NFL Player News

Ward (back) finished the 2021 campaign with seven catches on 11 targets for 95 yards and three touchdowns across 17 appearances.

Ward was active for every game, but his production was spread out. He never saw more than three targets in a game and only recorded multiple targets on four occasions. His scoring production draws some intrigue, though. He recorded three touchdowns on six red-zone targets -- including three looks from inside the five. He's set to be a restricted free agent this season, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him return to the team he's spent his entire three-year career with.

Skowronek failed to catch his lone target during Sunday's 20-17 win over the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

This was the first target of the postseason for Skowronek, and it was an unfortunate drop, as the rookie would have scored a touchdown if he'd completed the catch. Skowronek likely will slot in as the No. 4 wide receiver for the Rams and play a limited role in the Super Bowl, so it's unlikely he makes a significant fantasy impact.

Jefferson caught two of five targets for nine yards during Sunday's 20-17 win over the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

The five targets were a playoff high for Jefferson, and he also missed time during the game with a knee injury. Additionally, with two weeks to heal up, the second-year wideout projects to be ready for the Super Bowl. He'll remain a risky fantasy option, though. Jefferson's been limited to just five receptions for 79 yards through three postseason games.

Cobb was targeted 39 times and caught 28 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns over 12 appearances in the 2021 season.

Cobb rejoined the Packers in July after spending two seasons elsewhere, and he filled a rotational yet key role over the first 12 weeks of the campaign, finding the end zone more often than he did in any of the previous five seasons and averaging a respectable 13.4 yards per reception. However, a groin injury cost him the final six weeks of the regular season, and he was targeted only once in the Packers' divisional-round loss to the 49ers. He could stay with the Packers if quarterback Aaron Rodgers remains with Green Bay, but if Rodgers departs, Cobb presumably will as well.

Aiyuk hauled in four of eight targets for 69 yards in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Rams.

Aiyuk bounced back from a zero-touch outing in the 49ers' win over the Packers in the divisional round, finishing first in targets and second in receiving behind Deebo Samuel (4-72-1). The 23-year-old finished the regular season with roughly the same amount of production (843 combined yards and five TDs) as we saw in his rookie year (825 combined yards and seven TDs). It is worth noting that a good portion of those stats came in the second half after he worked his way out of Kyle Shanahan's doghouse to begin the year. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are the proven superstars on this offense, but Aiyuk has the YAC ability to post some meaningful fantasy lines in 2022 if he can carry over his late-season momentum, especially if Trey Lance takes over as starting quarterback and opens up what was a limited game plan under Jimmy Garoppolo.

Samuel rushed seven times for 26 yards and caught four of seven targets for 72 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Rams.

Samuel was the clubhouse leader with 98 total yards and a touchdown, but it was all for naught as the Rams advanced to the Super Bowl in comeback fashion. The multi-position superstar suffered a brief scare when Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew his target and left his receiver exposed for a huge hit to the chest/shoulder area. Samuel was able to finish the game in his bruising style of play, so serious injury appears to have been averted. The 26-year-old is about to enter the final year of an undervalued $7.5 million contract, so we can expect a big payday for the breakout star either this offseason or next. If Trey Lance has the keys to the offense handed to him in 2022, Deebo could elevate to an even higher level of production if the young quarterback prospect pans out.

Beckham secured nine of 11 targets for 113 yards during the Rams' 20-17 win over the 49ers in their NFC Championship Game matchup Sunday.

The midseason acquisition delivered a performance that perfectly encapsulated why the Rams opted to bring him aboard -- even as what may prove to be just a short-term rental -- in their quest for a Super Bowl title. Beckham proved the ideal complement to Cooper Kupp on the afternoon, checking in second to his star position mate in receptions, receiving yards and targets in what was a spectacular effort of his own. The 100-yard tally also was Beckham's first since Week 6 of the 2019 season with the Browns, and it represented a culmination of sorts after the former Pro Bowler seemed to begin hitting his stride in the offense in recent weeks. Beckham now sets his sights on replicating Sunday's numbers on the same SoFi Stadium turf versus the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Feb. 13.

Kupp brought in 11 of 14 targets for 142 yards and two touchdowns and rushed once for minus-2 yards during the Rams' 20-17 win over the 49ers in their NFC Championship Game matchup Sunday.

As he frequently did during his record-setting regular season and in the divisional-round win over the Buccaneers, Kupp dictated to an opposing defense to the tune of a dominating performance. The star wideout's afternoon did start on a sour note when a pass that partially glanced off his hands was intercepted by the 49ers' Jimmie Ward at the goal line to short-circuit the Rams' second drive. That would be about the only blemish on Kupp's performance, however, as he eventually complemented his 12th 100-yard effort since the start of the regular season with touchdown grabs of 16 and 11 yards in the second and fourth quarters, respectively. The fifth-year pro's 25- and 12-yard catches on what would be Los Angeles' game-winning drive proved a fitting cap to his stellar effort, one he'll now look to reprise in Super Bowl LVI against the Bengals on his home field Sunday, Feb. 13.

Jefferson (knee) returned to Sunday's game against the 49ers, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Jefferson missed some time due to the knee injury that had been bothering him in the lead-up to the game, but he returned to the field in the second half. The No. 3 wide receiver could see some additional looks with tight end Tyler Higbee having been ruled out due to a knee injury of his own.

Jefferson (knee) left Sunday's game against San Francisco.

Jefferson was tending to a knee injury heading into the game, and it appears to have flared up, leaving the wide receiver questionable to return to the NFC Championship Game. Ben Skowronek will see playing time in three-receiver sets for the duration of Jefferson's absence.