NFL Player News

Samuel (ankle/knee) caught two of three targets for 20 yards and rushed once for four yards in Sunday's 38-13 win over the Cardinals.

Samuel returned from a three-game absence due to injury, and he was understandably eased back into action with just three combined touches in a comfortable win. The dual-threat superstar finishes the regular season with 864 combined yards from scrimmage and five total touchdowns across 13 games. Samuel should be in line for his usual workload for the upcoming playoff schedule after shaking off the rust in Week 18.

Aiyuk had four receptions (five targets) for 59 yards in Sunday's 38-13 win over Arizona.

Aiyuk was the leading receiver for San Francisco on a low-volume passing day, but it was his teammates George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey who cashed in on Brock Purdy's three touchdown throws. The 24-year-old finishes the regular season with career highs in receptions (78), receiving yards (1,015) and touchdowns (eight) across 17 games. Aiyuk welcomed back fellow starting wideout Deebo Samuel (ankle/knee) Sunday, giving the 49ers a full complement of playmakers who could go off in the playoffs.

Jeudy secured five of six targets for 154 yards in the Broncos' 31-28 win over the Chargers on Sunday. He also rushed three times for 39 yards and recovered a fumble.

Jeudy led the Broncos in receptions and receiving yards while checking in second to Courtland Sutton in targets. While the third-year speedster wasn't on the receiving end of any of Russell Wilson's three touchdown tosses, Jeudy recorded a game-long 57-yard reception that put Denver in business at the Chargers' three-yard line late in the second quarter, leading to an Eric Tomlinson three-yard scoring grab. Jeudy fell just 28 yards short of his first 1,000-yard season, but his 67 receptions, 972 receiving yards and six touchdowns across 15 games were all career highs. The 2020 first-round pick enters the final year of his rookie contract in 2023, but given his strong body of work in his first season with Wilson, it's likely the Broncos pick up Jeudy's fifth-year option this offseason.

Allen secured eight of 11 targets for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers' 31-28 loss to the Broncos on Sunday.

Allen paced the Chargers in receptions, receiving yards and targets while doubling up his season touchdown total with scoring grabs of 14 and three yards, the second coming off the arm of backup Chase Daniel. Allen's already-elevated importance to L.A.'s passing attack will bump up another notch if the back injury Mike Williams exited Sunday's contest with limits or sidelines him for next weekend's wild-card road matchup against the Jaguars.

Shaheed had three receptions (on four targets) for 34 yards and a seven-yard rush during Sunday's 10-7 loss to the Panthers.

Shaheed didn't provide his usual spark as a big-play receiver Week 18. The 180-pound speedster also couldn't provide any explosive plays on special teams, as he fair caught all five of the punts sent his way. Over 12 games this season, the undrafted rookie posted 28 catches on 34 targets for 488 yards and two touchdowns as well as four carries for 57 yards and another touchdown. However, the majority of this production came over the final six games of the season, including three catches of 40 or more yards during that span. This knack for big plays also netted Shaheed the highest yards per reception (17.4) of any Saints receiver with more than five catches this season. He also recorded 320 kick-return yards and 193 punt-return yards. Shaheed's strong showing to close his rookie campaign could make him a candidate for a similarly explosive role heading into the 2023 season.

Metcalf recorded three receptions on eight targets for 40 yards in Sunday's 19-16 overtime win over the Rams.

Metcalf led the Seahawks with eight targets, though he struggled to make an impact on the game. He was targeted on each of Geno Smith's interceptions, but Metcalf also tallied a 23-yard reception to help set up a game-tying touchdown early in the third quarter. Seattle's offense performed far better than preseason expectations, which helped Metcalf post the second 1,000-yard season of his four-year career. He'll remain a big-play threat if the team can advance to the postseason.

Brown had one reception on four targets for seven yards in Sunday's 38-13 loss to the 49ers.

Brown failed to take advantage of an elevated role sans DeAndre Hopkins (knee), turning in his worst fantasy performance in the final game of the regular season. The 25-year-old got off to a hot start with his new club in 2022, but injuries derailed both his and quarterback Kyler Murray's (knee) seasons. Brown finishes the campaign with a receiving line of 67-709-3 over 12 games played while catching balls from four different quarterbacks. Arizona already extended Brown's option through 2023, so Hollywood's fantasy value next season will be tied to the health and availability of his star quarterback.

Lockett recorded four receptions on seven targets for 54 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 19-16 overtime win over the Rams.

Lockett has battled a number of injuries in recent weeks, though he managed to tally a key 36-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to knot the score at 13. He also helped set up the Seahawks' game-winning field goal with a 17-yard catch in overtime. Lockett found the end in seven of Seattle's last nine games, and he reached at least eight total touchdowns for the fifth consecutive campaign. If Seattle reaches the postseason, he'll likely remain Geno Smith's favorite target.

Jefferson caught three of seven targets for 61 yards in Sunday's 19-16 overtime loss to Seattle.

Jefferson led the low-octane Rams passing game in receiving yards in the season finale. The expected return of Matthew Stafford (neck) should provide Jefferson with better quarterback play in 2023, but Jefferson will likely slide down the depth chart once Cooper Kupp (ankle) is healthy. A knee injury limited Jefferson to 11 games in 2022, and the third-year wideout caught 24 of 44 targets for 369 yards and three touchdowns.

Pettis caught two passes for 19 yards in the Bears' 29-13 loss to the Vikings in Week 18, and ended the season with 19 receptions, 245 yards and three touchdowns over 17 games played.

Pettis was available for more than 12 games for the first time in his five-year career, but he was a depth receiver, which led to him seeing slightly more than two targets per game. Although he had a pair of games with at least 51 yards and a touchdown, he was held to fewer than 15 yards in most of his games. After staying healthy and reasonably reliable, he should continue to serve as a depth option next year and beyond. He's now an unrestricted free agent.