Top weapons out for Giants
Chiefs speedy WR Hill could return this week vs. Texans
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The heavily underdog New York Giants are going to be without their top two running backs and their two leading receivers against the New England Patriots.
Coach Pat Shurmur announced Wednesday running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) and Wayne Gallman (concussion), wide receiver Sterling Shepard (concussion) and tight end Evan Engram will not play on Thursday night against the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots (5-0).
It will mark the third straight game Barkley, the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has missed with a high sprain to his right ankle. He was hurt on Sept. 15 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has practiced on a limited basis.
By sitting out, Barkley will get an extra 10 days to rehab for a possible return on Oct. 20 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Shepard, Engram and Gallman were hurt Sunday in a loss to Minnesota.
CHIEFS: Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill could be back for Sunday’s game against Houston, though that may be just about the end of the positive news on the injury front.
The Chiefs placed defensive tackle Xavier Williams on injured reserve after he sustained a high ankle sprain in last weekend’s 19-13 loss to the Colts. He was among a handful of crucial players that went down during the game, many of whom could still be out for Week 6.
Left tackle Eric Fisher remains out after core muscle surgery. Defensive tackle Chris Jones, wide receiver Sammy Watkins and offensive lineman Andrew Wylie all missed practice Wednesday afterbeing hurt during the Indianapolis game.
RAMS: Todd Gurley missed practice Wednesday with a bruised left thigh, and the Los Angeles Rams don’t know whether their star running back will play against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Coach Sean McVay says Gurley’s injury “caught us all off-guard” when Los Angeles went back to work following several days without practice. The Rams (3-2) haven’t played since last Thursday, when they lost 30-29 at Seattle.
DOLPHINS: Coach Brian Flores says this year’s quarterback competition has been decided, and Josh Rosen is the winner.
After supplanting veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week 3, Rosen will start for the third game in a row Sunday against Washington, and the job will remain his going forward, Flores said Wednesday.
JAGUARS: Cornerback Jalen Ramsey practiced for the first time in three weeks Wednesday, rejoining teammates two days after seeing a back specialist.
Ramsey participated in a limited capacity, taking part in individual drills before spending the rest of the session working with team trainers on the side.
RAIDERS: Linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s appeal to overturn his suspension for the rest of the season for a helmet-to-helmet hit has been denied.
Appeals officer Derrick Brooks ruled Wednesday that he would not reduce the longest suspension ever handed down for an on-field infraction.
CHARGERS: Los Angeles suffered another major blow Wednesday when the team announced it was placing Mike Pouncey on injured reserve. The four-time Pro Bowl center left the Chargers’ 20-13 loss to Denver on Sunday because of a neck injury.
JETS: New York linebacker Brandon Copeland is suing a company that sold a supplement he says was contaminated with a banned substance that didn’t appear on the product’s label.
Copeland practiced Wednesday for the first time this season after being suspended by the NFL for the first four regular season games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.