NFL Player News

Tillman (concussion) has been ruled out for Saturday's playoff opener against the Texans, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Tillman, who was forced out of the second half of this past Sunday's loss to Cincinnati due to a concussion, thus will target a potential return to action in the divisional round of the postseason, should Cleveland advance. In Tillman's absence, David Bell and/or Marquise Goodwin (knee) are candidates to log added snaps this weekend alongside the team's top wideouts Amari Cooper (heel) and Elijah Moore.

Brown (back) returned to practice Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

After being listed as a non-participant both Tuesday and Wednesday, Brown's presence at Thursday's practice offers hope that he could be available for Saturday's playoff opener against the Browns. Houston will post its final injury report of the week later Thursday, when the wideout's official injury status for the wild-card game will be known.

Cracraft secured nine of 12 targets for 121 yards and one touchdown across 10 appearances during the 2023 season.

Cracraft's depth role on offense with the Dolphins actually allowed him to set career-high marks across the board on offense, though his six special-teams snaps were a career low. Having played two consecutive seasons on one-year deals with Miami, Cracraft's familiarity with coach Mike McDaniel's offensive system means it could make sense for the Dolphins to re-sign him again in free agency. In any case, he stands to handle his usual depth role during Saturday's wild-card matchup against the Chiefs.

Cooper (heel/rest) returned to practice Thursday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Cooper was listed as a non-participant both Tuesday and Wednesday, but the wideout's presence for practice Thursday aligns with his expectation of being available for Saturday's playoff opener against the Texans. The Browns' final injury report will be released later Thursday and clarify whether Cooper carries an injury designation into the weekend.

Berrios secured both of his targets for nine yards during Sunday's 21-14 loss to the Bills.

As has often been the case recently, Berrios ended the regular season with a minor role on offense, even with Jaylen Waddle (ankle) sidelined. The 28-year-old came on strong out of the gate, recording 146 of his 238 yards and his only touchdown during the Dolphins' first four games of the year. However, down the stretch, his best contributions came in the return game. In all. Berrios secured 27 of 33 targets for 238 yards and one score across 16 appearances for Miami, while also rushing once for 11 yards. With his one-year deal coming to a close, Berrios has every incentive to try and impress during the playoffs, starting with Saturday's wild-card matchup against the Chiefs.

Boutte finished the 2023 season with two catches (on seven targets) for 19 yards in five games with the Patriots.

During his rookie season, Boutte logged just 117 snaps on offense, per Evan Lazar of the team's official site, but the 2023 sixth-rounder is viewed as a player with some untapped potential, given the promise that he displayed early on during his college career at LSU. Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Boutte will look to carve out a role in New England's offense, but at this stage where he lands in the wideout pecking order hinges in large part on the team's upcoming roster moves via free agency and the draft.

Reagor finished the 2023 season with seven catches on 23 targets for 138 yards and one carry for 17 yards in 11 games for the Patriots.

Over his past two seasons, Reagor combined for just 15 catches after hauling in 64 passes over his first two years as a pro with the Eagles. The 2020 first-rounder is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and it remains to be seen whether he stays on with New England as a depth wideout/returner or catches on elsewhere.

Thornton finished the 2023 season with 13 catches (on 23 targets) for 91 yards and three carries for 51 yards in nine games for the Patriots.

The Patriots traded up in the 2022 NFL Draft to draft Thornton 50th overall, but the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder has struggled to stay on the field during his first two years as a pro. With that in mind, an ankle issue sidelined Thornton for the team's season finale, but he'll presumably be healthy ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Baylor product -- who is under contract with New England through the 2025 season -- does have the speed to potentially make an impact as a deep threat, but his role next season remains to be seen, with plenty of roster churn expected following New England's 4-13 campaign.

Shepard hauled in three of five targets for 18 yards and carried once for six yards in Sunday's 27-10 win over the Eagles. Shepard ended the regular season with 10 catches on 22 targets for 57 yards and a touchdown over 15 games. He added a six-yard rush and a 10-yard punt return.

After playing in just 10 contests over the previous two campaigns due to an Achilles tear and a torn ACL, Shepard was able to stay healthy in 2023. However, he was relegated to a role near the back of New York's receiver depth chart and played fewer than one-third of the team's offensive snaps in all but one of his 15 appearances. In a testament to his limited role on offense, his modest numbers in Week 18 represented one of his better stat lines of the season, as Shepard finished the campaign with just 10 catches for 57 yards and one touchdown on 22 targets. The Giants seemed to acknowledge that Shepard's 2023 season would be his swan song with the franchise, as he was the final player out of the tunnel for pregame introductions in Week 18. Shepard will turn 31 years old in February and is expected to attract limited interest in free agency this offseason.

Hodgins recorded three catches for 36 yards on three targets in Sunday's 27-10 win over the Eagles.

Hodgins ascended to a spot near the top of the depth chart by the end of the 2022 campaign, but he saw his role diminish in 2023. By Week 4, Hodgins had been surpassed in the receiving pecking order by other options, and he logged less than half of the team's offensive snaps in six of his final seven contests. He maxed out at four catches and 40 yards -- both in Week 2 against Arizona -- over his 17 appearances on the season, ultimately finishing with a 21-230-3 receiving line on 33 targets. The Giants' paltry passing game played a part in Hodgins' decreased output, but it was also evident that the wideout isn't likely to be a difference-maker in an NFL offense. Hodgins is set to be a restricted free agent this spring, and it's far from a certainty that he'll be tendered.