NFL Player News

Brown (heel) is active for Sunday's contest versus the 49ers.

Brown has been tending to a heel injury since Week 12 prep and even made an early exit from the Cardinals' Week 13 win at Pittsburgh. After the team's Week 14 bye, he followed up no activity Wednesday with back-to-back capped sessions Thursday and Friday before entering the weekend as questionable for Week 15. Adam Schefter of ESPN then reported early Sunday that Brown was in line to suit up, which has come to pass. Brown thus will be taking on a San Francisco defense that has allowed the sixth-highest catch rate (67.3 percent) to opposing wide receivers this season.

Waddle (chest) returned to Sunday's game versus the Jets, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Waddle missed a stretch of plays in the first quarter after enduring a hard fall on a long completion that was negated by an offensive penalty, but after being tending to on the turf and going to the sideline tent, he was able to rejoin his teammates on the field. He'll thus be the Dolphins' top pass catcher for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with Tyreek Hill (ankle) inactive.

Waddle suffered a chest injury during Sunday's game against the Jets.

With Tyreek Hill (ankle) inactive for Week 15, Waddle was slated to serve as the Dolphins' top pass catcher, but he ended up taking a hard fall on a long connection with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa early in the first quarter that has called back because of an offensive penalty. Waddle was tended to by team trainers for a time before visiting the sideline tent and then taking a seat on the bench. As long as Waddle remains out of the game, Cedrick Wilson, Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, Chase Claypool and Robbie Chosen will be the wide receivers available to Miami's offense.

Head coach Shane Steichen confirmed Sunday that Pittman is in concussion protocol and added that the wideout is "doing good" and will be monitored throughout the week leading up to the Colts' Week 16 game against the Falcons, George Bremer of The Anderson Herald Bulletin reports.

Pittman sustained the concussion midway through the second quarter of Saturday's 30-13 win over the Steelers, when he took the brunt of a helmet-to-helmet hit by Pittsburgh safety Damontae Kazee, who broke up the intended pass. The Colts ruled Pittman out for the game shortly thereafter, with the wideout finishing with four catches for 78 yards on five targets. Pittman will benefit from having seven days rather than the typical six days in between games to potentially clear the five-step protocol, but if he's not available for the matchup with the Falcons, the Colts will be left with Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and D.J. Montgomery as their projected starting receivers.

Toure (coach's decision) won't suit up against the Buccaneers on Sunday, Mike Spofford of the Packers' official site reports.

Toure logged 18 offensive snaps last week against the Giants, seeing his most work since Week 3. He reeled in two of four targets for 22 yards in the loss to New York, but he won't suit up one week later. Christian Watson is inactive Sunday due to a hamstring injury, but Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) will play, and Green Bay also elevated Bo Melton from the practice squad Saturday to serve as additional wide-receiver depth.

Boutte is inactive for Sunday's game against the Chiefs, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Boutte has been managing a shoulder issue, but didn't carry a Week 15 injury designation, so it appears as though he's a healthy scratch Sunday. With JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle) also inactive, the Patriots' WR duties versus Kansas City will be handled by DeVante Parker, Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Reagor.

Marshall (coach's decision) will remain sidelined in Sunday's game against the Falcons, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official website reports.

Marshall's absence will mark his fifth straight game on the sideline. The 2021 second-round pick's next opportunity to suit up will come in one week versus the Packers.

Strachan (coach's decision) will not play in Sunday's matchup with the Falcons, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official website reports.

Strachan made his debut on the active roster in Week 10 and subsequently played four out of five weeks. His absence Sunday indicates Carolina is comfortable going with thinner depth at wide receiver in favor of more depth somewhere else on the roster.

Godwin (knee) is active for Sunday's game against the Packers.

Godwin took a questionable tag into the weekend after he was held out of the Buccaneers' first two Week 15 practices due to the knee issue before he returned to the field Friday as a full participant. The wideout's ability to close out the week by taking every rep in practice suggests he shouldn't face any major restrictions Sunday, despite the fact that he received the questionable tag heading into the contest. Godwin is coming off a Week 14 outing in which he saw his second-highest target count (11) of the season, though he finished with a modest 5-53-0 receiving line in the Buccaneers' 29-25 win over the Falcons.

Thornton (hamstring) is listed as active for Sunday's game against the Chiefs.

Thornton was listed as questionable for the contest after logging limited practices Thursday and Friday. The 2022 second-rounder recorded a season-high 54 (of a possible 57) snaps on offense in the Patriots' 21-18 win over the Steelers on Dec. 7 en route to catching three of his five targets for 17 yards, but with fellow WRs Demario Douglas (concussion) and DeVante Parker (knee) back in action, Thornton is a speculative fantasy lineup option in Week 15.