NFL Player News

The 49ers placed Aiyuk on the reserve/ COVID-19 list Wednesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

The hits keep coming for the 49ers, who placed Kendrick Bourne on the COVID-19 list earlier Wednesday due to a positive test result. Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel (hamstring) have been deemed to be high-risk close contacts of Bourne, meaning they'll be sidelined Thursday against the Packers. With that trio sidelined, San Francisco may be down to just two available wide receivers -- Trent Taylor and Richie James -- in Week 9, but the latter player is questionable to play himself due to an ankle injury.

Beckham (knee) is scheduled to undergo surgery next week to repair his torn ACL, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

Assuming no unexpected complications with his surgery, Beckham should be at or close to full health by the time training camp begins in 2021. Beckham's absence for the remainder of the season should free up more targets for fellow wideouts Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins over the second half of the Browns' schedule.

Callaway (ankle) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

The undrafted rookie out of Tennessee posted a career-high eight receptions for 75 yards Week 7 against the Panthers before sitting out the Saints' Week 8 win over the Bears with the ankle injury. His presence on the practice field to begin the week bodes well for his chances of suiting up Sunday in Tampa Bay, but Callaway's opportunities are expected drop off with Emmanuel Sanders (COVID-19) and possibly Michael Thomas (hamstring/ankle) returning to the lineup this weekend.

St. Brown (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation heading into Thursday's game against San Francisco.

The Notre Dame product was listed as a limited participant throughout the week, so the fact that he's ready to play is a positive sign for the offense. St. Brown saw just 22 offensive snaps and three targets in last week's loss to Minnesota, so expect him to handle a similar role for Thursday's matchup with the 49ers.

James (ankle) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Packers, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

If he can move past the ankle injury to play Thursday, James would likely be in store for the biggest offensive role of his career. The 49ers placed fellow wideout Kendrick Bourne (illness) on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier Wednesday, and Dante Pettis no longer on the team. Additionally, top receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring) has also been ruled out. If James can't go, on the other hand, the 49ers will be down to only Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Taylor as their healthy options at wide receiver.

The Giants claimed Pettis (shoulder) off waivers from the 49ers on Wednesday, Michael Eisen of New York's official site reports.

The 2018 second-round pick was cut loose by the 49ers on Tuesday after the team was unable to find a trade partner prior to the deadline. Though Pettis' first two seasons with San Francisco were promising -- he recorded 38 receptions, 576 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during that time -- his standing in the organization had soured over the past two years. The move to New York will provide a much-needed fresh start for Pettis, who will likely slot in as the Giants' No. 4 wide receiver behind Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard (toe/shoulder) and Golden Tate.

Dulin (knee) didn't participate in Wednesday's practice, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan reports.

Both Dulin and T.Y. Hilton (groin) left Sunday's win over the Lions with injuries, and they both missed Wednesday's practice. Dulin is trending in the wrong direction to start the week, and it's unclear how severe his injury is. He typically serves as depth at wide receiver, so Dezmon Patmon could make his NFL debut if Dulin sits out this Sunday versus the Ravens.

The 49ers placed Bourne (illness) on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

After testing positive earlier Wednesday, Bourne was destined to land on this list. He'll thus be unavailable for Thursday's game against the Packers and perhaps beyond, as he'll need to be asymptomatic and test negative twice at least 24 hours apart before he's eligible to rejoin the 49ers. San Francisco's receiving corps is down Deebo Samuel (hamstring) and George Kittle (foot) as well, leaving Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Taylor, Richie James (ankle) and Ross Dwelley as the likely available pass catchers Week 9.

Miller (hip/groin) was limited at Wednesday's practice, Carmen Vitali of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

On his second month of tending to hip and groin issues, Miller still is churning out at least limited showings at practice and has yet to miss a game. With Chris Godwin's status up in the air due to a fractured finger and Antonio Brown set to make his Bucs debut this weekend, it'll be interesting to see what kind of role Miller can expect moving forward. For the season, Miller has posted a whopping 10.5 yards per target, so even if his reps are sporadic, he has a chance to produce from week to week.

Thomas (hamstring/ankle) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Thomas managed to resume practicing on a limited basis last week, but his Grade 1 hamstring strain and lingering left ankle injury nonetheless caused him to miss a sixth straight game. As such, the star wideout's status for Week 9 remains murky, even though he appears to be making progress. Drew Brees (shoulder) and Alvin Kamara (foot) were also limited Wednesday, so there are numerous question marks surrounding New Orleans' key offensive players heading into a Sunday night matchup with the Buccaneers.