With Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett out with an injured left knee, Brian Hoyer was set to make his 38th career NFL start with his sixth different team — and his first in more than two years.
Hoyer’s start against the visiting Miami Dolphins on Sunday marks the QB’s first appearance from the get-go since October 2017, when he went 4 for 11 for 34 yards with the San Francisco 49ers.
It won’t help Hoyer and the Colts that four-time Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton was going to miss his second consecutive game with an injured calf.
Rookie cornerback Rock Ya-Sin starts in place of the injured Pierre Desir for Indianapolis, while the Dolphins have their own issues. They lost leading receiver Preston Williams with a season-ending knee injury in last week’s game and No. 1 cornerback Xavien Howard with a season-ending injury the previous week.
In Pittsburgh, the Steelers will face the Los Angeles Rams with a banged-up backfield.
Running backs James Conner, Benny Snell and fullback Rosie Nix are all out with injuries for the hosts. That leaves Jaylen Samuels and former practice squad players Trey Edmunds and Tony Brooks-James as the top options for the Steelers against a Rams defensive line that includes former University of Pittsburgh star Aaron Donald. Steelers guard Ramon Foster is also inactive for a second straight week while recovering from a concussion suffered against Miami on Oct. 28.
The Rams were without wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who has a concussion.
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ARIZONA AT TAMPA BAY
Cardinals: WR Damiere Byrd, CB Tramaine Brock Sr., RB Chase Edmonds, S Deionte Thompson, OL Lamont Gaillard, OL Justin Murray, DL Zach Allen.
Buccaneers: S Darian Stewart, CB Carlton Davis III, C Nate Trewyn, T Jerald Hawkins, TE Jordan Leggett, OLB Carl Nassib, OLB Anthony Nelson.
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ATLANTA AT NEW ORLEANS
Falcons: S Jamal Carter, DL John Cominsky, OL Matt Gono, WR Brandon Powell, OL Wes Schweitzer, DL Deadrin Senat, CB Desmond Trufant.
Saints: CB Patrick Robinson, S Saquan Hampton, C Nick Easton, T Ethan Greenidge, WR Austin Carr, TE Dan Arnold, DE Carl Granderson.
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BALTIMORE AT CINCINNATI
Ravens: QB Trace McSorley, WR Chris Moore, WR Jaleel Scott, CB Cyrus Jones, G Ben Powers, DT Daylon Mack, DE Ufomba Kamalu.
Bengals: QB Jake Colegala, WR A.J. Green, CB Torry McTyer, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, G Alex Redmond, OT Fred Johnson, OT Cordy Glenn.
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BUFFALO AT CLEVELAND
Bills: RB T.J. Yeldon, S Dean Marlowe, G Ike Boettger, OL Ryan Bates, WR Duke Williams, TE Tommy Sweeney, DL Vincent Taylor.
Browns: WR Taywan Taylor, WR Antonio Callaway, S Eric Murray, CB Robert Jackson, DE Olivier Vernon, T Kendall Lamm, TE Ricky Seals-Jones.
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DETROIT AT CHICAGO
Lions: QB Matthew Stafford, S Tracy Walker, CB Michael Jackson, S Miles Killebrew, G Beau Benzschawel, DL Da’Shawn Hand, DE Romeo Okwara.
Bears: TE Adam Shaheen, DB Duke Shelley, LB Isaiah Irving, LB Josh Woods, G Alex Bars, DL Abdullah Anderson, WR Riley Ridley.
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GIANTS AT JETS
Giants: TE Evan Engram, C Jon Halapio, LB Chris Peace, RT Mike Remmers, WR Sterling Shepard, OL Chad Slade, QB Alex Tanney
Jets: S Blake Countess, LB Neville Hewitt, C Ryan Kalil, OL Conor McDermott, LB C.J. Mosley, CB Darryl Roberts, DL Jordan Willis
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KANSAS CITY AT TENNESSEE
Chiefs: OL Eric Fisher, OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, DL Alex Okafor, RB LeSean McCoy, DL Mike Pennell, CB Kendall Fuller, QB Chad Henne.
Titans: TE Delanie Walker, DL Jurrell Casey, WR Corey Davis, LB Jayon Brown, CB Tye Smith, OL Kevin Pamphile, OL Hroniss Grasu.
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MIAMI AT INDIANAPOLS
Dolphins: CB Xavier Crawford, WR Gary Jennings, S Reshad Jones, DE Avery Moss, OL Isaiah Prince, OL Keaton Sutherland, CB Ken Webster
Colts: QB Jacoby Brissett, WR Parris Campbell, CB Pierre Desir, WR T.Y. Hilton, DL Tyquan Lewis, LB E.J. Speed, CB Quincy Wilson
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LA RAMS AT PITTSBURGH
Rams: WR Brandin Cooks, DB Jake Gervase, RB John Kelly, LB Bryce Hager, OL Jamil Demby, OL Bobby Evans, DT Tanzel Smart
Steelers: QB Paxton Lynch, RB Benny Snell, RB James Conner, FB Rosie Nix, OG Ramon Foster, TE Zach Gentry, DE L.T. Walton
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CAROLINA AT GREEN BAY
Panthers: WR Brandon Zylstra, WR Greg Dortch, CB James Bradberry, LB Jordan Kunaszyk, LB/DE Christian Miller, T Greg Little, G Bryan Witzmann
Packers: WR Ryan Grant, RB Dexter Williams, CB Ka’dar Hollman, CB Josh Jackson, G Cole Madison, G/T Adam Pankey, TE Robert Tonyan
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