NFL Player News

Johnson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bears, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Johnson will be sidelined for the second straight game by a hamstring injury. The Giants are significantly short-handed at wide receiver, with Kenny Golladay being the only fully healthy wideout currently on the active roster.

Palmer is expected to share the Chargers' No. 3 receiver role with Jalen Guyton in Sunday's game against the Broncos after both Guyton and Mike Williams were activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week, Gavino Borquez of USA Today reports.

While both Williams and Guyton were on the list last week, Palmer stepped in as the No. 2 wideout behind Keenan Allen and played a whopping 98 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps and finished with a 5-43-1 receiving line on six targets in a 41-29 loss to the Texans. After Guyton was activated from the list Wednesday, both he and Palmer still looked on track to have regular spots in three-receiver sets this weekend, but Williams' reinstatement Thursday closed the door on that possibility. When Allen, Williams and Guyton were all last available in the same game Week 15 against the Chiefs, Palmer's snap share dropped to 41 percent, with the rookie securing his lone target for a 15-yard gain in that contest.

Guyton and Joshua Palmer are expected to share the Chargers' No. 3 receiver role Sunday against the Broncos after Mike Williams (illness) was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list, Gavino Borquez of USA Today reports.

While both Williams and Guyton were on the list last week, Palmer stepped in as the No. 2 wideout behind Keenan Allen and played a whopping 98 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps and finished with a 5-43-1 receiving line on six targets in a 41-29 loss to the Texans. After Guyton was activated from the list Wednesday, both he and Palmer looked poised to have regular spots in three-receiver sets this weekend, but Williams' reinstatement Thursday will close the door on that possibility. Before testing positive for the virus and sitting out against the Texans, Guyton hovered between 35 and 60 percent snap shares in each of the Chargers' first eight games after a Week 7 bye while averaging just 2.4 targets per contest.

Evans (hamstring) was a limited practice participant Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Evans was on the COVID-19 list Monday through Thursday, after sitting out every practice last week and missing last Sunday's win over Carolina due to the hamstring injury. Both he and Antonio Brown appear truly questionable entering the weekend, and it won't surprise if either or both are treated as game-time decisions ahead of the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. Tyler Johnson, Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller, Jaelon Darden (reserve/COVID-19) and Justin Watson (questionable/quad) are Tampa's options at wide receiver on the active roster, while Cyril Grayson has a chance to be elevated from the practice squad.

Goodwin (illness) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Giants.

Goodwin was added to the Week 17 injury report after he failed to practice Thursday due to the illness, but his return to the field Friday as a full participant clears the way for him to suit up Sunday. The wideout made his return from a three-game absence due to a foot injury in last week's win over Seattle, playing 22 snaps on offense (32 percent) and finishing with two catches for 23 yards on two targets. He could see a slight bump in his snap count Sunday now that the foot injury is further in the rear-view mirror.

Grant (concussion) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Giants.

Grant was a full participant in practices Wednesday through Friday, but it wasn't until the release of Friday's injury report that the Bears confirmed the wideout had cleared the NFL's five-step concussion protocol. The head injury prevented Grant from playing Week 16 in Seattle, but now that he's healthy again, he should have a small role in the Bears' offensive game plan as a gadget player and option for slot snaps. He'll also reclaim his usual duties as the Bears' top return man.

Toney (shoulder) has been ruled out for Sunday's game in Chicago, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Toney was held out of practice all week, though he managed to work out on the side with the training staff Friday, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. The Giants are thinner than ever at wide receiver, with John Ross (knee) and Collin Johnson (hamstring) also ruled out and Darius Slayton (illness) on the reserve/COVID-19 list. They appear to be down to Kenny Golladay and players from the practice squad, with Pharoh Cooper being the safest bet to have a role out of the probable call-ups. Toney's final chance to play this season will come in a Week 18 home game against Washington.

Brown (calf) returned to practice Friday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Meanwhile, the star wideout downplayed the calf issue that led to him sitting out Thursday's session. Friday's final injury report will clarify whether Brown approaches Sunday's game against the Dolphins with an injury designation or not.

The Broncos are expected to place Jeudy on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, leaving his availability for Sunday's game against the Chargers in doubt, Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports.

Denver cancelled practice Thursday due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the organization, and Jeudy and linebacker Bradley Chubb appear to be the latest members of the roster who likely contracted the virus. Assuming Denver confirms Jeudy's placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list later Friday, he'll be a long shot to clear the NFL's COVID-19 return-to-play protocols before Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff, even if vaccinated. Tim Patrick (illness) is also on the same list and unlikely to play Sunday, potentially leaving Denver with Courtland Sutton, Kendall Hinton and Diontae Spencer as its starting receivers.

Irwin (illness) was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday.

Irwin is unlikely to play in Sunday's contest against the Chiefs after being placed in the NFL's COVID-19 protocols. In his absence, current practice squad member Trent Taylor likely will operate as the primary punt returner Week 17.