NFL Player News

Hardman (abdomen) won't play in Sunday's game against the Broncos, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.

Coach Andy Reid revealed that Hardman suffered a setback Wednesday, which explains his subsequent absence from practice. Hardman will have one more chance to return from injured reserve before the end of the regular season when the Chiefs face the Raiders in Week 18. He must be activated from injured reserve by next week in order to play again this season, so Kansas City will likely do so with an eye on having Hardman in the postseason, regardless of his Week 18 availability.

Hopkins left Friday's practice early with a knee injury, and the Cardinals will see how he feels Saturday before making a decision for Sunday's game in Atlanta, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Bad news seems to come in bunches for the Cardinals this year, and a potential absence for their No. 1 receiver was announced at the same time Colt McCoy was ruled out due to a recurrence of concussion symptoms. David Blough will be the fourth QB to start for the Cardinals this year, and he may not have Hopkins at his disposal. Many fantasy managers will be left with tough decisions if Hopkins plays, as he might play fewer snaps than usual and see his targets from someone less accurate than McCoy.

St. Brown (concussion) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game in Detroit.

St. Brown apparently has cleared concussion protocol after missing one game, while fellow Bears wide receivers Chase Claypool (knee) and Dante Pettis (ankle) are listed as questionable. None has been a reliable source or targets or production, but St. Brown at least figures to play a lot of snaps this weekend.

Pettis (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Detroit.

Pettis hurt his ankle Wednesday, was held out Thursday and then returned to practice Friday as a limited participant. He and Chase Claypool (knee) both are uncertain ahead of the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff this Sunday, while fellow Bears wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown has been cleared from concussion protocol.

Claypool (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Detroit.

Dante Pettis (ankle) also is questionable, while Equanimeous St. Brown has been cleared from concussion protocol. If he returns this weekend, Claypool will be among the favorites to lead a receiver-depleted Bears offense in targets, though he was playing limited snaps before the knee injury and only returned to practice Thursday for the first time since Week 13 (and was limited both Thursday and Friday). The Lions and Bears are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff this Sunday, with inactives coming out about 90 minutes beforehand.

Dulin (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Giants.

Dulin has yet to pass the league's five-step concussion protocol. If he's unable to do so before the Colts face Houston in Week 18, the 25-year-old wide receiver would finish the season with 15 catches for 207 yards and one touchdown on 22 targets.

Diggs (illness) returned to practice Friday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Diggs sat out Thursday's practice, but his ability to return the next day suggests his availability for Monday's game against the Bengals isn't in jeopardy. That notion won't be fully confirmed until the Bills release their final injury report Saturday, but Diggs was listed as a full participant Friday, so he's projected to play barring a setback.

Hopkins left Friday's practice early, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Hopkins wasn't listed on the injury report Wednesday or Thursday, and this now creates some concern he could be added Friday. The good news is that Colt McCoy is back under center for the Cardinals after Trace McSorley connected with Hopkins just once on 10 targets in last week's overtime loss to Tampa Bay.

Parker (concussion) wasn't spotted at practice Friday, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Parker didn't practice Wednesday and Thursday and is trending toward missing his third straight game Sunday against the Dolphins. If he's out this weekend, New England's Week 17 wideout corps would be led by Jakobi Meyers, Tyquan Thornton (knee), Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor.

Cooks did not participate in Thursday's practice and was listed as "Not Injury Related - Personal" on the Texans' injury report.

Cooks' absence was thus unrelated to the calf injury that forced him to miss three games before participating in last week's win over the Titans. He not only participated but caught the go-ahead touchdown against Tennessee. Houston offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton told Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle that he expects Cooks to practice Friday.