by Chris Mooney

 12:20: Bur RB Earnest Graham is active, as is Michael Pittman. Graham will start and only Pittman will back him up, since Michael Bennett is inactive. WR Ike Hilliard and TE Alex Smith are active and expected to start.
 

12:19: As expected, Falcon QB Byron Leftwich is active and the starter. RB Jerious Norwood is active. WR Joe Horn is out and Laurent Robinson starts for him.

12:18: Viking QB Antoine Winfield is active.

12:15: Forget about QB JaMarcus Russell today; he is inactive, as is Josh McCown. RB Lamont Jordan is also inactive.

12:14: Jag PK Josh Scobee will kick today. John Carney is inactive.

12:12: Charger WR Vincent Jackson is active and is expected to start. DE Luis Castillo and C Nick Hardwick are inactive. 
 

12:09: Saints will be without DE Charles Grant, DT Brian Young, T Jammal Brown. Good news for the Texan offense.

12:08: Texan RB Ron Dayne has been announced as the starter this afternoon. Backup Joe Echemandu should get some chances as well.

12:07: Cardinal S Adrian Wilson is inactive, but CB Eric Green is active.

12:06: Browns D’Qwell Jackson and CB Leigh Bodden are active

12:04: Some key inactives for the Ravens: TE Todd Heap, CB Samari Rolle, and WR Demetrius Williams (ankle).

12:03: It’s confirmed on WR Steve Smith: he is inactive today. WR Drew Carter starts for him. 12:02: Dolphin LB Zach Thomas is inactive, as expected. Good news for the Philly offense.

12:00: The Lions have made RB Tatum Bell inactive, as well as DE Dwayne White.

11:59: Colt WRs Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez, plus T Tony Ugoh are inactive.

11:58: Eagle RB Brian Westbrook is active. RB Tony Hunt is inactive, so Correll Buckhalter will get all the secondary carries.

11:44: The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Panther WR Steve Smith is inactive. Will confirm shortly.

For now, here are some updates: Eagle RB Brian Westbrook (knee) missed practice again Friday with swelling in his knee, and he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Miami. Coach Andy Reid said he thinks he will be ready to go – “It’s not bad. There’s a little swelling,” Reid said. Westbrook missed one game earlier this season with an abdominal injury and has often played despite missing practice. “I should be able to play,” Westbrook said on Friday. If he can’t play, Correll Buckhalter would start.

Bill RB Marshawn Lynch (ankle) missed practice again Friday and is doubtful and not expected to play on Sunday against the Patriots. All three backup RBs (including Fred Jackson) will be activated if Lynch is out. There’s been a lot of speculation that rookie RB Dwayne Wright will be the 1st-and 2nd-down back with veteran RB Anthony Thomas the 3rd- down back, but nothing is etched in stone. Since he’s a veteran, Thomas could actually be “starter” on Sunday, but the rookie Wright should get opportunities on 1st and 2nd down. Thomas is more reliable in pass protection, which is why he would get the nod on 3rd down. Jackson would be a wildcard here. Since we don’t know what the team’s plans for these guys are, and since it’s a bad matchup, you’d be better off avoiding this situation if at all possible. Bronco RB Travis Henry (knee) said Thursday that he has a partially torn patella collateral ligament, and he could miss Monday’s game. Henry had a hearing Friday with NFL officials in Phoenix to appeal the results of a urine test that came back positive for low levels of marijuana, so he missed practice again. He is expected to be back with the team today for a light workout, but his status isn’t clear for Monday night’s game. RB Selvin Young would start for him again Monday if he can’t play and will likely see an expansive role no matter what.

Seahawk RB Shaun Alexander (knee) missed practice all week and head coach Mike Holmgren said Alexander wouldn’t play since he didn’t practice despite being listed as questionable. RB Maurice Morris will start. Colt WR Marvin Harrison (knee) missed practice again Friday and could miss Sunday’s game, the Indianapolis Star reports. He’s listed as questionable, but there’s no indication he will play. WR Aaron Moorehead (back) would likely start for him, since WR Anthony Gonzalez (finger) remains out.

Panther WR Steve Smith (shin) missed his third straight practice Friday with a sore shin and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. “It’ll be a game-time decision, day-to-day,” head coach John Fox said. Backup WR Drew Carter would likely start for him if he can’t play.

Redskin WR Santana Moss (heel) returned to practice Friday, wearing a special shoe to limit the discomfort in his bruised right heel, and said he will play on Sunday against Dallas, according to the Washington Times. He is listed as probable. “I know it’s going to be bruised and it will take time and there will be soreness but it felt good enough to run on it,” Moss said. “From doing what I did today, I should play.” WR James Thrash (ankle) is out this week, so Keenan McCardell would move into the starting lineup if Moss can’t play. Moss has had some big games against the Cowboys in the recent past. Seahawk WR Deion Branch (foot) practiced fully this week but is also listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. He still, however, should return to the starting lineup against Chicago, the Seattle News-Tribune reports. WR Bobby Engram would move back to #3.

Raven TE Todd Heap (hamstring) missed practice again Friday and is likely out this week, the Baltimore Sun reports, with Quinn Sypniewski starting for him.

Buc RB Earnest Graham (ankle) has also been limited in practice this week, but he’s expected to start. RB Michael Pittman (ankle) has also been limited in practice this week, but he did practice on Friday and says he’ll play. If Graham is held out or has any issues, Pittman and Michael Bennett would see increased action and share time.

Quarterbacks

• Jaguar QB David Garrard (ankle) is practicing fully this week and is not on the injury report, so he is expected to start on Sunday against San Diego. QB Quinn Gray has been starting for him.
• Panther QB Vinny Testaverde (Achilles) practiced again Friday and was named the starter for Sunday’s game. QB David Carr (concussion) will also be active as the backup.
• Falcon QB Byron Leftwich (ankle) had limited participation in practice all week and he split the first-team reps with QB Joey Harrington. Coach Bobby Petrino said Leftwich will assume the starting role Sunday if healthy. Harrington has been starting since Leftwich damaged ligaments in his ankle Oct. 21. Leftwich is listed as probable.
• Lion QB Jon Kitna (back/shoulder) practiced fully late in the week and will start against the Giants, according to the Detroit Free Press.
• Viking QB Tarvaris Jackson (concussion) is practicing fully and is not on the injury report, so he is expected to start on Sunday against Oakland.
• Texan QB Matt Schaub (concussion) is practicing fully and will return as the starter on Sunday against New Orleans, the Houston Chronicle reports.
• Bear QB Brian Griese (shoulder) will be healthy enough to play this week, but Rex Grossman has been named the starter for Sunday’s game against Seattle.
• Raider QB Josh McCown (quad) is doubtful for Sunday’s game, but QB Andrew Walter, not rookie JaMarcus Russell, will be the backup to starter Daunte Culpepper for Sunday’s game against the Vikings, coach Lane Kiffin said Friday.

Running Backs

• 49er RB Frank Gore (ankle) was able to practice Friday and is probable for Sunday’s game against the Rams.
• Titan RB LenDale White (toe/knee) practiced fully Friday and is not on the official injury report, so he will start on Monday. Backup Chris Brown (ankle) is also practicing fully and is expected to play, with Chris Henry going back to the #3 role.
• Lion RB Kevin Jones (foot) has been limited in practice this week, although he wasn’t listed on the injury report, and backup T.J. Duckett may take some of the workload in the next two games because the Lions play twice in the span of five days. Jones had some soreness in his surgically repaired foot after last week’s game. It’s unknown if the team will activate Tatum Bell this week to take some of the load off Jones or at least offer some insurance.  
• Steeler RB Willie Parker (hip) practiced Friday and will start against the Jets, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
• Panther RB DeShaun Foster (toe) practiced again Friday and is expected to start against the Packers, backed up by DeAngelo Williams. Foster is listed as probable.
• Falcon RB Jerious Norwood (ankle) was limited in practice again Friday but is expected to be available for Sunday’s game. He’s listed as probable.
• Bengal RB Chris Perry returned to practice last week and the team has two weeks to decide whether to activate him from the PUP list.
• Raider RB Michael Bush (leg) remained on the exempt list but likely will be activated on Nov. 21 and could play in Week Twelve. Bush has not played in a game since the season opener at Louisville last season, when he suffered a broken leg.

• Giant WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) missed practice again Friday but is expected to start on Sunday against the Redskins, the New York Daily News reports.
• Texan WR Andre Johnson (knee) is practiced fully this week and will start on Sunday against New Orleans, the Houston Chronicle reports. His snaps may be limited, however, because he hasn’t played since Week Two.
• Jet WR Laveranues Coles (concussion) is practiced fully and is expected to start on Sunday. He’s not listed on the injury report.
• Bengal WR Chad Johnson (knee) did not practice again Friday, as coach Marvin Lewis said he had to see a doctor about a skin issue. He missed practice Thursday with a knee injury, but Lewis said he would play Sunday. Johnson is listed as probable.
• Ram WR Isaac Bruce (hamstring) is practicing fully this week and expected to start. He’s listed as probable.
• Patriot WR Wes Welker (team decision) was limited in practice Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, but he’ll play.
• Charger WR Vincent Jackson (abdomen) was limited in practice Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. He could be a game time decision, so avoid him this week.
• Lion WR Calvin Johnson (back) is practiced fully this week and is probable for Sunday’s game.
• Raider WR Jerry Porter (knee) practiced Friday and is expected to play.
• Viking WR Sidney Rice (hamstring) was limited in practice this week.
• Falcon WR Joe Horn (hamstring) missed practice again Friday and will likely be replaced again as the starter by WR Laurent Robinson. Horn is listed as doubtful.
• Falcon TE Alge Crumpler (ankle/knee) is expected to play this week.
• Packer TE Donald Lee (ribs) is probable and expected to start. 
• Bronco TE Tony Scheffler (chest) is practicing fully this week and expected to start. He’s listed as probable.
• Buc TE Alex Smith (ankle) has been limited in practice this week but is expected to start. WR Ike Hilliard (calf) is probable for the game and is expected to play.
• Colt TE Dallas Clark (concussion) is practicing fully and should start on Sunday.
• Bill TE Robert Royal (concussion) practiced fully on Friday and is expected to start.

Kickers

• Jaguar PK Josh Scobee (quad) is practiced fully this week and might be activated this week. Replacement John Carney has made 9-of-11 field-goal attempts, but none longer than 41 yards.