NFL Player News

Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that Evans tweaked his hamstring during Sunday's game but didn't provide any further updates, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Evans caught all three of his targets for 40 yards before leaving the game in the second quarter. It looked like he was going to try and return for the second half, but he was ultimately ruled out for the remainder of the contest. While Bowles' comments weren't extensive, they do offer fantasy managers a bit of optimism, as it appears Evans' injury isn't a long-term issue. With Tampa Bay on bye Week 5, Evans should have ample time to rest and recover before the team needs to post another update.

Douglas logged 18 of a possible 55 snaps on offense in Sunday's 38-3 loss to the Cowboys, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Douglas was out-snapped in the contest by DeVante Parker (45), Kendrick Bourne (29) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (26), while catching two of his three targets for 45 yards, including a 42-yarder. As the No. 4 option in the Patriots' WR pecking order, Douglas is off the fantasy radar, but that could change down the road if the 2023 sixth-rounder garners added playing time as the season rolls along.

Smith-Schuster was on the field for 26 of a possible 55 snaps on offense in Sunday's 38-3 loss to the Cowboys, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Smith-Schuster's five targets Sunday actually tied TE Hunter Henry for the team lead, but the wideout only caught one of them for 14 yards. Four games into the 2023 season, Smith-Schuster has recorded 11 catches (on 21 targets) for 80 yards, a rate of production that limits his fantasy value to deeper formats until he picks up the pace.

Hollins failed to record a catch on three targets during Sunday's 23-7 loss to Jacksonville.

Hollins went catchless for the first time this season, and at one point, he appeared to be visibly frustrated with Desmond Ridder on the sidelines. Fantasy managers probably don't need to read too much into the incident, but it's certainly worth noting, especially when Atlanta has the highest-paid backup quarterback, Taylor Heinicke, waiting in the wings if Ridder continues to struggle. After an encouraging start, Hollins' production has dropped off in back-to-back weeks. He's garnered at least three targets in each game thus far, but that's not enough usage to crack fantasy relevance in standard leagues.

Hodge caught both of his targets for 19 yards during Sunday's 23-7 loss to Jacksonville.

Hodge didn't record a target across 16 offensive snaps over the first two games of the season, but he's been more involved the last two weeks, totaling three receptions (three targets) for 34 yards across 26 offensive snaps. While Hodge's production has increased, it's been in modest increments, and it's been difficult for fantasy managers to trust any Falcons pass catchers thus far.

Washington (knee) is unlikely to play Week 5 against the Bills, Mark Long of the Associated Press reports.

Washington suffered the injury in Sunday's win over the Falcons, which was the sixth-round rookie's NFL debut, as he filled in for Jamal Agnew (quad), who was inactive. It's unclear if Washington is in danger of missing time beyond that, but Agnew is expected to return for Sunday's Week 5 matchup against the Bills in London.

Covey suffered a head injury late in Sunday's win over the Commanders and has entered the league's concussion protocols, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Covey will need to clear the league's five-step process to be able to suit up Week 5 against the Rams, which will likely be a tall task for the Utah product. Assuming he is unable to play, Boston Scott and Olamide Zaccheaus will be candidates to handle return duties on the road against the Rams on Sunday.

Renfrow caught two passes for 12 yards on four targets in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Chargers.

Renfrow doubled his previous season high in targets with four looks from fill-in starter Aidan O'Connell on Sunday, but the former has caught just five total passes for 52 yards through the Raiders' first four contests. As the offense continues to revolve around Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, Renfrow's lack of significant production could continue against the Packers in Week 5.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell suggested Monday that he anticipates Williams (suspension) filling a role in Sunday's game against the Panthers, though the receiver may not see a heavy snap count in his season debut, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports. "We'll see where it goes, and it's all about improvement," Campbell said of Williams.

Williams had been in line to serve a six-game suspension to begin the season after receiving the ban in April for violating the NFL's gambling policy, but he'll wind up missing just four contests after the league and players union agreed last week to revise the policy. Before the revised policy was announced, Williams was eligible to return to the Lions' facility last week, and he'll now be able to take part in practices for the first time since the preseason. Williams was limited to just six games during his rookie season while he recovered from an ACL tear suffered in college, and he ended up missing out on some meaningful reps in this past preseason when he pulled his right hamstring in a mid-August practice. The 22-year-old seemingly moved past the injury while he was serving his suspension, but he's not expected to be a full-time player for the Lions Week 5 while he gets himself reacquainted with a regular practice and playing schedule. Though injuries and the suspension have conspired to slow down his development thus far, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is a skilled prospect who should have a good chance at claiming a top-three role in a Detroit receiver group that's lacking in high-end talent beyond No. 1 option Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Jarrett brought in his only target for three yards in the Buccaneers' 26-9 win over the Saints on Sunday.

Jarrett's 13 snaps from scrimmage represented his second-highest allotment of the first four games of his career, with Mike Evans' early exit due to a hamstring injury playing a part in the uptick in opportunity. Jarrett remains firmly in the No. 5 receiver role when the position is at full health, but if Evans is unable to recover sufficiently during the Week 5 bye to return for a Week 6 matchup against the Lions, Jarrett would bump up a notch in the pecking order for that contest.