NFL Player News

Allen (heel) didn't practice Wednesday.

Allen hasn't practiced in any fashion since the Chargers' Week 14 loss to the Broncos, and his continued absence Wednesday doesn't inspire much confidence that he'll be available for Sunday's rematch with Denver. With fellow wide receiver Joshua Palmer also missing practice Wednesday due to a concussion, the Chargers' top healthy options at the position are currently Quentin Johnston, Alex Erickson and Jalen Guyton.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Samuel will be limited at Wednesday's walkthrough due to a sprained neck, Lindsey Pallares of the 49ers' official site reports.

The 49ers emerged from Monday's 33-19 loss to the Ravens with a number of high-profile injuries, but Samuel's concern wasn't revealed until Wednesday. He'll thus have two more chances to get back to full activity in practice before the team potentially tags him with a designation for Sunday's game at Washington.

Brown (heel) was a non-participant at Wednesday's practice, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Brown has yet to log any on-field work since aggravating his heel injury in the second half of a Week 15 loss to the 49ers. Since he exited early in both of his last two appearances for the same reason, the Cardinals clearly are having the wide receiver focus on rehab with the hope he'll be able to make an appearance in one or both of the final two weeks of the campaign. Regardless, kicking off Week 17 prep with no activity doesn't leave Brown with much leeway ahead of Sunday's game at Philadelphia.

Jones (hamstring/knee) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday.

Per Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com, head coach Doug Pederson expressed optimism Tuesday that Jones could play Sunday against the Panthers. The wideout's participation in practice Wednesday -- albeit in a limited fashion -- supports that notion. That said, Jones will presumably need to practice fully by Friday in order to avoid a Week 17 injury designation.

Lazard is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Browns with an illness.

Lazard didn't appear on either of the Jets' first two Week 17 injury report, but he was listed as a non-participant Wednesday on account of the illness. The wideout's status for Thursday's game is thus cloudy at the moment, with clarity coming once the team releases its inactive list 90 minutes prior to the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. Even if he plays, Lazard -- who didn't catch his lone target in the Jets' Week 16 win over the Commanders -- is off the fantasy radar in all but the deepest of formats.

Wicks (chest/ankle) didn't take part in Wednesday's walkthrough, Ryan Wood of USA Today reports.

Wicks appeared to mix into drills during the media-access portion of Wednesday's session, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, but the receiver's activity ultimately didn't translate into limited participation. Christian Watson (hamstring) also was held out to begin Week 17 prep, while Jayden Reed (toe/chest) took part in some on-field work. With question marks throughout the Packers' receiving corps, the overall situation will continue to be monitored to see who among the trio may be available Sunday at Minnesota.

Pittman (concussion/shoulder) was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice estimate.

Pittman remains in the NFL's five-step concussion protocol and will likely need to upgrade to full participation either Thursday or Friday in addition to gaining clearance from an independent neurologist to have a chance at playing in Sunday's game against the Raiders. Still, limited participation in Wednesday's walk-through is certainly better than a no-show for the Colts' No. 1 receiver, who passed concussion protocol last Friday but sat out Sunday's loss to the Falcons after his symptoms resurfaced Saturday.

Olave (ankle) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports

The ankle injury kept Olave from playing in a Week 15 win over the Giants, but he made it back for last Thursday's loss to the Rams, catching nine passes for 123 yards plus a two-point conversion. Though his reps were capped to kick off Week 17 prep, Olave should be good to go for Sunday's matchup with Tampa Bay -- a game the Saints need to win to stay in the playoff hunt.

Thomas (knee) isn't practicing Wednesday, Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Thomas' continued absence comes as no surprise after head coach Dennis Allen intimated Tuesday that the receiver was unlikely to play this week at Tampa Bay. The wideout has missed five games and is eligible to return from injured reserve at any point now.

Cooper is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Jets with a heel injury, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Cooper was listed as a non-participant in practice during the week due to a combination of rest and a heel injury. He earned the time off after setting a franchise record with 265 receiving yards in this past Sunday's 36-22 win over the Texans. Cooper has been no stranger to playing through injuries in the past, so it would be surprising if he ended up sitting out Thursday, though official word on his status won't arrive until the Browns release their inactive list 90 minutes prior to the game's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. If Cooper is able to play this week, he may have a tougher time getting open; the Jets' 1,583 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns allowed to wide receivers are both the fewest in the NFL.