NFL Player News
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Renardo Green CB | SF
49ers' Renardo Green: No limitations Tuesday
Green (neck) is expected to be listed as a full participant at practice Tuesday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Green has sat out San Francisco's last two games due to a neck injury, but he's in a good spot to begin the last week of preparation for the regular season. Provided there aren't any setbacks Wednesday or Thursday, he's on track to play versus the Seahawks in Week 18.
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Kyle Juszczyk FB | SF
49ers' Kyle Juszczyk: Working through hip injury
Juszczyk didn't participate in Tuesday's practice due to a hip injury, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Juszczyk played 39 of 72 offensive snaps (54.2 percent) during the 49ers' 42-38 win over the Bears on Sunday, hauling in both of his targets for 14 yards, including a six-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy in the third quarter. The fullback appears to have come out of that contest worse for wear with a hip injury, but he'll have two more opportunities to return to practice ahead of Saturday's tilt with the Seahawks.
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Payton Wilson LB | PIT
Steelers' Payton Wilson: Posts five stops vs. Cleveland
Wilson logged five tackles (three solo) during the Steelers' 13-6 loss to the Browns on Sunday.
Wilson played just 23 of 52 defensive snaps (44.2 percent) during Sunday's loss, but he still managed to finish tied for the second-most tackles on the Steelers behind Kyle Dugger (eight). Wilson is up to 123 combined tackles through 16 regular-season games, which leads the Steelers and is tied with Zack Baun for 17th most in the NFL.
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Kyle Dugger SAF | CIN
Steelers' Kyle Dugger: Picks off Sanders in Week 17 loss
Dugger recorded eight tackles (five solo) and one interception during the Steelers' 13-6 loss to the Browns on Sunday.
Dugger's eight tackles Sunday were a season high, and he nabbed his second interception of the season when he jumped in front of a pass from Shedeur Sanders intended for Jerry Jeudy early in the fourth quarter. Since being traded by the Patriots to the Steelers in October, Dugger has logged 40 tackles (22 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and five pass defenses (including one interception and a pick-six) across eight regular-season games with Pittsburgh.
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Divine Deablo LB | ATL
Falcons' Divine Deablo: Paces Falcons with 10 stops Monday
Deablo tallied 10 tackles (seven solo) in a 27-24 win against the Rams on Monday.
Deablo was Atlanta's leading tackler in the team's upset victory. The veteran linebacker reached double-digit stops in a game for the first time on the campaign, surpassing his previous season-high mark of eight tackles. A forearm injury cost Deablo four games earlier in the season, but he's suited up in every contest since Week 12 and has at least six stops in five of his past six games.
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Chris Blair WR | ATL
Chris Blair: Goes back to practice squad
Blair reverted to the Falcons' practice squad Tuesday.
Blair was elevated from the practice squad ahead of Monday's 27-24 win over the Rams and was limited to six snaps on special teams. He recorded one tackle on kick coverage but didn't see any reps at receiver, despite Atlanta making Casey Washington and Malik Heath healthy inactives for the game. Since Blair has now been elevated from the practice squad the maximum three times, he would need to be signed to the 53-man roster in order to be eligible to play in Sunday's season finale versus the Saints.
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Christian Benford CB | BUF
Bills' Christian Benford: Posts three stops in Week 17 loss
Benford recorded three solo tackles and two pass defenses during the Bills' 13-12 loss to the Eagles on Sunday.
All three of Benford's tackles came in the first half, and his two pass defenses were a season high. The fourth-year corner is up to 43 tackles (32 solo), including 2.0 sacks, four pass defenses (one interception and a pick-six) and two fumble recoveries (including one for a touchdown) through 14 regular-season games.
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Xavier Watts SAF | ATL
Falcons' Xavier Watts: Comes up huge in Week 17 win
Watts registered five tackles (four solo) and three defensed passes, including two interceptions, in Monday's 27-24 victory versus the Rams.
Watts twice got the better of MVP candidate Matthew Stafford in Atlanta's upset win. Late in the second quarter, Watts grabbed a deep pass intended for Xavier Smith at the Falcons' seven-yard line. One play later, Bijan Robinson reached the end zone on a 93-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, Watts picked off Stafford again, this time gathering the ball at Atlanta's 25-yard line and returning it 32 yards to the Rams' 43. Monday marked the first multi-interception game of Watts' career and added to a fine rookie campaign during which the Notre Dame product has posted 89 tackles and 10 defensed passes, including five picks, through 16 contests.
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Jessie Bates III FS | ATL
Falcons' Jessie Bates: Notches pick-six in Week 17 win
Bates totaled seven tackles (four solo) and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown, in Monday's 27-24 victory against the Rams.
Bates played a major role in the Falcons' upset victory, giving Atlanta a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter when he picked off Matthew Stafford and return the ball 34 yards for a touchdown. That was the veteran safety's fourth career defensive touchdown, three of which have come during his three seasons in Atlanta. Bates also tied for second on the Falcons with seven stops Monday and needs five more tackles against the Saints in Week 18 to reach the triple-digit tackle mark for the third consecutive campaign.
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Matt Milano OLB | BUF
Bills' Matt Milano: Logs seven stops vs. Philadelphia
Milano logged seven tackles (four solo), including 0.5 sacks, during the Bills' 13-12 loss to the Eagles on Sunday.
Milano and Greg Rousseau combined for a two-yard sack of Jalen Hurts late in the third quarter. Milano is up to 67 combined tackles, including 3.5 sacks, through 12 regular-season games, and his sack total matches his career high that he set in 2020 (across 10 regular-season games). His final opportunity to set a new career high in sacks is this Sunday against the Jets.