2 mins agoCleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (concussion) is missing from practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Cooper suffered a concussion in the Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and is highly questionable to play this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns are saying Cooper has some more boxes to check to gain clearance from the league's concussion protocol, but that may not happen until next week. If the 29-year-old can't play this weekend, Elijah Moore, rookie Cedric Tillman, David Bell and tight end David Njoku would step into bigger roles. Moore has plenty of chemistry with quarterback Joe Flacco from their two years together for the New York Jets, and Flacco targeted Moore a season-high 12 times last Sunday.Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
8 mins agoCarolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst (concussion) doesn't think the post-traumatic amnesia he was diagnosed with by an independent neurologist after suffering a concussion will be career-ending. "I'm doing better each day," Hurst said. "It's not going to end my career, just being cautious as I come back. Should be another week or two." Hurst appeared as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice for the first time since suffering the concussion on Nov. 9 against the Chicago Bears. The 30-year-old has been out for the last three games and is likely to miss a few more before returning. He has only 18 catches for 184 yards and one touchdown in nine games this year, putting him off the fantasy radar. With Tommy Tremble (hip) missing last week, the Panthers were down to Ian Thomas and Stephen Sullivan.Source: ESPN.com - David Newton
14 mins agoVeteran kicker Robbie Gould officially announced his retirement from professional football on Thursday after 18 years kicking in the NFL. Gould began his career as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State and was signed by the Chicago Bears in 2005. He spent the next 11 seasons with Chicago, making 85.4% of his 323 field-goal attempts and 99% of his extra points, earning a first-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowl nod in his second year in 2006. Gould spent one year with the New York Giants before ending his career with six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. The 41-year-old finishes up an excellent NFL career with a field-goal percentage of 86.5 and extra-point conversion rate of 97.5%. Gould was one of the most reliable kickers of his generation.Source: Robbie Gould via The Players Tribune
25 mins agoBuffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (wrist) said he's feeling "fresh" as he gets set to return from Injured Reserve. The Bills opened up Knox's 21-day practice window this week, and they could officially activate him on Saturday so that he can suit up on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time since Week 7. Knox put in a full practice on Wednesday and appears ready to go for Week 14. The 27-year-old had been taking a back seat to impressive rookie Dalton Kincaid, though, so there's no reason to believe that Knox will come in after a long injury layoff and suddenly have a significant role in the passing game, especially in his first game back. Still, Knox's impending return isn't great news for fantasy managers that have been enjoying all the targets that Kincaid has been seeing.Source: Pro Football Talk
32 mins agoCleveland Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said he believes that rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion) is still in the league's concussion protocol and has one more box to check before being cleared. There has been no announcement yet on whether Joe Flacco will make a second straight start in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even if Thompson-Robinson gets the green light to be active this Sunday, it seems more likely that the Browns will give Flacco another start after he looked decent with over 200 yards and two touchdown passes in the Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. DTR was officially limited in Wednesday's practice and will likely be limited again on Thursday.Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
39 mins agoCleveland Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said that wide receiver Amari Cooper (concussion) still has more boxes to check in the league's concussion protocol before he'll be cleared to play in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cooper didn't practice on Wednesday and is up in the air to play this weekend after suffering a concussion in the Week 13 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting the 29-year-old wideout to play this Sunday, so make sure to have a backup plan in place. With Cooper out last Sunday, Elijah Moore stepped up and had his busiest day with quarterback Joe Flacco throwing him the ball, catching four passes on a season-high 12 targets for a season-high 83 yards.Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
3 hours agoThe Miami Dolphins and right tackle Austin Jackson have agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract extension. It includes $20 million in guarantees and a max value of $39 million. Jackson, a first-round pick in 2020, protects the blindside for left-handed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He's appeared in every game this season and allowed just two sacks. He'll be under contract through the 2026 season.Source: Ian Rapoport - NFL.com
3 hours agoLos Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, frustrated by the lack of production in the running game, noted Wednesday that "competition for carries is going to be something that you can see happening." Starter Austin Ekeler has lacked explosiveness since returning from his ankle injury, and age may be catching up to him. He's averaging under three yards per carry since his return. Backup Joshua Kelley hasn't topped the three-yard mark in any of his last three games, so he may not be the answer, either. Regardless, it seems that the coaching staff is eager to find a solution to their running woes, and that could mean more of a split workload on Sunday.Source: Daniel Popper - The Athletic
3 hours agoPittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (knee) appears to be ready to play against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The leader of the Pittsburgh backfield did not practice during the short week and is officially listed as questionable. Pelissero added that this is not a new injury for Harris, but one that the team has been managing in recent weeks. The Patriots' run defense has been stingy as of late, holding Brian Robinson Jr., Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, and Austin Ekeler to under 70 rushing yards. Harris is in the RB3 range for Week 14 due to the tough matchup, a backup quarterback under center, and a split workload with Jaylen Warren,Source: Tom Pelissero - NFL Network
12 hours agoSeattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (knee) was limited in the team's practice on Wednesday. Bobo has dealt with a shoulder injury for the past couple of weeks, but it's a knee issue that seems to be bothering him now. The rookie wide receiver has caught a pass in four straight games and seven of the past eight contests. However, his fantasy potential is capped as the Seahawks' WR4 on offense. Unless you're in an extremely deep league, it's likely best to keep the rookie on waivers heading into Week 14 against the San Francisco 49ers.Source: ESPN
12 hours agoSan Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ribs) was a limited participant in Wednesday's team practice. McCloud missed last week's game due to a rib issue, but his return to the practice field on Wednesday is a big sign for his availability on Sunday. He'll have two more chances to upgrade his practice status before the 49ers take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14. If McCloud does return this weekend, he doesn't carry much fantasy value as the team's WR4. The 27-year-old has just nine catches for 113 yards this season.Source: ESPN
12 hours agoJacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice. With the Jaguars having played just two days ago, the team was likely cautious with the running back to start the week. Johnson will have two more chances to upgrade his practice status before Jacksonville takes on the Cleveland Browns in Week 14. The 27-year-old back remains a great handcuff to Travis Etienne but doesn't carry much fantasy value this weekend. He is likely only a flex play in extremely deep leagues.Source: ESPN
12 hours agoCarolina Panthers tight end Stephen Sullivan (shoulder) was limited in the team's practice on Wednesday. Sullivan has been dealing with this shoulder issue for weeks, so it's something that's clearly still bothering him. But the 27-year-old tight end has played in three straight contests. He will have two more chances to upgrade his practice status before the Panthers take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 14. If Hayden Hurst (concussion) misses his fourth straight game this weekend, Sullivan should see a bigger role. However, he doesn't warrant an add in fantasy, even in tight end premium leagues.Source: ESPN
14 hours agoNew York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) said that his goal is to be back for the start of training camp next summer. Jones will miss the rest of the year after suffering a torn right ACL in Week 9, but the good news is that he didn't have any other structural damage other than to his ACL. The 26-year-old has a long and grueling recovery ahead of him, but the Giants remain committed to him as their starter once he's back healthy next fall. Jones had the best season of his career in the first year working with head coach Brian Daboll in 2022 and even led the G-Men to a postseason win, but he regressed this year, completing 67.5% of his 160 attempts for 909 yards, only two touchdowns and six interceptions in six starts. Jones won't be very attractive as a low-end QB2 target in fantasy in 2024 while coming off a major knee injury.Source: New York Post - Ryan Dunleavy
14 hours agoJerry Hurst, the father of Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst (concussion), said that his son has been diagnosed with post traumatic amnesia by an independent neurologist from the hit he took against the Chicago Bears back on Nov. 9. "Slow recovery, don't know when he'll be back," Jerry Hurst said. It helps explain why Hurst has been out for each of the Panthers' last three games. However, he returned to a limited practice on Wednesday and could have a chance to be cleared from the league's concussion protocol in order to suit up in Week 14 against the New Orleans Saints. It's a situation the Panthers will definitely not take lightly, most likely choosing to err on the side of caution. Carolina's tight ends aren't fantasy relevant, and Hurst has only 18 receptions on 32 targets this year for 184 yards and one touchdown in nine games played.Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter