NFL Player News

Smith-Schuster (ankle) wasn't spotted at practice Thursday, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Smith-Schuster was limited Wednesday, so his apparent non-participation a day later clouds his status for Sunday's game against the Bills. With that in mind, the veteran pass catcher will likely have to practice fully Friday in order to head into the weekend without an injury designation.

Watson is practicing fully ahead of Sunday's game against the Bengals.

Watson caught four of his six targets for 38 yards and a touchdown in this past Monday's 20-14 loss to the Raiders and is on track to remain a key target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Week 17 against the Bengals. Overall, the wideout has logged a 26-419-3 receiving line in 14 games to date.

Pittman (concussion/shoulder) was spotted taking part in practice Thursday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

Pittman was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice estimate, so his continued presence on the field a day later bodes well for his chances of suiting up Sunday against the Raiders. According to Boyd, Pittman wasn't sporting a non-contact jersey Thursday, suggesting that he's taken another step forward in the five-step concussion protocol. The Colts will release their second Week 17 injury report later Thursday, when the extent of Pittman's practice participation will be known.

Toney (hip) won't practice Thursday, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.

Toney -- who was inactive for the Chiefs' Week 16 defeat to the Raiders -- also missed Wednesday's session, so his status for Sunday's game against the Bengals looks cloudy at the moment. If Toney remains sidelined for a second straight game this weekend, Richie James would likely serve as his primary replacement on offense as a slot receiver/gadget player after he hauled in three receptions for 54 yards on three targets in the loss to Las Vegas.

Waddle (ankle) remained sidelined at practice Thursday, Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Heraldreports.

Given that Waddle is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, it's not surprising that the wideout hasn't practiced yet this week. Waddle now has one more chance to get some on-field work in ahead of Sunday's game against the Ravens, but at this stage his Week 17 availability remains cloudy.

Hill (ankle/rest) is present for practice Thursday, Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald reports.

Hill was held out of Wednesday's session for a 'veteran rest' day, but his return to practice Thursday effectively confirms he avoided any setbacks on his ankle during Miami's win over the Cowboys in Week 16. As such, even if Hill is listed as a limited participant at Thursday's practice, fantasy managers can still consider him to be trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's road matchup at Baltimore.

Cooper (heel), who is officially listed as questionable, is "hopeful" to suit up Thursday versus the Jets, but his status isn't yet certain, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The Browns' only actual practice during shortened Week 17 prep was Tuesday, when Cooper sat out due to the heel injury. He was also listed as a non-participant during estimated sessions Monday and Wednesday. The star wideout set a new franchise record with 265 receiving yards during Sunday's win over the Texans, but now even if Cooper does manage to suit up and play through his heel injury, he faces a more difficult matchup this week against Sauce Gardner and the Jets secondary. A final word on Cooper's availability may come down to the wire, but Cleveland will officially confirm his status no later than 90 minutes prior to Thursday's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, when the team releases its inactive list.

Eskridge (ribs) was estimated as a nonparticipant at the Seahawks' walk-through Wednesday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

Eskridge has missed three games in a row due to an injury to his ribs and he has now opened another week on the sidelines. If the wide receiver can't practice before the end of the week, it's unlikely he'll return for Week 17 versus the Steelers.

Bobo (knee) was listed as a limited participant at the Seahawks' walkthrough Wednesday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

Bobo showed up on Seattle's injury report in early December with a knee issue, but he's yet to miss any games because of the injury. With that in mind, his limited listing on Wednesday's estimated practice report isn't a major concern as Sunday's game against the Steelers approaches. The wide receiver will look to return to full practice participation by Friday with the hope of heading into a weekend minus an injury designation.

The 49ers designated Gray (shoulder) for return from injured reserve Wednesday.

Gray has been on IR since Aug. 30 due to a sprained shoulder, but the team has now opened a 21-day window for him to return to practice and ultimately be added to the active roster. If the wide receiver isn't activated within that timeframe, he'll revert to IR for the remainder of the season. While playing 85 offensive snaps over 13 games in his rookie campaign with the 49ers in 2022, Gray recorded one reception for 10 yards on seven targets and carried once for nine yards.