Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Jonah Williams (73) is assisted off the field after being injured on a play in the second quarter during an NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.The Ravens led 10-9 at halftime.

Baltimore Ravens At Cincinnati Bengals Afc Wild Card Jan 15 217

Bengals DE Joseph Ossai, OT Jonah Williams had surgery

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai and offensive tackle Jonah Williams are recovering from surgeries, NFL Network reported Friday.

Ossai underwent a procedure to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder while Williams had an operation to repair his dislocated kneecap, per the report.

Both are expected to be cleared to return by June.

Williams, 25, started 16 games for the AFC North champions this season.

Ossai, 22, recorded 3.5 sacks, 17 tackles, 10 quarterback hits and two fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown) in 16 games (no starts) in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) in action against the New York Giants during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: NFL fines Eagles’ Brandon Graham, three 49ers

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham and three San Francisco 49ers players received fines from the NFL, multiple media outlets reported.

The NFL docked Graham $13,261 for unsportsmanlike conduct for his actions during last Sunday’s NFC Championship Game. Graham was not penalized during the game — a 31-7 victory by the Eagles.

San Francisco left tackle Trent Williams, a 12-year veteran, was fined $12,731 for unnecessary roughness after he was ejected for throwing Eagles safety K’Von Wallace to the ground. The fine was the second in the career of Williams, who was docked $7,875 for punching then-Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman following a wild-card game in 2012.

Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw was fined for the second time in as many weeks and third time this season when he was docked $10,430 for an unnecessary roughness in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s game. Greenlaw repeatedly attempted to punch the ball out of the hands of Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell after the play ended.

Greenlaw was punished in the wallet for a hit on Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in Week 10 and a late hit on Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott in the NFC divisional round.

San Francisco safety Talanoa Hufanga was fined $4,916 for hitting Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts out of bounds in the third quarter on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark (55) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in the first half of the NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals And The Kansas City Chiefs 456

Bengals rule out LT Jonah Williams, RG Alex Cappa vs. Chiefs

A makeshift offensive line aligns in front of quarterback Joe Burrow for the second consecutive road playoff game on Sunday after the Cincinnati Bengals ruled out left tackle Jonah Williams and right guard Alex Cappa.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Friday that neither lineman was ready to return from injuries. Williams is dealing with a knee injury, while Cappa has an injured ankle.

That means Cincinnati will use Max Scharping at right guard and Jackson Carman at left tackle.

A frenzied environment in Kansas City won’t be a factor for Carman, he said.

Carman lined up for 35 snaps at right guard in the 2021 AFC Championship game. He also was the starting left tackle for Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence when they were teammates at Clemson.

“We have a culture of winners and extremely humble, hard-working men,” Carman said. “It’s crazy to see what type of men. I’m walking with amazing people. I can’t overstate that enough.”

Carman’s primary assignment at left tackle is defensive end Frank Clark, who posted 5.0 sacks in the regular season while battling a pinched nerve in his neck.

Scharping will be in that right guard spot, which means a long evening dancing with Chiefs sack leader Chris Jones (15.5).

The Chiefs’ defense had a total of 18 pressures of Lawrence last week, with six QB hits and two sacks.

Taylor said cornerback Tre Flowers, who didn’t play last week, is set to play and has no injury designation on the team’s final report released Friday.

–Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams (81) is carted off the field in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers WR Mike Williams (back) questionable vs. Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers receiver Mike Williams is listed as questionable to play in Saturday’s night’s AFC wild-card playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars due to his back injury.

Williams was injured during the regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos on Sunday and didn’t practice this week.

After Thursday’s practice, Chargers coach Brandon Staley said Williams will make the trip to Jacksonville and work out before the game to see if he is fit enough to play.

“He’s progressing, getting treatment,” Staley said. “Just trying to get him as much rest as possible because of the short time frame of the week, and we’re at the point of the season where the reps aren’t what matters — the rest is — in his case. Just trying to get him as much rest up until game time.”

Williams was injured during the second quarter against Denver. An MRI exam the following day revealed a contusion and no fractures or muscle injuries.

Williams, 28, had a team-high 895 yards in 13 regular-season contests despite missing four games in the middle of the season with an ankle injury. He had 63 catches, including four touchdowns.

Jacksonville listed five players as questionable, including standout quarterback Trevor Lawrence (toe), who was a limited practice participant all week.

The other questionable Jaguars are returner/receiver Jamal Agnew (shoulder), long snapper Ross Matiscik (back), guard Brandon Scherff (abdomen) and wideout Kendric Pryor (shoulder).

Fourth-seeded Jacksonville went 9-8 in the regular season and won the AFC South title. The fifth-seeded Chargers (10-7) earned a wild-card spot.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13)  throws the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Heisman History? Caleb Williams heavy favorite to equal Archie Griffin

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has been installed as the favorite to repeat the feat.

However, unlike Alabama’s Bryce Young last year, Southern California’s Caleb Williams doesn’t have other star quarterbacks nipping at his heels just yet.

Young was installed as the favorite to repeat shortly after being named the 2021 winner, but Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud was just behind him, and Williams joined the preseason picture after following coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC.

Young enjoyed a stellar junior year but finished only sixth in the Heisman trophy race won by Williams last month.

It was a prime example of why it has been nearly a quarter century since Archie Griffin became the only two-time Heisman winner in history (1974-75).

Despite an excellent season, Young was passed during the season by the likes of TCU’s Max Duggan and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, who squared off in the College Football Playoff championship game.

Williams kick-starts the 2023 race with a huge cushion among oddsmakers ahead of his junior season. That includes being the +400 favorite at FanDuel, where his closest competition at the outset is North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.

Maye is coming off a breakout freshman season and decided to stay in Chapel Hill despite heavy interest from other programs hoping that he would enter the transfer portal.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Michael Penix Jr., who will return to Washington for a sixth year of college football. He redshirted at Indiana after tearing his ACL three games into his freshman season in 2018. Penix transferred to Washington after three injury-plagued and one COVID-shortened season and started all 13 games for the Huskies in 2022.

Penix decided to return to Washington after completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 4,641 yards, 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He is the third betting favorite at FanDuel at +1200, along with Oregon’s Bo Nix and Florida State’s Jordan Travis.

Like Penix, Nix and Travis are veteran quarterbacks who decided to return to programs that expect to be highly competitive next season.

The top transfer in the initial 2023 Heisman odds is Sam Hartman (+1800), the record-setting Wake Forest quarterback who moved on to Notre Dame. The top non-quarterback is Michigan running back Blake Corum (+3000), who recently announced he will return to the Wolverines as he rehabs from a season-ending knee injury.

2023 Heisman Trophy Odds (1/9/23)
Caleb Williams, QB, USC (+400)
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina (+1000)
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington (+1200)
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon (+1200)
Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State (+1200)
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (+1800)
Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame (+1800)
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State (+2000)
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU (+2000)
Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee (+2000)
Case Klubnik, QB, Clemson (+2000)
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan (+2500)
Brock Vandagriff, QB, Georgia (+2500)
Kyle McCord, QB, Ohio State (+2500)
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oklahoma (+3000)
Blake Corum, RB, Michigan (+3000)

–Field Level Media

Nov 13, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs the ball during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, WR Zay Jones active vs. Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne and wide receiver Zay Jones are both active for Sunday’s game at Detroit.

Etienne (foot) and Jones (chest) had both been listed as questionable.

Lions rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams, the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is active for the first time this season since coming off a torn ACL.

The Jaguars (4-7) listed the following players as inactive: safety Andre Cisco, wide receiver Kendric Pryor, running back Darrell Henderson Jr., cornerback Tre Herndon and linebacker De’Shaan Dixon.

The inactive players for the Lions (4-7) are defensive lineman Michael Brockers, center Evan Brown, wide receiver Tom Kennedy, defensive lineman Romeo Okwara, cornerback Amani Oruwariye and guard Logan Stenberg.

–Field Level Media

Oct 23, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA;  Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams (81) injured his ankle after he is brought down by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Mike Jackson (30) after a complete pass in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers WR Mike Williams (ankle) ruled out vs. Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers wideout Mike Williams will miss Sunday’s game against the host Las Vegas Raiders due to his right ankle injury.

It will mark the second straight game and fourth in five that Williams will be sidelined.

He initially was injured in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. The team had a bye the next week and Williams missed two games before attempting to play against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11.

But Williams reinjured the ankle against the Chiefs and then missed last weekend’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Williams didn’t practice at all this week.

The 28-year-old had 38 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns in eight games this season.

A first-round draft pick (seventh overall) by the Chargers in 2017, Williams has 265 catches for 4,172 yards and 29 touchdowns in 80 career games (54 starts).

The Chargers also ruled out center Corey Linsley (concussion) and tackle Trey Pipkins III (knee). Listed as questionable are safety Nasir Adderley (thumb), defensive lineman Breidan Fehoko (illness) and linebacker Drue Tranquill (illness).

–Field Level Media

Lions quarterback Jared Goff, left, and receiver Jameson Williams play walk off the field after playing catch after practice during minicamp on Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Allen Park.

Lions

Lions first-round WR Jameson Williams could debut Sunday

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell needs another day to weigh the decision of whether to play rookie first-round wide receiver Jameson Williams for the first time on Sunday.

Williams is officially questionable, but feels his recovery from a torn ACL in the 2022 national championship game is now complete.

Wearing the familiar No. 9 last donned by Matthew Stafford, Williams was a part of the scout team in practice this week. Campbell said the rookie looks every bit the part, but wasn’t ready to commit to playing him Sunday when the Jacksonville Jaguars come to Ford Field.

“Every day it’s been better. He got a pretty good load,” Campbell said of Williams’ practice schedule.

Williams said he’s going “somewhere close to full speed” and doesn’t believe so-called rust is a factor.

“I’m running real fast right now,” Williams said. “I feel real fast. I’m feeling good.”

But Williams said he won’t have much say in the decision on his return date, which could be shifted to next week against the Minnesota Vikings.

Williams, 21, started the season on the NFI list, rehabbing a torn ACL sustained in the College Football Playoff championship game while playing for Alabama against Georgia in January.

Williams was a big-play threat for the Crimson Tide with four touchdown receptions of 70-plus yards. The Lions took on the risk despite his injury, trading up 20 spots to select Williams in the first round.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA;  Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Dexter Williams II (5) is carted off of the field with an injury during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana QB Dexter Williams II (leg) hospitalized after serious knee injury

Indiana quarterback Dexter Williams II was carted off the field and transported to a hospital after sustaining what appeared to be a severe injury to his right leg during the Hoosiers’ game against Purdue on Saturday in Bloomington, Ind.

Williams sustained the injury when he immediately fell to the ground after he planted his foot to throw a pass during the first quarter. He wasn’t hit on the play.

Williams, was carted from the field on a stretcher with his leg in an air cast.

Before being injured, Williams completed his lone pass for 5 yards, in addition to rushing for 9 yards on four carries.

Williams missed the 2021 season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during spring drills.

Williams, a redshirt sophomore, was making his second straight start for the Boilermakers after going 2-for-7 passing for 31 yards, in addition to rushing for 86 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, in a double-overtime win against Michigan State last week.

Williams was replaced by Connor Bazelak.

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins  at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud now odds-on Heisman favorite

Hendon Hooker’s fading Heisman Trophy odds took a hit with every touchdown Tennessee fell behind by at South Carolina on Saturday night.

They officially ended when the senior quarterback suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his knee.

Hooker was taken off the Heisman Trophy board at sportsbooks, leaving Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud as the odds-on favorite.

Stroud has one major regular-season hurdle left as Ohio State prepares to play host to Michigan on Saturday. However, even a loss to the Wolverines may not derail Stroud’s path to the Heisman.

He is the -120 favorite at DraftKings and -130 at BetMGM, where Stroud has been backed by 10.6 percent of the total tickets and 19.0 percent of the money. Those figures will likely rise significantly for as longs the sportsbooks continue to take new Heisman bets.

The only other player within shouting distance at DraftKings is Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams at +1200. Now other player has shorter odds than Michigan running back Blake Corum at +1500.

BetMGM is offering Williams at +125, followed by North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye at +700 and Corum at +1100. Williams, who dropped to +1100 following the Trojans’ lone loss to the season, is now back as the second favorite while drawing 6.7 percent of the bets and 5.3 percent of the money.

USC will play host to Notre Dame on Saturday ahead of a Pac-12 championship dates against Washington, Oregon or Utah.

Stetson Bennett, the quarterback for No. 1 Georgia, remains a massive longshot at +8000 both sportsbooks.

–Field Level Media