NFL Player News

Jefferson secured nine of 12 targets for 133 yards during Sunday's 37-35 win against Detroit.

Jefferson attracted double the targets of Minnesota's second-busiest option Sunday, amassing his seventh 100-yard receiving day of the campaign and setting a new NFL record for receiving yards by a rookie in the process. The 21-year-old went without a TD catch in the season finale, though he finished with a total of seven scores on the year. Having also posted 88 catches and an even 1,400 yards, Jefferson secured an NFC Pro Bowl nod in his debut season. Adam Thielen remains under contract with the Vikings through 2024, as he and Jefferson continue to pose a formidable duo atop Minnesota's receiving corps. It's notable that the rookie out-targeted Thielen in five consecutive mutual appearances to end the season.

Parker (hamstring) caught seven of 14 targets for 116 yards in Sunday's 56-26 loss to Buffalo.

Parker was inundated with targets as the Dolphins desperately tried to erase a large second-half deficit, only to watch it keep ballooning, even with backup quarterback Matt Barkley under center for the Bills. After setting career highs across the board with 72 catches for 1,202 yards and nine targets last season, Parker took a step back with just 63 catches for 793 yards and four touchdowns this year. He remains the top option in Miami's passing game heading into next season, but Parker's hopes of playing in the postseason were likely dashed with this loss.

Shepard caught eight of 10 targets for 112 yards and a touchdown while adding 24 yards plus a touchdown on two carries during Sunday's 23-19 win over the Cowboys.

Shepard got off to an excellent start with a 23-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive. He went on to lead the team in targets and receptions as he delivered a season-best yardage total while adding a 10-yard receiving score. Despite topping 60 receiving yards just three times prior to this one, Shepard certainly came through when it mattered the most and finishes the regular season with 656 yards in 12 appearances. He'll look to carry this season-ending form into the playoffs, if Washington loses to the Eagles on Sunday night.

Patrick was forced out of Sunday's game against the Raiders with a foot injury, Troy Renck of Denver 7 News reports.

Before leaving the contest, Patrick caught two of his four targets for 46 yards. Now in the mix for Denver's Week 17 wide receiver targets are Jerry Jeudy, DaeSean Hamilton, Diontae Spencer and Tyrie Cleveland.

Diggs caught seven of eight targets for 76 yards in Sunday's 56-26 win over Miami.

Diggs set new career highs in catches (127) and receiving yards (1,535) in his first season with Buffalo, leading the league in both categories as the top target for breakout star Josh Allen. The trade acquisition from Minnesota also scored eight touchdowns, coming one short of his 2018 career high. Diggs' fantastic season helped the Bills secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC, so they'll have a home playoff game in the wild-card round next week.

Cooper caught six of nine targets for 41 yards during Sunday's 23-19 loss to the Giants.

Although Cooper tied for the team lead in targets and finished second in receptions, he was mostly held to short gains as he finished averaging just 6.8 yards per catch. So ends another up-and-down season for Cooper, who disappeared in several games but still finished with 1,114 receiving yards, which is the second-best output of his NFL career. He certainly would've produced more efficiently with a healthy Dak Prescott under center despite the multitude of other weapons on the Dallas offense, and he'll look to improve upon these numbers in the 2021-22 campaign.

Godwin brought in five of seven targets for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the Buccaneers' 44-27 win over the Falcons on Sunday.

With fellow wideout Mike Evans going down for good in the first quarter with a knee injury, Godwin and Antonio Brown (14 targets) were the beneficiaries of some extra attention from Tom Brady. Godwin ultimately recorded six fewer catches than his speedy teammate, but he compiled just five fewer yards thanks in large part to a game-high 47-yard reception. The 26.6 yards per grab Godwin put up was easily a season high, and he's now tallied four touchdowns in the last three games. Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports Evans will soon undergo an MRI, so whether Godwin may have to operate as the de facto No. 1 receiver in a first-round playoff game against either the Giants or Washington next weekend should become clearer in relatively short order.

Ridley reeled in eight of his 12 targets for 52 yards, losing one fumble during Sunday's 44-27 loss to the Buccaneers.

Ridley and Russell Gage (11 targets) were the clear focal points in the passing game during Atlanta's season finale, collectively engulfing over 56 percent of the team's targets. Ridley came back to earth in the yardage department after posting an absurd 525 receiving yards over his preceding four outings entering Sunday. However, the 26-year-old's eight receptions provided him with a respectable floor in PPR formats. He blew past previous career highs this season by totaling 90 receptions for 1,374 yards and 10 total touchdowns (nine receiving, one rushing), though Ridley was not given a Pro Bowl nod during his third pro campaign. The team should have an easy time making a decision on Ridley's fifth-year option this offseason; however, an extension could potentially be in the cards, depending on the direction taken by the franchise's new general manager. Ridley is set to make roughly $2 million in 2021 on the heels of his most prolific pro campaign.

Coach Bruce Arians believes Evans didn't suffer "any serious damage" to his left knee during Sunday's 44-27 win against the Falcons, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.

Evans did enough in less than one quarter to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh consecutive season to begin his career, but his fourth and final target fell to the ground when his attempt to catch a Tom Brady pass coincided with his left leg getting stuck in the end-zone turf. The wide receiver is slated for an MRI, and Arians stated the Buccaneers will have more clarity on Evans' situation Monday. If Arians' assessment comes to pass, Evans' activity level in practice this week will be one to watch as Tampa Bay prepares to face off in the wild-card round with the NFC East champion, an opponent that will be determined later Sunday.

Meyers caught six of seven targets for 68 yards and threw a 19-yard touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Jets. He also rushed once for seven yards in the season finale.

Meyers spent his freshman season at NC State as a quarterback before converting to wide receiver, and he showed off his passing skills on a trick play in the third quarter, finding Cam Newton for the game-tying touchdown. He finishes the season as New England's leader in both catches (59) and receiving yards (729), but Meyers is yet to catch a touchdown through two NFL seasons. The Patriots will likely look to upgrade their underwhelming receiving corps in the offseason, but Meyers should be a part of the team's equation at wide receiver after his breakout sophomore season.