NFL Player News

Rams coach Sean McVay said Tuesday that Atwell has been "outstanding" and a "real bright spot" in spring practices, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Atwell is getting first-team looks at multiple receiver spots and apparently has been one of Matthew Stafford's favorite targets this spring with fellow WRs Cooper Kupp (ankle), Van Jefferson (undisclosed) and Ben Skowronek (foot) all limited in practice or absent. The 2021 second-round pick has a real shot at a top-three spot on the depth chart given the lack of talent behind Kupp, but it's still an uphill battle toward fantasy relevance and consistent production for one of the smallest players in the league (5-9, 165). Atwell is also getting practice reps on special teams as a returner, competing with RB Kyren Williams and WR Austin Trammell.

Williams (back) participated in minicamp and said Wednesday that he's been healthy for months, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Williams suffered a minor back fracture Week 18 last season and sat out the Chargers' wild-card round loss to Jacksonville six days later, finishing a once-promising season on a low note. He averaged 5.3 catches for 70.7 yards on 8.4 targets over the first seven weeks and 5.0 catches for 77 yards on 6.6 targets over the final five weeks, with an ankle injury limiting him to six snaps in the five games in between. The per-route and per-snap production wasn't much different from his 2021 breakout campaign, apart from a lack of touchdowns (four). The 28-year-old has tougher competition for deep and intermediate targets after the Chargers drafted Quentin Johnston in the first round in April's draft, but there may be more looks to go around overall under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Aiyuk has been standing out early in San Francisco's offseason team activities, Jerry McDonald of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Fellow starter Deebo Samuel has yet to participate in OTAs, leaving Aiyuk to operate as the 49ers' top wideout in camp. The 25-year-old has taken advantage of that opportunity, impressing the coaching staff with his play early in team practices. Aiyuk is coming off of his best professional season in 2022, and he seems to be pushing to take yet another step forward in 2023.

Bills coach Sean McDermott said after Wednesday's minicamp practice, which Diggs attended, that the situation between the player and the team is "resolved," Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

McDermott noted that he excused Diggs from Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice before the wideout returned to the field Wednesday and participated in individual drills before sitting out team work. Since Diggs, McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen have all been mum about the details surrounding why the receiver took part in only team meetings Tuesday before leaving the facility, it's fair to wonder whether Diggs is upset over his decreased usage in the second half of last season. That said, all parties seem committed to hit the ground running once training camp rolls around in July. Should all remain calm between Diggs and the team through the summer, he'll once again be one of the top receivers off the board in almost any fantasy draft.

Montgomery is a candidate to serve as a complementary option behind lead back Rhamondre Stevenson during the upcoming season, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

The 30-year-old missed the final 16 games of the 2022 season, but now that he's moved past his injury woes, Montgomery has caught the eye of head coach Bill Belichick during the Patriots' offseason program. With Damien Harris having moved on to Buffalo this offseason, Montgomery will be competing with second-year players Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris for reps behind Stevenson. It's still possible that the Patriots will add another veteran back to the mix, but if Montgomery ends up emerging as the New England's top option on third downs, he could end up on the PPR radar.

Brown (foot) returned to practice Wednesday, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

Brown was held out of Tuesday's practice for precautionary reasons, but his quick return to the field indicates that the foot issue he was dealing with was nothing concerning. In the wake of the Cardinals' release of DeAndre Hopkins, Brown, who logged a 67-709-3 receiving line in 12 games in 2022, is poised to serve as the team's top wide receiver this coming season. At this stage, it's unclear when quarterback Kyler Murray -- who underwent surgery Jan. 3 to repair a torn ACL -- will be able to return to game action.

Diggs participated in Wednesday's minicamp practice, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Diggs was noticeably absen from the Bills' first mandatory minicamp practice Tuesday, prompting head coach Sean McDermott to express concern regarding the situation. A day later, however, Diggs was back on the field. As long as he's available for the start of the season, the 29-year-old remains on track to headline the team's wideout corps on the heels of a 108-catch effort in 2022.

Smith-Schuster (undisclosed) remained sidelined during Tuesday's minicamp practice, Paul Perillo of the Patriots' official site reports.

Smith-Schuster, who dealt with a knee issue at the end of last season while with the Chiefs, has yet to practice in front of the media since signing with the Patriots in March, Zack Cox of NESN.com notes. While the team could simply be playing it safe with the veteran pass catcher with an eye toward having him ready for training camp, Smith-Schuster's absence this spring cost him a chance to build valuable chemistry with quarterback Mac Jones. When healthy, the 26-year-old still has a chance to headline a receiver corps that includes DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne. Free agent DeAndre Hopkins is set to visit New England later this week, and his potential signing would likely negatively impact the outlooks of all Patriots pass catchers.

Duvernay (foot) participated in Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

Duvernay, who underwent surgery in December to address a broken fifth metatarsal in his foot, continues to make solid progress and will now look to carve out a role in a Ravens wideout corps that also includes fellow rehabbing receiver Rashod Bateman (foot), along with newcomers Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers and Nelson Agholor. In light of the new additions to the roster, Duvernay doesn't have a clear path to steady targets in 2023, but he should settle back in as the Ravens' top return man.

Flowers (undisclosed) participated in Tuesday's minicamp practice, Clifton Brown of the Ravens' official site reports.

Flowers missed some time during the team's OTAs due to what head coach John Harbaugh said was a "minor tweak." However, according to Brown, the 2023 first-round pick ran routes crisply and showed no sign of discomfort while working in Tuesday's session. Looking ahead, the rookie out of Boston College has an opportunity to become a key cog in a Baltimore pass-catching corps that will also feature fellow wideouts Rashod Bateman (foot) and Odell Beckham, along with star tight end Mark Andrews.