NFL Player News

Lazard isn't in line to play in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against the Browns, Al Iannazzone of Newsday reports.

In his first chance to get some game action with quarterback Aaron Rodgers with their new team, Lazard won't be on the field along with fellow wide receivers Garrett Wilson (ankle), Corey Davis and Mecole Hardman. Lazard's next chance for some exhibition action lands on Saturday, Aug. 12 in Carolina.

Moore is among the key Browns' players not slated to play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Jets, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Other top skill players not in line to see action Thursday night are QB Deshaun Watson, RBs Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford, WRs Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones and TEs David Njoku and Harrison Bryant. Moore's next chance to see preseason action will arrive Friday, Aug. 11, when the Browns face the Commanders.

Johnson has been "quietly shining" during the first week of training camp, Nick Farabaugh of SteelersNow.com reports.

Johnson had an early exit during practice late last week due to the heat but returned a day later and has made an impression within the Steelers' offense. Farabaugh said that Johnson made some contested catches Thursday and hasn't been running backwards as much in camp, an issue that plagued the receiver last year. The 2019 third-rounder secured 86 of 147 targets for 882 yards while rushing seven times for 25 yards in 2022, but he was held without a touchdown for the first time in his career. However, it seems likely that Johnson will be able to maintain a sizable target share in 2023, even with George Pickens and new acquisition Allen Robinson also in the fold.

Nacua and Tutu Atwell are currently in competition for the No. 3 wide receiver role in the Rams' offense, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Nacua's status as a rookie hasn't stopped the Rams from giving him a large workload in spring OTAs and training camp. With Cooper Kupp (hamstring) likely sidelined for a few weeks, Nacua will likely have an expanded role in preseason games as he and the incumbent Atwell fight for the third receiver spot behind Kupp and Van Jefferson. While he can't compete with Atwell's blazing speed, Nacua's physical attributes and ability to run through the catch and break tackles make him an intriguing weapon for offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur if he were to win the role.

Atwell and rookie Puka Nacua are currently in a competition for the No. 3 wide receiver role in the Rams' offense, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Although veteran Demarcus Robinson has played well in training camp and may have an outside shot of earning the tertiary spot in the wideout room, Atwell and Nacua are the most likely players to earn the role, but the Rams "ideally" would like Atwell to be their No. 3. Atwell can stretch the field with 4.35 speed but lacks size, and last year the speedster's appearance on the field generally meant a play-action deep shot towards him was incoming. In training camp, Atwell has been placed in a variety of roles in the offense and has worked on his blocking as well, giving him more flexibility than in 2022 and helping increase the odds he will earn a more permanent role in the Rams' offense behind starters Cooper Kupp (hamstring) and Van Jefferson.

Head coach Dan Campbell indicated Wednesday that Benson (leg) has avoided a serious injury, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

There was understandably some pessimism after Benson was carted off the field earlier this week, but the pass-catcher likely only suffered a sprain according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. The 26-year-old had his 2022 season cut short due to a knee injury, but he came into camp seemingly fully recovered. He is looking to earn a spot on the team's 53-man-roster, so a return sooner than later would be advantageous.

Robinson could be in for an expanded role after impressing early in training camp, Skyler Carlin of TheRamsWire reports.

Robinson and fellow veteran Tyler Johnson both signed with the Rams in the offseason, but Robinson has made the most headlines. The six-year vet has made plenty of catches during practice and earned high praise from head coach Sean McVay, who said he's "really liked what I've seen so far from Demarcus." With Cooper Kupp (hamstring) and Ben Skowronek (back) both on the mend, Robinson should get an extended look during the preseason and may have worked himself into the mix for the No. 3 wideout spot alongside Tutu Atwell and rookie Puka Nacua.

Jones left Thursday's practice on a cart after trainers checked out his left arm, Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Conway notes that prior to suffering his injury, Jones hauled in an impressive TD catch during the session. The 2023 fourth-rounder currently slots in behind the Bengals' top WR trio of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, which caps his short-term fantasy value, but assuming his arm issue isn't serious, Jones is in line to work in a complementary pass-catching role for the team as a rookie.

Irwin is the front-runner for the Bengals' No. 4 receiver role, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Irwin has been making plays all summer according to Goldsmith, most recently boxing out Cam Taylor-Britt for a leaping catch in the back corner of the end zone Thursday. The 27-year-old is embarking on his fifth season with Cincinnati, but he's yet to hold down a consistent role in the offense. However, he did set career highs last season with nine games played and 15 receptions on 23 targets for 231 yards. He also recorded four touchdowns, proving he can be a red-zone target, as was also the case in Thursday's practice.

Fehoko returned to practice Thursday after missing time due to a quad contusion, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Fehoko suffered the injury Monday and wasn't expected to miss too much time. The third-year pro is working to maintain his depth role in the Cowboys' receiving corps after appearing in five games last season and catching three balls on four targets for 24 yards.