NFL Player News

Olave (illness) is active for Sunday's game against the Panthers.

Olave came down with an illness Thursday that sidelined him for the remainder of Week 14 prep. He entered the weekend as questionable, and while there was an expectation that the second-year pro would be able to play Sunday, he won't be operating at 100 percent, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Olave's prospects may not be impacted too much, though, as Rashid Shaheed (thigh) and Taysom Hill (foot/hand) won't be available to the Saints offense. As a result, Olave is a good bet to receive at least eight targets for an eighth consecutive contest.

Shaheed (thigh) is unlikely to play Sunday against the Panthers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Shaheed is officially listed as questionable, but he didn't practice in any capacity this week while he continues to tend to the thigh injury that knocked him out early in a Week 12 loss to Atlanta and caused him to miss last Sunday's loss to Detroit. Though he'll sit out a second straight contest Sunday, Shaheed will have a chance to return Week 15 versus the Giants, per Schefter. Meanwhile, top wideout Chris Olave (illness) is expected to suit up against Carolina, leaving A.T. Perry, Lynn Bowden, Keith Kirkwood and Marquez Callaway as the available receivers behind him.

Olave (illness) has yet to make a full recovery from the flu but is expected to play in Sunday's game against Carolina, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Olave is officially listed as questionable for the contest after his bout with the flu kept him from practicing Thursday and Friday, but the wideout looks like he'll be officially cleared with the release of the Saints' inactive list approximately 90 minutes before Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff. However, Olave's snap count or ability to perform to his usual standard Sunday could be affected while he's still working his way back to full health. To whatever extent he's available Sunday, Olave will be on the receiving end of targets from quarterback Derek Carr, who has attained clearance to play after entering concussion protocol in addition to picking up rib and shoulder injuries in this past Sunday's loss to the Lions.

Brown (knee) is expected to play Sunday versus the Jets, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.

Brown returned from a two-game absence due to the knee injury in last Sunday's win over Denver, logging 79 percent of Houston's offensive snaps but going without a catch on two targets. The wideout then logged a limited practice session followed by a full practice session to begin Week 14 prep before sitting out Friday completely. Despite the missed session, Brown appears set to take the field Sunday against New York, and he could see an increase in targets with Tank Dell out for the season due to a broken left fibula.

Hill (ankle) does not carry an injury designation into Monday's game against the Titans, Travis Wingfield of the Dolphins' official site reports.

Hill was a limited participant in practice all week, but he never seemed in danger of missing any time. The dynamic wideout is on pace for rarefied air as a receiver, and Monday's matchup against a struggling Titans pass defense projects to be another opportunity for Hill to pad his massive lead in terms of receiving yards across the NFL.

The 49ers placed McCloud (ribs) on injured reserve Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

McCloud was already ruled out of Sunday's game against the Seahawks for the second straight week. He'll be forced to miss at least the next four games and will be eligible to return Week 18 against the Rams on Jan. 7. In a corresponding move, San Francisco signed Chris Conley to the active roster.

The Saints elevated Callaway to the active roster Saturday, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.

This is the second time Callaway has been promoted to the active roster since he signed with the Saints' practice squad Nov. 21. He played 11 offensive snaps in Week 13 against the Lions without recording a stat. The move comes with Rashid Shaheed (thigh) listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Panthers after not practicing all week.

The Bears elevated Johnson to the active roster Saturday, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Johnson joined the Bears' practice squad Oct. 10 after being cut by the Giants in late August ahead of the 53-man roster deadline. The elevation comes with Chicago's wide receiver corps significantly banged up ahead of Sunday's NFC North clash against the Lions. Tyler Scott (hamstring) and Velus Jones (illness) are both questionable while Equanimeous St. Brown has been ruled out for Week 14 with a pectoral injury.

The 49ers signed Conley to their active roster Saturday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

The 31-year-old wideout is in line to appear in his fourth game of the year Sunday after signing with San Francisco's active roster Saturday. Conley has played 28 total snaps (19 offensive and nine on special teams) over his three appearances this season, and he'll likely serve as a depth piece in the 49ers' wide receiver room in Week 14.

Reed (chest) does not carry an injury designation into Monday's contest against the Giants, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Reed was a limited participant in practice all week, but that was evidently enough to escape an injury designation Saturday. Christian Watson (hamstring) was predictably ruled out ahead of Monday's contest, which means Reed will likely be relied on to stretch the field and make explosive plays, something he did reliably in the beginning of the season. The rookie has tallied at least four receptions in all but one game dating back to Week 7, but he's averaging just 11.2 yards per reception after registering an eye-popping 16.9 yards per catch through the first four games of the season.