New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo clarified Wednesday, according to an ESPN.com report, that he intends to use quarterback Drake Maye and other regular starters when the team concludes its season Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, contrary to speculation that the Patriots would hold out several key players in an attempt to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.

Going into the final weekend, the Patriots (3-13) hold the No. 1 draft position, and a loss to Buffalo would clinch that spot. On Monday, Mayo suggested the team was considering its options about whether Maye should play Sunday. He addressed the issue again Wednesday, saying Maye will be under center against Buffalo.

“Drake is our starting quarterback,” Mayo told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “If he’s healthy and ready to go, as we go through this week of practice, then he’ll play. He’s a competitor, he wants to play and he’s still developing. He’ll be ready to go.”

Buffalo (13-3), which has clinched the AFC East title and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, is expected to rest many of its key players. Coach Sean McDermott has said that Josh Allen will start at quarterback so that he can extend his streak of 115 consecutive games, but his time on the field will be brief.

EAGLES: Saquon Barkley appears set to sit out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game Sunday, denying the running back his chance at breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record.

Barkley would finish the season with 2,005 yards rushing, just 100 shy of Dickerson’s record set with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.

The Eagles (13-3) have clinched the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the conference, leaving little to play for in Sunday’s home game against the New York Giants.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni declined Wednesday to announce outright which starters would play and which ones would sit out, saying of Barkley, “he’ll probably be somebody that rests.”

Sirianni said he talked with Barkley, in his first season with the Eagles after six years with the Giants, about his decision.

“I think it’s pretty obvious how special this guy is,” Sirianni said.

CHIEFS: Kansas City will start backup Carson Wentz at quarterback on Sunday in Denver in a game that means nothing to the Chiefs, who have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, but could mean everything to the Broncos.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced his decision to rest Patrick Mahomes on Wednesday, shortly before the team returned to practice from an extended break following their Christmas Day win in Pittsburgh. Reid declined to say who else might spend the day with Mahomes on the sideline, pointing out that only so many players can be rested given roster limitations.

The Broncos would clinch a playoff berth as the No. 7 seed by beating the Chiefs, earning a trip to Buffalo for their postseason opener. If they lose, they would need the Jets to beat the Dolphins and the Steelers to beat the Bengals.

COMMANDERS: Washington opened Austin Ekeler’s practice window Wednesday, and the running back could return for the season finale at Dallas.

Washington would be the NFC’s sixth seed if it beats the Cowboys on Sunday, ensuring a wild-card round game at Tampa Bay or the Los Angeles Rams. A loss or tie — unless Green Bay loses to Chicago — would drop the Commanders to the No. 7 seed and send them to NFC East Division-winning Philadelphia.

“We’re going to go after as hard as we can,” coach Dan Quinn said. “I think the seeding portion of this is really important, and that’s what we discussed as a team. … We recognize having the 6 seed and going into the playoffs with that is a good thing, and so we’re going to fight like hell to keep that.”

Ekeler took part in what Quinn called a “jog through” workout after missing the past four games because of a concussion that landed him on injured reserve.

“It’s great to have him back,” Quinn said. “There’s a spring in his step, for sure.”

49ERS: Joshua Dobbs will start the season finale at quarterback for San Francisco, with starter Brock Purdy out because of an elbow injury.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Dobbs will get the nod over Brandon Allen for the game on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

Allen started a loss in Week 12 at Green Bay when Purdy was out because of a shoulder injury, but Shanahan went with Dobbs because of his mobility behind a patchwork offensive line that will have third or fourth-stringers at both left guard and left tackle.

COLTS: Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson said he was in such severe pain last week he struggled to walk.

The 22-year-old appears to be feeling much better this week — possibly even well enough to start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After missing last weekend’s loss to the New York Giants that eliminated the Colts from playoff contention, Richardson explained Wednesday that he hopes to return for the season finale.

“Definitely feeling a lot better,” Richardson said. “Just lower back stuff. Last week was tough. I couldn’t even stand up on Tuesday, was kind of crawling around the house. But you know I’m standing up.”