NFL Player News
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Mike Evans WR | SF
Buccaneers' Mike Evans: Coach confirms three-game absence
Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed Tuesday that Evans will likely remain out through the Buccaneers' Week 11 bye due to a "moderate" right hamstring injury, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.
As a result, Tampa Bay isn't placing Evans on injured reserve, which would require a four-game absence that would extend into Week 13. If all goes well in Evans' recovery from the hamstring strain he aggravated Monday against the Ravens, he'll return to the lineup Nov. 24 versus the Giants. Bowles also confirmed that Chris Godwin (ankle) will undergo surgery and is expected to miss the rest of the season, so quarterback Baker Mayfield will be without his top two targets for at least the next three games.
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Puka Nacua WR | LAR
Rams' Puka Nacua: Cleared to practice
The Rams designated Nacua (knee) to return from injured reserve Tuesday.
Nacua will receive the green light to resume practicing after he missed each of the last five games while recovering from the PCL sprain he suffered in a season-opening loss to the Lions. Though Nacua will be eligible for reinstatement to the 53-man roster at any point in the next 21 days, the Rams are unlikely to activate him ahead of Thursday's game against the Vikings. Instead, if Nacua is able to get a full week of practice under his belt in Week 9, he could return to action Nov. 3 in Seattle.
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Mike Evans WR | SF
Buccaneers' Mike Evans: Likely to miss next three games
Evans (hamstring) isn't expected to be available for the Buccaneers until after the team's Week 11 bye, JC Allen of SI.com reports.
Evans aggravated a right hamstring injury in the second quarter of Monday's 41-31 loss to the Ravens. The Buccaneers haven't yet provided an update on the results of an MRI taken Tuesday, but the team doesn't appear confident the star wideout will suit up for any of its next three games. The timing of Evans' injury is especially tough with Chris Godwin having suffered a dislocated ankle Monday that will likely require season-ending surgery. Assuming Evans and Godwin are both sidelined Sunday against the Falcons, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard could all be primed for big roles. The injuries to Evans and Godwin could also motivate the Buccaneers to trade for another receiver in advance of the Nov. 5 deadline.
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Mecole Hardman WR | BUF
Chiefs' Mecole Hardman: Targeted twice versus Niners
Hardman logged one reception (on two targets) for 17 yards during Sunday's 28-18 win against the 49ers.
Hardman checked in fourth on the team in offensive snaps Sunday, but he saw a significant bump in his usage this week after JuJu Smith-Schuster left the game early due to a hamstring aggravation. The Chiefs continue to see wide receiver injuries pile up and could be a candidate to add an extra wideout prior to the NFL's Nov. 5 trade deadline. However, Hardman could claim added reps in the short term if Smith-Schuster misses additional time.
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Justin Watson WR | HOU
Chiefs' Justin Watson: Another quiet effort in Week 7
Watson reeled in his only target for eight yards during Sunday's 28-18 win over the 49ers.
Watson continues to log regular reps for the Chiefs, claiming the largest snap share (73 percent) among wideouts Sunday. Despite that, he's rarely utilized as a pass-catcher, sporting just seven grabs through the first six games. The Chiefs are also, unsurprisingly, rumored to be shopping around for another wide receiver before the trade deadline, a move that would position Watson further down the pecking order. Watson should continue to see ample playing time for now, especially after JuJu Smith-Schuster departed Sunday's contest due to a hamstring aggravation.
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Tylan Wallace WR | CLE
Ravens' Tylan Wallace: Not targeted in Week 8
Wallace played 10 snaps on offense and 18 on special teams in Monday's 41-31 win over the Buccaneers.
Aside from recording two receptions for 31 yards in the Ravens' Week 5 win over the Bengals, Wallace has otherwise failed to draw a target in his limited snaps on offense over Baltimore's other six contests this season. A core special teams player for the Ravens, Wallace should continue to suit up on game days, but he'll likely need one or two receivers higher up on the depth chart to miss time before he captures a meaningful role on offense.
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Parris Campbell WR | DAL
Parris Campbell: Gets cut by Philly
Philadelphia cut Campbell on Tuesday, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Just 10 days after signing onto the Eagles' active roster, Campbell is now back on the outside looking in. The transaction could be a signal that rookie fifth-rounder Ainias Smith is close to returning from his stint on injured reserve.
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Ronnie Bell WR | NO
49ers' Ronnie Bell: Sees extra reps Sunday
Bell played 24 of the 49ers' 63 snaps on offense and finished with one reception for 10 yards on two targets in Sunday's 28-18 loss to the Chiefs.
With Jauan Jennings (hip) inactive and with Deebo Samuel (illness) and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) playing just four and 25 snaps, respectively, before exiting the contest, extra opportunities became available for Bell and the 49ers' other depth wideouts. Aiyuk has since been ruled out for the season, while the statuses of Samuel and Jennings for Sunday's game against the Cowboys are up in the air. As a result, Bell could be in store for at least one more contest with an expanded role, after he had played just 10 total snaps on offense across San Francisco's previous three contests. In addition to Bell, rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing and veteran Chris Conley -- who is considered day-to-day with an ankle sprain -- currently represent the 49ers' healthiest receivers.
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Mike Evans WR | SF
Buccaneers' Mike Evans: MRI coming Tuesday
Evans (hamstring) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Evans was already nursing a right hamstring injury heading into Monday's game, but he was able to suit up. After catching a 25-yard touchdown early in the contest, Evans dropped another potential scoring strike from Baker Mayfield midway through the second quarter, aggravating the hamstring issue in the process. He was ruled out for the night soon after. Tuesday's MRI should help clarify his chances of playing this Sunday against the Falcons, but the Buccaneers could be without both of their top two receivers, as Chris Godwin suffered a dislocated ankle Monday that will likely require season-ending surgery. Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard are the next men up at receiver for Tampa Bay, and all three could be in store for larger roles against Atlanta even if Evans is cleared to play.
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Chris Godwin WR | TB
Buccaneers' Chris Godwin: Season-ending surgery on tap
Godwin is scheduled to undergo surgery on his dislocated left ankle Tuesday and is expected to miss the rest of the season, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Godwin was carted off the field late in the fourth quarter of Monday's 41-31 loss to the Ravens with the left ankle injury, with Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles confirming in his postgame press conference that the "early indication" was that the wideout suffered a dislocation. The 28-year-old is slated to undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the extent of the damage, which will help doctors decide on what type of surgery he'll require. A timeline for his recovery should be provided once surgery is completed, but fantasy managers should prepare for Godwin's 2024 campaign to come to an end after just seven games. While moving back into the slot on a full-time basis this season under first-year offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Godwin was well on his way to a fourth consecutive 1,000-plus-yard receiving campaign, as he had amassed 50 receptions for 576 yards and five touchdowns. Godwin's expected absence should clear the way for Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard to take on more snaps behind No. 1 wideout Mike Evans, who exited Monday's game with a hamstring injury and appears uncertain to play in Week 8 versus the Falcons.