaun Watson in a reopened practice window.
- Evaluations in Cleveland remain unsettled as late-game results could influence whether the Browns stick with the current depth chart or pivot heading into 2026.
- New Orleans has Tyler Shough trending upward since replacing Spencer Rattler, yet a likely high draft slot could still put a rookie option on the table.
- Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy is 2-4 as a starter with a 54.1% completion rate and as many touchdowns as interceptions, placing his audition under sharper scrutiny down the stretch.
- Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones faces contract stakes after recent struggles, including three interceptions against Pittsburgh and 51.9% passing in a loss to Houston, while the Raiders are expected to target a rookie to replace Geno Smith.