NFL Player News

Thielen (hamstring) didn't practice Thursday, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Common sense hints at a Week 10 absence, after Thielen aggravated his hamstring in the first quarter of Sunday's 26-23 loss to the Chiefs. Coach Mike Zimmer doesn't view the injury as a long-term problem, but the Vikings reportedly expect their star wide receiver to miss Sunday's game in Dallas. With a Week 12 bye around the corner, the team may also take a cautious approach as it prepares for Week 11 against Denver.

Davis (hip) missed practice again Thursday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Back-to-back missed sessions put the focus on what Davis is able to do at practice Friday. If he's limited or out Sunday against the Chiefs, Tajae Sharpe and Kalif Raymond would be in line for added snaps in the Titans' Week 10 offense.

Samuel (hamstring) practiced in full Thursday, Brendan Marks of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Samuel appears to be good to go for Week 10 after logging an absence at Wednesday's session. While Sunday's opponent (the Packers) has given up nearly 10 yards per target to wide receivers this season, the unit is tied for the fifth-fewest touchdowns allowed to the position (five) through nine contests.

Although Cooper (knee) didn't practice Thursday, he's expected to return to the field Friday and suit up Sunday against the Vikings, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Cooper injured his left knee Monday against the Giants but played through the issue, racking up four catches (on seven targets) for 80 yards and a touchdown in the process. He proceeded to be limited at Wednesday's jog-through, and after an MRI and subsequent examination by the Cowboys' medical staff, he's been diagnosed with a bruised knee. Despite the optimism implicit in Archer's report, Cooper's status still should be monitored in advance of Sunday's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.

Thielen (hamstring) remained sidelined at Thursday's practice, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Thielen is trending toward an absence Sunday night against the Cowboys, as the Vikings are inclined not to rush him back after the wideout's right hamstring "grabbed a bit" during his limited time on the field in Week 9. Per Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune,Thielen's issue is not considered long term, so even if he's ruled out this week, it's plausible that he'll be able to play Nov. 17 against the Broncos.

Cooper (knee) won't practice Thursday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

The report also notes that Cooper, who underwent an MRI on Wednesday, is meeting with a doctor Thursday. That said, David Helman of the Cowboys' official site indicates that the Cowboys are optimistic that Cooper can practice Friday and play Sunday night against the Vikings. Thursday's reports offer a mixed bag with regard to Cooper's Week 10 status, though it does appear that added clarity on that front will arrive no later than Friday.

Shepard (concussion) appears unlikely to return to practice this week, as Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports there will be "no activity" for the wideout.

Shepard has been sidelined for four consecutive weeks now, and with another recent occurrence of concussion symptoms, the team won't be taking any risks. Despite an uphill battle ahead, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that the team hasn't yet considered injured reserve, and intends for Shephard to return this season. In the meantime, look for Golden Tate and Darius Slayton to continue to have active roles in the passing game, especially with Evan Engram (foot) ruled out for the Week 10 matchup against the Jets.

Cooper (knee/ankle) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, David Helman of the Cowboys' official site reports.

Per Todd Archer of ESPN.com, Cooper jammed his knee during Monday's win over the Giants, but he stayed in the game and finished the night with four catches for a team-high 80 yards and one touchdown. It's encouraging that the No. 1 receiver wasn't held out of Wednesday's jog-through practice entirely, and there's not yet any reason to suspect that Cooper is in danger of missing time. He'll have two more chances to upgrade to a full participant ahead of Sunday's tilt with the Vikings.

The Dolphins claimed Jennings off waivers Wednesday, Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.

After being cut loose by Seattle a day earlier, Jennings now latches on with a Dolphins squad which recently lost wideout Preston Williams (knee) for the season. The rookie fourth-round pick was a healthy scratch in all nine games with Seattle, but he'll have a better chance at finding playing time in a Dolphins receiving corps that includes only four players (DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant and Allen Hurns) ahead of him on the depth chart. That said, the remainder of Jennings' rookie campaign will likely be mostly developmental in nature, as the Dolphins will more realistically hope he can make an impact in 2020 after having some time to adapt to a new playbook.

Thielen (hamstring) didn't participate in practice Wednesday.

Thielen attempted to return from a one-game absence this past Sunday in Kansas City but lasted just seven offensive snaps before being removed from the contest for good. On Wednesday, coach Mike Zimmer told Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he doesn't consider Thielen's right hamstring injury to be a long-term concern. Having said that, the Vikings don't expect Thielen to suit up Sunday night at Dallas, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. With a bye on the docket Week 12, there's a distinct possibility the team holds out Thielen the nest two games to ensure he's healthy for the stretch run of the campaign.