NFL Player News

Toney secured one of five targets for one yard and rushed once for minus-1 yard in the Chiefs' 21-20 loss to the Lions on Thursday night.

Toney was able to make it back from a knee injury that robbed him of a solid chunk of training camp and all of preseason, but ultimately, it may have been better for the Chiefs and fantasy managers had he remained idle for at least another week. The third-year pro struggled with his hands all night, and one of his mishandled targets resulted in a 50-yard pick-six by the Lions' Brian Branch early in the second half that allowed Detroit to erase a 14-7 deficit. Toney also failed to secure a first-down throw from Patrick Mahomes that could have resulted in a solid gain on what would turn out to be the Chiefs' final drive, making it an all-around forgettable night. Toney may well have been dealing with a bit of rust, and he naturally has nowhere to go but up when he faces the Jaguars on the road a week from Sunday in a Week 2 rematch of January's AFC divisional-round clash.

Watson brought in two of four targets for 45 yards in the Chiefs' 21-20 loss to the Lions on Thursday night.

Watson checked in second in receiving yards on the night with the help of a 26-yard reception, as Patrick Mahomes spread the ball around generously in the absence of Travis Kelce (knee). The 2018 fifth-round pick of the Buccaneers put up a 15-315-2 line in his debut Chiefs campaign last season, and he's projected for a larger role to some degree in 2023. Watson's target total Thursday tied for second on the night for Kansas City, but it remains to be seen how his opportunities are affected if Kelce returns to action in a Week 2 matchup versus the Jaguars a week from Sunday.

Valdes-Scantling secured both targets for 48 yards in the Chiefs' 21-20 loss to the Lions on Thursday night.

The veteran speedster led the Chiefs in yardage, with the highlight of his night a 34-yard third-down grab late in the first half on a drive that culminated in a four-yard Blake Bell touchdown. However, Valdes-Scantling disappointingly didn't see any uptick in volume despite the absence of Travis Kelce (knee), with his two targets less than the amount he saw in all but four games last season and postseason. MVS will aim to bounce back in a Week 2 road matchup a week from Sunday versus a Jaguars team he scored two touchdowns against over two games in 2022.

Rice brought in three of five targets for 29 yards and a touchdown and rushed once for minus-3 yards in the Chiefs' 21-20 loss to the Lions on Thursday night.

The rookie found a way to make an immediate impact, recording a one-yard touchdown grab early in the second quarter for the Chiefs' first points of the new season. Rice finished tied for second in receptions and for the lead in targets on a night where Patrick Mahomes spread the ball around to 11 different players in the absence of Travis Kelce (knee). Therefore, it's difficult to gauge exactly how much volume he might see during a Week 2 road matchup against the Jaguars a week from Sunday if the All-Pro tight end suits up for that contest.

McCloud (wrist) was a limited participant at the 49ers' practice Thursday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

McCloud suffered a broken wrist in early August, but he's been recovering ahead of schedule and opened the week with consecutive limited practices. The wide receiver will have one more chance to practice Friday before the team makes a decision on his official status for Sunday's regular season opener versus the Steelers.

Waddle (oblique) practiced fully Thursday, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Waddle -- who was limited Wednesday -- previously noted that he expected to suit up for Sunday's season opener against the Chargers, and his return to a full practice session Thursday solidifies that outcome. As the coming season approaches, Waddle and Tyreek Hill are slated to form a dynamic 1-2 WR combo in Miami's Tua Tagovailoa-helmed offense.

Jeudy (hamstring) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.

Jeudy's right hamstring injury resulted in his reps being capped for the second straight day, but he still believes he'll be able to suit up Sunday against the Raiders, per Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. At the same time, Jeudy acknowledged that his availability for Sunday will be contingent on him continuing to show improvement, so the Broncos may need to see the wideout put in a full practice Friday in order to feel comfortable making him active Week 1. If Jeudy ends up sitting out Sunday, rookie Marvin Mims would be in store for a larger role alongside starting wideout Courtland Sutton. Head coach Sean Payton could also make frequent use of two tight end formations featuring second-year player Greg Dulcich and offseason pickup Adam Trautman.

Philadelphia cut Ngata from its practice squad Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

A little over a week after bringing him onto their practice squad, the Eagles have already decided to cut ties with Ngata. The undrafted rookie will now have to look for another opportunity to make an impression elsewhere.

Beckham was listed as limited by an ankle injury during Thursday's practice.

Beckham wasn't mentioned on Wednesday's injury report, so his addition to it Thursday is worth monitoring. Friday's final report of the week should add further context to the wideout's chances of suiting up for Sunday's season opener against the Texans.

Hodge (ankle) was a full participant at practice Thursday ahead of Sunday's game versus Carolina, Scott Blair of the Falcons' official site reports.

After progressing from missing practice Monday to registering a limited practice Wednesday, Hodge was back up to full speed Thursday. He figures to run primarily out of the slot for Atlanta again in 2023 and will try to improve on the 20 targets he drew a season ago.