Lamar practiced in full. Brown did not
Source: Heath Cummings, CBS Sports, 29 October 2026. Jackson's return is also covered by FOX Sports.
Last week a lot of managers started Lamar Jackson against Cincinnati too early. He did not play. On Thursday 29 October the tone changed because Baltimore's quarterback completed Wednesday's practice. CBS Sports puts him back among the top six fantasy quarterbacks for the visit to Buffalo, with one caveat: nobody knows yet whether he will run the way he does in a healthy month. The matchup helps. Buffalo has allowed 29 points or more in every game this season but one.
FOX Sports pins down the calendar. Jackson has not played since he left at halftime of the 4 October win over Tennessee. He told the media he had been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain. Last week he was limited and sat out the 35-13 loss to the Bengals, his third straight game on the bench. Without him, Baltimore is 1-2 and arrives at 4-3 at the home of a Bills team that leads the East at 5-1. On Wednesday he came out with his left ankle taped and warmed up with center Cam Jurgens. Coach Jesse Minter did not confirm the start: more work and a better response raise the optimism, and the rest of the week decides. If Lamar plays, CBS puts Zay Flowers among the top five receivers and returns Derrick Henry to the top twelve running backs, even if his efficiency this season has not been brilliant.
Egbuka, still in the protocol
Emeka Egbuka is still in the concussion protocol and is also carrying a foot problem. On Wednesday he practiced in a non-contact jersey and on Thursday he was back in the regular one. CBS does not treat him as a lock to start, but it has him as a third receiver. Even so, that desk's Thursday Night advice was to start Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Christian Watson and, if he was active, Matthew Golden ahead of him. If Egbuka returns, Chris Godwin loses appeal as a third receiver.
Philadelphia loses the poster
Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks missed Wednesday and were not seen at the start of Thursday's practice. Dameon Pierce moved to the reserve list this week. The two healthy runners at that moment were Jaydon Blue and Elijah Mitchell, the latter still on the practice squad. CBS expected Mitchell to be elevated if Barkley cannot play, and saw him as the best available Eagles running back, but not as a name to start. Not Blue either. If Smith and Wicks stay out, Makai Lemon is a reasonable WR3 in full-PPR leagues, and Dallas Goedert becomes a must-start tight end.
Moore without contact, Rice against Denver
D.J. Moore has spent two days in a non-contact jersey because of his shoulder. Practicing is a good sign. Not being cleared for contact leaves Sunday open. If he plays, CBS treats him as a WR2 with ceiling in a game that can turn into points against Baltimore. If he does not play, Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir come in as WR3s, with the preference for Coleman.
Rashee Rice strung together a second day of practice and can return in Week 8 after the hamstring problem. The matchup does not help: Kansas City visits Denver, and Patrick Surtain is also trending toward a return. If Rice plays, Xavier Worthy drops from WR3 to a low-end flex, and Travis Kelce gives up some volume even though he would stay among the top twelve tight ends. CBS leaves Rice himself at WR3 in that game.
Brown misses Thursday. Spears and the coast, separately
A.J. Brown missed Thursday after a limited session on Wednesday. On this portal's board he is listed with Philadelphia. CBS keeps him as a low-end WR2 because of the ceiling, but every practice he misses makes it harder to believe that ceiling will show up. The same CBS note links that absence to the New England offense. That club is not the one on the board and the source does not announce a trade, so that chain is not repeated here.
Tyjae Spears and Carnell Tate missed Thursday, a second straight day. Tate, when he plays, is a solid WR2 in that ranking: you need a plan B. Spears did not play last week and the case grows for another Sunday of Tony Pollard as the volume runner, with more work in the passing game. CBS adds a caveat: the Bengals recently slowed Derrick Henry, so the matchup can be a bad one. Pollard was not seen at the start of Thursday either, although CBS does not question his availability. Ladd McConkey is progressing in the concussion protocol and could return, with no guarantee by Thursday mid-afternoon. Against the Los Angeles Rams the matchup is poor and the Chargers' offense is not sharp: McConkey, at best, is a WR3. That piece's recommendation is to sit the Chargers.
In Seattle, Jadarian Price's practice window opened. If he and Zach Charbonnet both return, the backfield splits and Emanuel Wilson stops being a reliable RB2. In that reading, no Seahawks runner is more than a flex.
Desk conclusion: this review follows Heath Cummings's 29 October piece and the FOX Sports report on Jackson. Friday night's report in Spain makes it old. A player who has not taken contact does not get into the lineup on name alone.