NFL Player News

Gray (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game at Chicago, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

A rookie third-round pick, Gray saw plenty of action during the preseason, including a 76-yard connection with Trey Lance for a touchdown in the exhibition opener. Still, Gray won't make the cut for the 49ers in Week 1. Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are the team's main options at wide receiver, while Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud and Malik Turner serve as depth.

Byrd (coach's decision) is a healthy inactive for Sunday's game against the Saints, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.

With No. 1 wideout Drake London (knee) gaining clearance to make his NFL debut after being listed as questionable heading into the weekend, Byrd will be the odd man out of Atlanta's receiving corps for Week 1. Byrd, who signed a one-year, $1.19 million contract with Atlanta this offseason, suited up in all 17 games for the Bears a season ago and finished with a 26-329-1 receiving line on 38 targets. He looks as though he'll be ticketed for a smaller role with Atlanta in 2022.

Sims (coach's decision) is inactive Sunday against the Bengals, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.

Sims is currently No. 6 on Pittsburgh's wide receiver positional depth chart, and behind Gunner Olszewski for return duties. The 25-year-old will have to wait until Week 2 to try and make his season debut.

Taylor (hamstring) is active for Sunday's season opener against the Steelers, Marisa Contipelli of the Bengals' official site reports.

Taylor popped up on the injury report Thursday and was a limited participant in back-to-back practices, but he'll be good to go for the season opener. The 5-foot-8 wideout likely won't garner a major offensive workload (two receptions for 41 yards across four games last year), but he is expected to operate as the Bengals' primary punt returner.

Montgomery (knee) is listed as active for Sunday's season opener against the Dolphins, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

In his regular-season debut with the Patriots, Montgomery, who was a limited practice participant this week, will look to help fill the change-of-pace void (behind top early-down options Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson) in the team's offense created by the retirement of James White. It remains to seen how much volume that will initially yield for Montgomery, with Stevenson potentially factoring into the team's passing game as well, but Pierre Strong being made inactive Sunday suggests that Montgomery may not face limitations against Miami in Week 1.

Meyers (knee) is listed as active for Sunday's season opener against the Dolphins, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

After being a limited practice participant this week, Meyers will give it a go Sunday, which barring any in-game setbacks or limitations due to his knee issue, puts him in a position maintain a key pass-catching role in the Patriots offense alongside fellow wideouts DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor. The 25-year-old is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he led the team with 83 catches (on 126 targets) for 866 yards and two TDs in 17 games, and this year Meyers once again figures to see steady enough volume to yield decent fantasy utility in PPR formats when he's 100 percent.

Jones (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's game against the 49ers.

Jones was limited to one appearance during exhibition season. He otherwise dealt with injuries before and after that showing in preseason Week 2, missing all three practices ahead of the opener due to a hamstring issue. In Jones' stead, Darnell Mooney, Equanimeous St. Brown, Byron Pringle, Dante Pettis and Ihmir Smith-Marsette will man wide receiver for the Bears.

Shenault (coach's decision) is inactive Week 1 against Cleveland.

Shenault was acquired by the Panthers on Aug. 29, but it doesn't appear as if he's acclimated himself quickly enough to warrant an active status in the opening week. Carolina will move forward with a receiving corps led by DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson, Terrace Marshall and Rashard Higgins, with Shi Smith and Andre Roberts also set to be active for the contest. One Panthers writer, Joe Person of The Athletic, does expect Shenault to be active Week 2 against the Giants.

London (knee) is active for Sunday's game versus New Orleans, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Though the rookie first-round pick missed the Falcons' final two preseason games due to the knee injury and was limited in practice throughout the week, he'll be ready to take the field Sunday for his NFL debut. Despite missing ample time during his first camp with Atlanta, London enters the season listed atop the depth chart at receiver and is expected to fill a prominent role in a passing attack helmed by quarterback Marcus Mariota. London will be battling with last year's first-round pick, tight end Kyle Pitts, for status as Atlanta's No. 1 target.

Thomas (hamstring) is active for Sunday's game at Atlanta, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Thomas will be making his first regular-season appearance since Dec. 13, 2020, after he missed the entire 2021 campaign while recovering from the ankle surgery he required last summer. He was cleared for full participation in training camp in late July but picked up the hamstring injury a few weeks later. Thomas was a limited participant in practice throughout the week, but he appears to have demonstrated enough progress to not only suit up Week 1, but also play with few restrictions to his snap count. That being said, Thomas' projection for Week 1 is somewhat murky given his long layoff from competitive action, his limited experience with quarterback Jameis Winston and his presence in a new-look receiver room that includes veteran Jarvis Landry and first-round rookie Chris Olave.