NFL Player News

The Patriots signed Sanders to the practice squad Tuesday.

Sanders was in Miami during training camp, but he was waived with an injury settlement Sept. 4 after being placed on injured reserve due to a lower body injury in late August. He appears to have fully recovered from the injury, and he'll provide the Patriots some depth in case any of the wide receivers on the active roster are unable to play. Sanders appeared in three regular-season games for the Dolphins in 2023 and finished with two catches (on three targets) for 17 yards.

Hardman caught his only target for eight yards during Sunday's 27-20 win versus the Raiders.

Hardman finished the day fourth among wide receivers in snap share (29 percent), but that number could continue to shrink as veteran DeAndre Hopkins familiarizes himself with the Chiefs' playbook after the team acquired him last week. Hardman has posted no more than four catches for 33 yards in a game so far this season, and there's little reason to anticipate a significant uptick in production from him moving forward.

Watson reeled in all three of his targets for 33 yards during Sunday's 27-20 victory versus the Raiders.

Watson matched a season-high total with just three targets, racking up a season-best yardage output on the way to a season-best 76 percent snap share. While the workload remains high, Watson's total from Sunday being a season-best paints a clearer picture of his fantasy value every week. To put it plainly, he can be left on waiver wires in the vast majority of league formats.

The Texans placed Diggs (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday.

Houston quickly moved Diggs off the 53-man roster after an MRI confirmed that the standout receiver had suffered a torn ACL in his right knee late in the third quarter of Sunday's 23-20 win over the Colts. The Texans will look to get by with Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, Robert Woods and John Metchie at wide receiver in their Week 9 matchup with the Jets on Thursday, but Nico Collins (hamstring) could come off IR in Week 10 and offset the loss of Diggs. The soon-to-be 31-year-old Diggs will head into free agency this offseason rehabbing from a major injury after producing a 47-496-3 line on 64 targets over his eight games with Houston.

Hutchinson should have a regular role in three-receiver sets after Stefon Diggs (knee) was diagnosed Tuesday with a torn ACL, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

With top wideout Nico Collins (hamstring) having played just four snaps over the Texans' last four games, Hutchinson had already been handling an expanded role. He played north of 60 percent of offensive snaps in three of those four contests but produced a meager 4-61-0 receiving line on seven targets over that stretch. Collins is set to miss one more game Thursday versus the Jets before potentially returning from injured reserve in Week 10, but the season-ending injury Diggs suffered in Week 8 keeps a spot open for Hutchinson. However a healthy Collins, along with Tank Dell and tight end Dalton Schultz, should still dominate targets from C.J. Stroud, making Hutchinson is risky fantasy option.

Dell is expected to step into a larger role in the Texans' passing game Thursday against the Jets with Nico Collins (hamstring) still sidelined and Stefon Diggs (knee) having been ruled out for the season, ESPN.com reports.

Collins has already missed the Texans' past three games, with Dell producing an 11-92-2 receiving line on 17 targets over that span. Diggs has drawn 23 targets over that same stretch, but after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Sunday's 23-20 win over the Colts, the door is open for Dell to carve out a bigger role, along with Xavier Hutchinson, Robert Woods and John Metchie as well as tight end Dalton Schultz. Collins is reportedly on track to come off IR when first eligible in Week 10, but Diggs' absence for the rest of the season should still guarantee Dell sizable target volume in the second half of the season. Dell thrived as a rookie last season as the top complement to Collins before breaking his leg in Week 13.

The Colts cut Fernea from the practice squad Tuesday.

Fernea hasn't yet suited up for a game this season, but he logged four regular-season appearances with Indianapolis between 2022 and 2023. The depth wide receiver could be a candidate to reunite with the team later in the 2024 campaign.

Burton caught one pass for 41 yards in the Bengals' loss to the Eagles in Week 8. He played a season-high 24 snaps and had three total targets.

The 2024 third-round pick hasn't asked to do too much yet in the Bengals' offense, but with Tee Higgins (quad) out Sunday, Burton saw his role increase. No. 3 wideout Andrei Iosivas hasn't been getting open consistently, so it's possible that Burton could start to earn more playing time in the second half of the season.

Iosivas was held catchless in Sunday's Week 8 loss to the Eagles despite playing 51 snaps. He was targeted three times.

Iosivas just doesn't get open very often, and that really hurt the Bengals this week with Tee Higgins (quad) out against the Eagles. Instead, the Bengals went more often to tight end Mike Gesicki, who often was lined up in the slot. Even rookie Jermaine Burton chipped in with a big reception in limited reps. Iosivas' hold on the No. 3 receiver job appears tenuous.

The Browns signed Darden from the practice squad to the active roster Tuesday.

Darden had already reached his maximum of three elevations from the practice squad, meaning he had to be inked to the 53-man roster in order to contribute Sunday against the Chargers. The 25-year-old will continue working as a key punt returner for the Browns, as well as playing a depth role on offense.