New England Patriots

The New England Patriots were already without starting quarterback Mac Jones for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, but their situation is now even more concerning.

Veteran backup Brian Hoyer, who was inserted as the starter against Green Bay, has been ruled out for the remainder of the game because of a concussion. Now 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe is under center for the Patriots.

Jones was forced to miss a start for the first time in his career after injuring his ankle in the fourth quarter of Week 3's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jones' injury was "diagnosed as a severe high ankle sprain that would cause many to have surgery" and the 24-year-old is likely to miss multiple games.

Starting in his first game since 2020, Hoyer was 5-of-6 for 37 yards prior to exiting the game. He engineered a 10-play 56-yard opening drive that resulted in a field goal.

On New England's second possession, Hoyer was sacked by Packers linebacker Rashan Gary. According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, the 36-year-old was examined in the medical tent before walking back to the locker room for further evaluation.

A rookie out of Western Kentucky, Zappe is seeing his first NFL action. After playing his first three college seasons at Houston Baptist, he transferred to the Hilltoppers for his final year of eligibility and threw for 5,967 yards, 62 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 69.2 percent of his passes.

Zappe appeared in all three preseason games and recorded 462 passing yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

New England is hoping that Zappe will be able to steady the ship for the interim, especially considering their are no other quarterbacks on the roster.

The New England Patriots will have to cope without quarterback Mac Jones this weekend after he was been ruled out of Sunday's matchup with the Green Bay Packers.

The Patriots and fantasy players relying on the team's primary pass-catchers will turn their attention toward Brian Hoyer after this setback. He doesn't have the same ceiling as the rookie, which will in turn impact the fantasy value of pass-catchers DeVante Parker and Jakobi Meyers.

DeVante Parker and Jakobi Meyers

There are worse backup situations than Hoyer seeing how he has been in the league since 2009 and even has a season with more than 3,000 passing yards on his resume. If nothing else, he can provide veteran leadership and the ability to get the ball to his playmakers.

That is welcome news for fantasy players relying on Parker, who should view his role in their lineups the same way even if Jones is sidelined.

While Parker isn't going to put up the exact same numbers without the starter, his production shouldn't fall off a cliff. Hoyer will look to keep the offense afloat by using him as a safety valve on crossing routes and underneath options, which should work in point-per-reception leagues.

The Louisville product isn't far removed from the 2019 season when he posted 1,202 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches and is probably the most proven wide receiver on the Patriots roster. Look for him to remain involved even without Jones.

Still, he's been boom-or-bust this season. Consider him a WR4.

Meyers is hardly a sure thing himself, but he impressed at times last year on his way to 866 receiving yards in just his third season in the league. While the two career touchdowns entering the 2022 campaign is of some concern, Meyers is still someone who figures to see a number of passes every game.

He's also been far more consistent in his two games this season, racking up 13 catches on 19 targets.

At this point, fantasy players should probably take more of a wait-and-see approach given the lack of touchdowns and his own injury concerns, but the North Carolina State product may still be a flex option even with Hoyer.

You likely have better options, however.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with an ankle injury.

Brian Hoyer will serve as the starting quarterback in Jones' absence. He took all the first-team reps at practice Wednesday and Thursday.

Jones didn't appear to do much at the media availability portion of Friday's practice, according to NFL Network's Mike Giardi and ESPN's Mike Reiss:

Jones suffered the injury at the end of his team's 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Nick O'Malley of Masslive.com described the scene.

"Jones appeared to be in pain as he was helped off the field bypassing the blue medical tent and heading straight to the team’s locker room," O'Malley wrote. "Jones did not appear to put any weight on the leg as he came off the field."

X-rays following the game were negative, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The 24-year-old Jones, who is in his second NFL season, has completed 64-of-97 passes for 786 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions through three games.

Heading into Green Bay for a matchup with reigning back-to-back NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the 2-1 Packers would have been a tough task even with Jones, but escaping with a victory is even more arduous without him.

The Pats have struggled on both sides of the ball to start the year, with the offense notably sitting No. 25 in points per game. They are 1-2 after a 17-14 win over the 1-2 Pittsburgh Steelers, a 20-7 loss to the 3-1 Miami Dolphins and the aforementioned defeat to the 2-1 Ravens.

The 36-year-old Hoyer has been a Patriots backup for seven seasons over three different stints. The 13-year NFL veteran has played in 75 games (39 starts) and completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 53 touchdowns (35 interceptions) and 7.0 yards per attempt.

Rookie Bailey Zappe will be the team's backup behind Hoyer with Jones sidelined.

Mac Jones' teammates seemingly don't want the New England Patriots quarterback to rush himself back from his ankle injury.

"Love Mac [Jones]. Tough, tough, tough guy. But he's hurting pretty good," an unnamed Patriots player told Mike Giardi of NFL Network. "Hope everyone's smart about this. It's a long season."

Giardi reported Jones is still "operating as if he has a chance" to play in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers and told teammates "to not count him out."

This comes despite suffering what doctors diagnosed as a severe high-ankle sprain in the Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Jones was in obvious pain as he limped off the field in Sunday's game:

Jones has struggled during his second NFL season, totaling just two passing touchdowns and five interceptions in three games. His 76.2 passer rating is significantly lower than his 92.5 mark from 2021 when he led the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a playoff appearance.

The No. 15 overall draft pick earned a Pro Bowl selection and finished second in voting for Offensive Rookie of the Year behind Ja'Marr Chase.

Things clearly haven't gone as smoothly in 2022, and the latest ankle injury could exacerbate his problems.

If Jones is unable to play, the Patriots will turn to veteran Brian Hoyer. The 14-year veteran has spent eight seasons in New England across three different stints, but has only made one start with the team.

The 36-year-old has 39 career starts in the NFL, but just two since 2018.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones reportedly told teammates he could play in Sunday's Week 4 road game against the Green Bay Packers despite an ankle injury.

Mike Giardi of the NFL Network reported an update on Jones' status Thursday:

The 24-year-old limped off the field late in the fourth quarter of New England's Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that tests confirmed he had suffered a "pretty severe" high ankle sprain and the hope was that surgery wouldn't be required.

Jones later told reporters he was optimistic about his recovery.

"I'm just going to take it day by day, get my treatment and do what I do," he said. "Just see how I feel."

Jones is off to a slow start this season. Through three games, he's thrown for 786 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 66 percent of his passes.

After being selected 15th overall in the 2021 NFL draft, the Alabama product emerged as the best quarterback of his class. He was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate in his rookie season after throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

He was the only first-year quarterback to lead his team to a winning record and a playoff appearance, though New England lost in the Wild Card Round to the Buffalo Bills.

If Jones is sidelined, New England will turn to veteran backup Brian Hoyer, who has lost each of his last 11 starts. Fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe will be elevated to his backup.

While not known for being the most outwardly optimistic person, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did have a relatively positive update on Mac Jones' ankle injury.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Belichick said his starting quarterback has "made a lot of progress the last 48 hours" but they are taking a "day-by-day" approach before deciding if he could potentially start in Week 4.

Jones suffered an ankle injury on New England's final offensive play in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. His leg got tangled up with Calais Campbell, who brought pressure that led to the turnover.

After hopping to the sideline on one leg, Jones was taken to the locker room for examination. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the second-year quarterback suffered a "pretty severe" high-ankle sprain and he's seeking a second opinion to determine a timeframe to return.

During his Wednesday press conference, Belichick declined to answer a question about the exact nature of Jones' injury.

"What do I look like," he responded to a reporter. "A doctor? An orthopedic surgeon? Day-by-day."

If Jones is unable to play this week, Brian Hoyer will be in line to make his first start since Week 4 of the 2020 season. The 36-year-old has spent seven seasons with the Patriots over three different stints dating back to 2009.

Hoyer has a 16-23 career record in 39 starts. He has yet to appear in a game this season, but did go 9-of-11 for 227 yards and one touchdown across five games in limited duty during the 2021 campaign.

After a promising rookie season, Jones is off to a slow start through three games in 2022. The 24-year-old has thrown for 786 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions. He's tied with Matthew Stafford and Jameis Winston for most interceptions in the NFL.

New England is off to a 1-2 start for the second consecutive season. The team went on to win 10 games and make the playoffs as a wild card in 2021.

The Patriots will play the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones suffered a "pretty severe" high ankle sprain in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Monday that Jones is set to get a second opinion, but it's hard to imagine he'll be back for Week 4. Mike Giardi of NFL Network reported a team source said they would be "surprised" if Jones avoided surgery, especially "knowing it could speed up healing."

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Jones "is likely to miss multiple games":

Jones gave the Patriots a scare on their final offensive play in Foxborough. He was injured as he was hit by Calais Campbell while throwing an interception.

After hopping off the field, Jones had to be helped to the locker room. X-rays came back negative, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

It's been a rough start to the season for Jones and the offense. The team has scored 50 points through first three games, and the second-year signal-caller has thrown for 786 yards and two touchdowns with five interceptions.

Jones had a promising rookie campaign in 2021. He led all first-year quarterbacks in passing yards (3,801), passing touchdowns (22) and completion percentage (67.6) to help the Patriots make the playoffs as a wild card in the AFC.

Losing the Alabama product for any length of time will leave the Patriots in a vulnerable spot as they look to dig themselves out of a 1-2 hole in the AFC East.

Veteran Brian Hoyer will step in behind center until Jones returns. The 36-year-old appeared in five games for the Patriots last season and completed nine of 11 attempts for 227 yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday's 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm the diagnosis, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

That news comes after Mike Giardi of NFL Network previously reported Jones was feared to possibly have tendon and/or ligament damage.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported earlier Sunday that X-rays returned negative.

Jones limped off the field with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter after tossing his fifth interception of the season. He was then helped down the tunnel and into the locker room.

The 24-year-old reportedly experienced back spasms after New England's Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins, which forced his post-game press conference to be canceled.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted the next day that the scans on his back came back "normal" and the team would continue to monitor him.

Jones had a disappointing performance in the season opener, finishing 21-of-30 for 213 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked twice, including a crushing blow on a blindside blitz that caused him to fumble the ball and Miami returned it for a touchdown.

He also sustained a big hit from two Dolphins players, one toward his upper body and one near his legs, on a fourth-quarter play that drew a roughing the passer penalty.

Despite the back ailment, Jones was able to return and play in the team's Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for 252 yards and one touchdown against one interception.

The Alabama product was the fourth quarterback selected in the 2021 draft but proved himself to be the best of the bunch. In his rookie year, he was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate after starting all 17 games and throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 67.6 percent of his passes.

If Jones misses any time, longtime backup Brian Hoyer will take his place under center. The 14-year veteran has thrown for 10,631 yards, 53 touchdowns and 35 interceptions in 75 career games.

The New England Patriots may be without one of their top weapons for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Giardi, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers missed Wednesday's practice because he was "getting his knee checked out." While "tests showed nothing significant," the report indicated the Patriots will make a decision on his status for the Baltimore contest later in the week.

Meyers is coming off an impressive game in the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He tallied nine catches for 95 yards on 13 targets after he posted 55 receiving yards in the season opener against the Miami Dolphins. The 25-year-old leads New England in receptions (13), targets (19) and receiving yards (150) through two games, although he is yet to find the end zone.

Meyers was a popular waiver-wire candidate for fantasy football players this week in large part because of those target totals and his apparent chemistry with quarterback Mac Jones, so the Patriots may not be the only ones scrambling to replace his production if he cannot play.

The North Carolina State product continues to build momentum after the best season of his career in 2021 when he posted 83 catches for 866 yards and two touchdowns.

Losing their top wide receiver for the Ravens game in particular would be a disappointing development for the Patriots because they figure to have some throwing lanes downfield. After all, Baltimore allowed Tua Tagovailoa to throw for 469 yards and six touchdowns in the Dolphins' dramatic comeback win in Week 2.

While New England can't match Miami's weapons in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Meyers figures to be someone who can find openings in the secondary and exploit them against the Ravens.

If he is sidelined, look for Jones to rely more on Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne in the aerial attack.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones told reporters he expects to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers after reportedly suffering from back spasms in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins.

"Everything feels good," Jones said. "Just keeping it warm and throwing the football."

Jones went for X-rays after the Pats' 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported X-rays were negative and that Jones was believed to be suffering from back spasms.

Jones, who has started his second NFL season, played the entire game and went 21-of-30 for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Jones burst onto the scene in 2021 after New England drafted him No. 15 overall out of Alabama. He helped lead the Pats to a 10-7 record, a playoff appearance and the No. 6 scoring offense in the NFL.

For the year, the ex-Crimson Tide star completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 22 touchdowns (13 interceptions) and 3,801 yards. He earned a Pro Bowl appearance for his efforts.

New England's offense is now under the leadership of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia after ex-offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left to become the Las Vegas Raiders head coach.

Week 1 was a rough debut for the new regime as Miami took a 17-0 lead en route to the 13-point win. New England's rushing attack had just 78 yards on 22 carries. Jones had a costly interception on the Patriots' opening drive, and eight of their nine drives ended scoreless.

Thankfully, Jones appears good to go for Week 2 against the Steelers, who won their opening game 23-20 against the Cincinnati Bengals but will be without reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt because of a pectoral injury. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday in Pittsburgh.