Report: Michael Penix Jr. will be placed on IR, has damage to ACL
While it’s currently unclear whether or not Michael Penix Jr. will miss the rest of the 2025 season, he is at least going to be sidelined for four weeks.
According to a report from NFL Media, Penix is going to be placed on injured reserve after aggravating a bone bruise and knee sprain he initially suffered earlier in the 2025 season.
Plus, the report notes, there has been damage to Penix’s ACL, which could lead to a full knee reconstruction.
While Penix sustained two ACL tears in his right knee during his time in college, this injury is to his left knee.
Penix, 25, has completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,982 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions in nine games this year.
Veteran Kirk Cousins is now slated to start for Atlanta, with the next matchup being against New Orleans in Week 12. He’s completed 32-of-52 passes for 250 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in three appearances with one start so far in 2025.
NFL Injury Report: Tracking latest news, updates on Josh Jacobs, Drake London and more for fantasy football in Week 12
There are only a few more weeks left before the fantasy football playoffs and the injuries keep on coming. We had plenty of notable players go down in Week 11 that will impact your rosters the rest of the season. Below we'll recap what happened the past week, plus look ahead to Week 12 and who to monitor on the NFL injury report.
Injury news and updates
Josh Jacobs, RB, Packers (knee): The Packers were able to survive the Giants at MetLife Stadium but got a big scare. Jacobs went down with a knee injury in the first half and was unable to return to the contest. He finished the game with seven carries for 40 yards and no catches. Backup Emanuel Wilson took over as the lead back, taking 11 carries for just 40 yards.
Jacobs’ knee is structurally sound and no surgery is required, per NFL Network. For now, he’s considered day-to-day, but could miss the team's Week 12 matchup against the Vikings. If Jacobs is out on Sunday, expect Wilson to get the bulk of the work in the backfield while Chris Brooks also mixes in. There hasn't been any updates on MarShawn Lloyd's status as he remains on injured reserve.
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Falcons (knee): Penix took a hit to the knee in the third quarter of Atlanta's loss to the Panthers in Week 11. Kirk Cousins came in relief and completed 6 of 14 passes for 48 yards. ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting Penix's injury could be season-ending and he's seeking a second opinion. If Penix is done for the year, Cousins is a downgrade to the entire passing game. You'd think Atlanta would lean into the run with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier if that's the case. We're also monitoring another big Falcons injury below.
Drake London, WR, Falcons (knee): London left late in the Falcons' OT loss to the Panthers on Sunday. According to Ian Rapoport, London suffered a PCL sprain and he is out this week and possibly longer. It's a brutal blow for fantasy managers as London has averaged 16.3 fantasy points per game, third best among receivers this season. With London expected to miss at least Week 12 vs. the Saints, it puts Darnell Mooney on the waiver-wire radar. Kyle Pitts Sr. would also likely see a bump in targets — granted, likely coming from Cousins.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Steelers (wrist): Rodgers injured his left wrist during the Steelers win over the Bengals in Week 11 and did not return. Mason Rudolph took over at QB and led Pittsburgh to victory. Rodgers will be evaluated on Monday but ESPN is already reporting it's a slight break in his wrist. That means Rodgers could miss time. If that's the case, Rudolph will start in Week 12 vs. the Bears. The Steelers' passing game hadn't been all that effective to this point in the season. Expect Pittsburgh to lean into the run if Rodgers is sidelined.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Steelers (ankle): Warren was forced to exit in the third quarter vs. Cincinatti and briefly returned, but didn't get a touch the rest of the game. The Steelers would build up a 34-12 lead in the fourth quarter and ride Kenneth Gainwell and Kaleb Johnson the rest of the way on the ground. We'll need to monitor for an update on Warren. There's a chance the injury isn't serious and he was held out late in the game with the team up big. If Warren were to miss any time again, Gainwell is a must-target off the waiver wire and has RB2 upside.
Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jaguars (ankle): Tuten was on fire before leaving the Jaguars' blowout win over the Chargers on Sunday. He finished with 15 carries for 74 yards and a TD before exiting. Travis Etienne Jr. would score twice and finish with 73 rushing yards on 19 carries. LeQuint Allen Jr. also had eight carries for 36 yards as the clean-up back late in the contest. If this injury holds Tuten out, Allen should see additional snaps and touches as the change-of-pace back behind Etienne. But the veteran should see an uptick in usage given how the passing game looks right now. Allen wouldn't be a bad deep-league add/stash.
Jaxson Dart, QB, Giants (concussion): Dart is going to remain in concussion protocol to start Week 12. Dart missed the Giants' Week 11 loss to the Packers with Jameis Winston taking over as the starter. There's plenty of time for the rookie to clear protocol and get back on the field for Sunday's game vs. the Lions. If he does return, we could see fewer rushes as the team tries to preserve their franchise QB for the future.
Calvin Ridley, WR, Titans (leg): Ridley was carted off after sustaining an ankle injury during the Titans' loss to the Texans on Sunday. Head coach Mike McCoy announced after the game that Ridley suffered a fractured fibula and is out for the rest of the season. WR Chimere Dike also left the game, initially being checked for a concussion, but later ruled out due to a chest contusion. With Ridley out again, rookie Elic Ayomanor should continue to operate as the top receiving option for QB Cam Ward. However, there's little appeal for fantasy on this Tennessee offense — especially the passing game.
Justin Fields benched: Jets QB replaced by Tyrod Taylor after miserable start to 2025 season
The New York Jets have officially benched Justin Fields in favor of veteran Tyrod Taylor after a winless start in 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Justin Fields' starting gig with the New York Jets ended after just nine games. Following a miserable start to the season, Fields was benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor ahead of Week 12, according to Diana Russini of The Athletic.
The Jets are making a quarterback change, benching Justin Fields in favor of veteran Tyrod Taylor, per source.
New York faces Baltimore in Week 12 and ranks last in the league in passing yards per game. pic.twitter.com/Hf7y5WCZGH
While Fields could still work his way into some starts down the stretch, the move signals a clear change of direction for the Jets moving forward. When the team signed Fields to a two-year $40 million deal in the offseason, it intended on the former first-round pick being a useful stopgap — with the potential for more — over the next couple of seasons.
Jets owner Woody Johnson acknowledged Fields' poor play this season at the annual Fall League Meeting. Though he maintained that the decision on the team's quarterback remains with head coach Aaron Glenn, Johnson conceded in October that things haven't quite come together for Fields thus far.
“It’s hard when you have a quarterback with the rating that we’ve got. I mean, he has the ability, but something is just not jiving," Johnson commented.
After an encouraging debut, in which Fields scored three total touchdowns in a narrow loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fields struggled to put together competent passing performances. He was held to under 50 yards passing in three of his first six games with the team, including a 27-yard performance in a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Fields left that game with a concussion in the fourth quarter.
That injury caused Fields to miss the team's Week 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Jets lost that contest, though they scored 27 points with Taylor under center.
Fields returned to the starting lineup in Week 4 and turned in two strong performances before running into the Denver Broncos in London in Week 6.
Fields and the Jets struggled mightily in that contest. The 26-year-old Fields went just 9-for-17 with 45 yards passing. The Broncos smartly assigned defensive spies to prevent Fields from running with the ball when passing plays broke down. The tactic limited Fields to just 31 rushing yards.
While his statistical performance was awful, the most damning sign that the coaching staff lost confidence in Fields came at the end of the second quarter. With the Jets down 10-6, the team had a chance for a final drive before halftime. The Jets got the ball back with 3:22 to play and then made a series of bizarre decisions that suggested they didn't want Fields throwing the ball.
Despite time running out in the quarter, the Jets ran the ball six times on the drive. After Fields picked up a third down with a throw, the team continued running the ball to set up a 4th and 1. The Jets converted a fake punt, signaling the team wanted to put points on the board before halftime. Instead, the team ran on the next two plays, using timeouts after both runs to stop the clock.
The Jets managed to push the ball to their own 41-yard line with just seconds to play before halftime. Instead of trying for a Hail Mary, the Jets let the clock run out, ending the drive with no points and a lot of questions.
After that contest, Jets coach Aaron Glenn was asked about a possible quarterback change. He stood by Fields, defending the quarterback's performance.
But the following week, Glenn had seen enough. Fields was benched in favor of Taylor after a lackluster performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. Fields put up 46 passing yards and 22 rushing yards in the first half before being benched. Taylor threw for 126 yards in the second half but turned the ball over twice in the Jets' 13-6 loss.
The decision ends Fields' future as a starter with the Jets. While it's unclear whether the team can part ways with Fields in the offseason, it will almost certainly add a quarterback in the offseason. Barring a massive turnaround in the second half, the Jets will likely hold one of the first picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The move could also signal the end of Fields' time as a starter in the NFL. Though he showed flashes of brilliance at times with the Chicago Bears, Fields never put it all together. He was shipped to the Steelers in a trade once the team decided to select Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While Fields led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record, the team opted to play veteran Russell Wilson once he returned from injury.
New York was supposed to be Fields' chance to prove he had grown as a passer and could be a future starter in the NFL. That didn't happen, and Fields didn't even get the full year to show off his skills.
Given his ability as a runner, Fields could still draw interest from other NFL teams as a backup. For all his faults, Fields can be an explosive playmaker. That's probably enough to earn him some looks once from other teams once his Jets tenure is over ... just not as a starter.