NFL Player News

Tucker (hamstring) is doubtful for Sunday's game at Cincinnati, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Tucker returned to practice Thursday as a limited participant and reportedly is practicing again Friday. It sounds like it won't be enough for a Week 1 appearance, but he should have a decent chance to return Week 2.

Odunze (calf) will practice Friday, and the training staff will assess him afterward before deciding next steps, Sean Hammond of The Chicago Tribune reports.

Odunze was limited the previous two days, and Friday's session gives him one last chance to upgrade to full participation (or at least make a positive impression on coaches and the training staff). Coach Ben Johnson didn't mention expectations for the extent of Odunze's participation Friday. If Odunze ends up inactive Sunday at Carolina, the Bears will be left with a shaky WR group alongside Luther Burden. The top alternatives are Kalif Raymond, rookie Zavion Thomas and Jahdae Walker.

The Patriots are placing Brown (ankle) on injured reserve, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

It apparently took less than 48 hours for the Patriots to decide that Brown will be out for at least four games. The earliest he can return is Week 6, but the quick move to IR suggests he may not be ready by then. Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas took most of the WR snaps after Brown suffered a high-ankle sprain in Wednesday's loss at Seattle.

Brooks (groin) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Bears, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

With Brooks cleared after practicing throughout the week, he appears on track to handle whatever role the team has in mind. Chuba Hubbard remains the favorite to start and get most of the carries, but reports throughout the offseason and preseason made it clear that the Panthers have a role in mind for Brooks as well.

Croskey-Merritt (groin) will play in Sunday's game against the Eagles, Tashan Reed of The Washington Post reports.

Croskey-Merritt was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday but will apparently be fine for the season opener. He's got a tough matchup on the road in Philadelphia, and he'll will be sharing snaps with Rachaad White in some fashion, regardless of health/durability considerations.

Tagovailoa (oblique) wasn't on the field for the media-access portion of Friday's practice, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.

Tagovailoa is considered day-to-day after suffering an oblique strain during Thursday's practice. His absence Friday suggests there's serious risk the Falcons will end up starting Cooper Rush this Sunday in Pittsburgh. The team has yet to announce any kind of decision, beyond ruling out Michael Penix (knee) at the start of the week. It won't be surprising if Penix is under center by the end of the month, however.

Meyers (thumb) is practicing without a non-contact jersey Friday, Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union reports.

After logging limited practices Wednesday and Thursday while wearing a non-contact jersey, Meyers may be gearing up to play in the opener. It remains to be seen how the Jaguars list him on their final injury report.

Brooks (groin) was in uniform for Friday's practice, his third straight session, Mike Kaye of ESPN.com reports.

With Brooks having now been present for three consecutive practices, he's trending in the right direction for Sunday's opener against the Bears. Assuming no setbacks, he should split backfield work with Chuba Hubbard, who remains the favorite to start and has been a full practice participant all week.

Tucker (hamstring) is practicing Friday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.

Tucker returned to practice Thursday as a limited participant. Another appearance Friday gives him a chance to play Sunday at Cincinnati, though it's unclear if he'll be involved on offense or mostly just handling kick returns.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen confirmed Friday that Washington will be the team's primary punt returner to start the season, Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union reports.

Coen also mentioned wanting to give Travis Hunter a chance in the return game, but it sounds like that's more of a project than a right-now possibility. In the meantime, Washington's ample experience on punt returns makes him the clear best choice for a role that's extremely important on a per-snap basis. It's only a few snaps per game, of course, but they are high-risk plays for injuries, and the fantasy payoff in most leagues is unlikely to be more than a six-point splash once per season. The good news for Washington's fantasy managers is that there's plenty of recent history of full-time starting wideouts also handling punt returns, including Antonio Brown and Tyreek Hill. While obviously in a different category athletically, Washington offers considerable breakout appeal after his huge finish to last season.