NFL Player News

Johnson (undisclosed) said he will play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Panthers, Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

The rookie third-round pick hasn't built any momentum for a Week 1 role, but his draft status at least ensures him a spot on the 53-man roster. Johnson did catch three of five targets for 46 yards and a touchdown in the second week of the preseason, primarily working with the second and third units on offense. His return to health at least gives him one more chance to impress before the games count.

Coach Pete Carroll confirmed that Moore (shoulder) still has a spot on the 53-man roster, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports. "I would bet in another week or so, David is going to be chomping at the bit to come back," Carroll said Tuesday. "So we're going work him through the 53 and count on him to come back soon, which is really good."

A Week 1 appearance is probably too much to ask for, but it at least sounds like Moore will avoid injured reserve, which would have kept him out for the first half of the regular season. He's recovering from a non-displaced fracture of his upper humerus, with Carroll noting that the pain the wideout has experienced thus far hasn't been too bad. Meanwhile, fellow receiver DK Metcalf (knee) still hopes to play Week 1 against the Bengals, though Tyler Lockett and Jaron Brown are the safe bets to start for Seattle.

Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash suggested Wednesday that cornerback Jalen Ramsey will shadow Hill in Week 1, Phillip Heilman of The Athletic reports.

The two superstars faced each other Week 5 last season, with Hill catching four of seven targets for 61 yards, including two of four for 46 yards when Ramsey had primary coverage (per Pro Football Focus). The Jaguars didn't strictly use Ramsey to shadow Hill in that matchup, but they nonetheless succeeded in forcing Patrick Mahomes (38 pass attempts) to send more throws to Travis Kelce and Sammy Watkins (eight targets apiece, 178 yards combined). In any case, Hill put up some huge receiving lines last season when he faced teams with top cornerbacks -- 7-169-2 against the Chargers, 7-142-3 against the Patriots, 7-117-2 against the Cardinals and 10-215-2 against the Rams. The season-opening matchup is really only a concern for Hill in DFS, as he's otherwise a no-brainer, every-week start in any season-long format.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that he's been critical of Pettis (groin) because he believes the wide receiver is talented enough to become the best player on the 49ers, Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle reports. "[Pettis] can be our best player on this team," Shanahan said. "He can be our No. 1 receiver, our No. 2 receiver, our slot receiver, or just a role receiver. And he's shown that he can do all of that, but he hasn't shown it consistently enough so that we know exactly where to put him."

Shanahan clarified that his uncertainty involves the exact nature of Pettis' role, not whether the 23-year-old will be an important part of the team. Pettis made the start and took regular snaps with the first-team offense in last week's preseason win over Kansas City, but he also stayed in the game until early in the fourth quarter, long after Jimmy Garoppolo, Marquise Goodwin, Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida had been removed. Now dealing with a minor groin injury, Pettis acknowledged Monday that the criticism from Shanahan is valid, with the receiver noting that he needs to improve his route running and sense of urgency. Health permitting, Pettis should be a big part of the game plan for Week 1 at Tampa Bay, though his role may suffer if he struggles early.

With news the Keke Coutee (ankle) may not be ready for Week 1, Carter stands as the primary beneficiary of playing time, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said he was "not hopeful" that Coutee will be available Sept. 9 against New Orleans, so Carter has a chance for increased snaps Week 1. He helped fill in for Coutee in 2018, catching 20 passes over seven games after the Texans claimed him midseason.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that it's "highly unlikely" that Taylor (foot) will be ready for Week 1, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Taylor was spotted in a walking boot following surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his pinky toe last week. The original recovery timeline was placed at 4-to-6 weeks, which gave him an outside chance for the start of the regular season. If the veteran can't suit up, slot duties would fall to Jordan Matthews, Deebo Samuel or Kendrick Bourne in three-wide sets.

Williams agreed to a deal with the 49ers on Tuesday.

Williams, an undrafted free agent in 2013, has played for a plethora of teams since. From the Redskins, to the Falcons, Titans and Rams, he has recorded just 280 yards on 30 receptions in 26 games. He had been with the Broncos for training camp but was recently let go. The journeyman will now look to make an impression in a small period of time at San Francisco's camp.

Moore is dealing with a non-displaced fracture in his upper arm, Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.

Meanwhile, coach Pete Carroll suggested Tuesday that Moore could push to get back on field as early as next week, with John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site noting that the wideout is not a candidate for IR. Though Carroll is hopeful of for a "real quick recovery" on Moore's part, it doesn't seem especially likely that the wideout will bounce back in time to play in Week 1. If Moore unavailable to start the season, DK Metcalf (knee) -- health permitting -- could see added opportunities out of the gate, along with the likes of Jaron Brown, Gary Jennings and John Ursua.

Metcalf (knee) still hopes to play in the Seahawks' regular-season opener, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

With that in mind, the rookie wideout is a candidate to ramp up his on-field activities this week. Though it's no lock he'll be ready for Week 1 action, if he is, David Moore's shoulder injury could pave the way for Metcalf -- health permitting -- to see a decent amount of playing time out of the gate this season.

Coutee (ankle) is iffy for Week 1 action, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.

At this point, coach Bill O'Brien is "not hopeful" that Coutee will be ready to suit up in time for the Texans' regular-season opener against the Saints. If Coutee ends up missing a game or two out of the gate, added opportunities (behind DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller) would be available for DeAndre Carter and Vyncint Smith.