NFL Player News

Hodge is expected to be the deep threat replacement for the injured Odell Beckham (knee), Ellis L. Williams of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Without Beckham, the Browns have Hodge and Rashard Higgins as the next men up. Both receivers had a similar snap count in Sunday's loss to the Raiders -- Higgins had 35 snaps while Hodge played 34. Hodge has greater speed than Higgins, making him the ideal replacement as a field stretcher. Defenses may not feel the need to immediately send a safety over the top to help on Hodge, as they do for Beckham, but the Browns may want to take some shots deep to see if he can become a credible threat. If Hodge develops as a legit outside-the-numbers option, that could take the pressure off Jarvis Landry, who should see multiple defenders on most routes without Beckham in the lineup.

Hightower did not catch any of his three targets in Sunday's 23-9 win over the Cowboys.

After catching a couple bombs over his past two games, Hightower got yet another deep target early in the contest but was unable to corral it this time. The last pass thrown his way was intercepted, so he had little chance to make an impact. Most importantly, the rookie fifth-rounder was only on the field for 10 snaps, a trend that will likely continue now that Jalen Reagor is healthy again.

Beasley caught both of his targets for 24 yards in Sunday's win over the Patriots.

One might think Beasley -- a short-area specialist -- would have been the beneficiary of a rainy, windy day that prevented much deep throwing for either team, but the Bills had the lead most of the game and ended up throwing only 18 times. Beasley certainly has better games in store, and his 41-494-2 line is nothing to sniff at for a No. 3 receiver, though the only sure thing in the Buffalo offense at RB/WR/TE remains Stefon Diggs. Everyone else simply has to pick their spots.

Slayton caught five of nine targets for 56 yards in Monday night's 25-23 loss to the Buccaneers.

Slayton made a great fourth-down reception to extend New York's final offensive drive, but his night was otherwise marred by failed deep connections with Daniel Jones. The speedster never got on the same page as his quarterback, missing a few big-play opportunities in the process. Despite those disappointments, Slayton still trailed only Sterling Shepard in receptions while nearly hitting double digits in targets. That involvement bodes well ahead of Week 9's matchup against Washington.

Shepard caught eight of 10 targets for 74 yards in Monday night's 25-23 loss to the Buccaneers.

Shepard overcame a couple injury concerns during the week to lead the Giants in all major receiving categories. In the process, the veteran also put together his best totals in four appearances this season. When healthy, Shepard represents a needed security blanket for second-year quarterback Daniel Jones, as he's now hauled in 22 of 28 passes thrown his way. The duo will look to build on Monday's performance in a Week 9 matchup against Washington.

Evans caught five of seven targets for 55 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 25-23 win over the Giants.

Evans continued his touchdown tear, making an excellent grab from eight yards out to give Tampa Bay the lead to start the fourth quarter. The wideout has now scored seven times this season, flexing his muscles when in the red zone and putting him on pace for a new career high in the category. Although Evans' yardage totals haven't reached those of prior years with the same consistency, he remains a weekly threat due to his regular involvement and scoring punch. Whether or not teammate Chris Godwin (finger) returns and/or Antonio Brown enters the fold in Week 9 versus the Saints, Evans should be a strong play in that NFC South primetime showdown.

Cracraft reverted to the 49ers' practice squad Monday after being active for Sunday's 37-27 loss to Seattle, per the NFL's official transaction log.

Cracraft notched 14 special-teams snaps during the divisional defeat, collecting one tackle while operating on kickoff coverage. A Week 8 appearance marked Cracraft's first for San Francisco, after he suited up for nine total contests between 2018 and 2019 as a member of the Broncos.

Kemp reverted to the Chiefs' practice squad after being activated for Sunday's 35-9 win against the Jets, per the NFL's official transaction log.

Kemp played 19 special-teams snaps along with 12 offensive snaps for the Chiefs' high-powered attack, though he was unable to make any notable contributions on the stat sheet. The Hawaii product has already suited up in seven games for the defending champions this season, meaning he very well may be right back up to the active roster for a Week 9 home test against Carolina.

Moore reverted to the Chargers' practice squad after fielding 10 offensive snaps and 12 special-teams snaps during Sunday's 31-30 loss to the Broncos, per the NFL's official transaction log.

Moore has bounced between the active roster, the practice squad and the waiver wire over the first half of 2020, ultimately seeing game action in Weeks 4 and 8 for the Chargers. The 25-year-old receiver has yet to contribute a catch in his second active NFL season, though he has been on the field for a combined 35 snaps over his pair of appearances.

James (ankle) was listed as a non-participant on the 49ers' estimated practice report Monday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

A version of San Francisco's team practice report was printed without James' name present earlier in the day, but a subsequent update from Wagoner confirms that James is still dealing with an ankle issue. The 25-year-old was unable to go Sunday for a road trip to Seattle after fielding 23 offensive snaps and 21 special-teams snaps the preceding two weeks against the Rams and Patriots. His status will be one to monitor as San Francisco prepares to face Green Bay on Thursday Night Football.