NFL Player News

Palmer recorded five receptions on six targets for 43 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 41-29 loss to the Texans.

Palmer ascended into the second wide-receiver role in the absence of Mike Williams (undisclosed) and Jalen Guyton (illness), and he was surpassed by only Justin Jackson in receiving production. He was involved early, picking up three receptions for 34 yards by the end of two quarters. However, Palmer's most useful fantasy production came in garbage time on a three-yard touchdown catch with 34 seconds remaining in the contest. Palmer should retain a substantial role in Week 17 against the Broncos should the Chargers' receiving corps remain depleted.

Conley recorded three receptions on three targets for 60 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 41-29 win over the Chargers.

Conley was forced into a more substantial role in the offense due to the absence of Brandin Cooks (illness). He didn't see a big uptick in volume, though he did connect with Davis Mills for a 41-yard touchdown reception just before halftime. Conley added an 18-yard catch to deliver on a big-play role in Houston's offense. If Cooks is unable to clear COVID-19 protocols in time for a Week 17 matchup against San Francisco, Conley could be in line for another productive performance.

Osborn recorded five receptions on seven targets for 68 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Rams.

Osborn maintained an increased role in Minnesota's offense as Adam Thielen was limited by an ankle injury. He took advantage by finishing second on the team in targets, yards and receptions. Additionally, he tallied long receptions of 30 and 19 yards while also finding the end zone on a six-yard catch midway through the fourth quarter. Osborn's ability to impact the game in a similar way in a Week 17 matchup against Green Bay will likely come down to Thielen's ability to take the field.

Beckham recorded four receptions on eight targets for 37 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-23 win over the Vikings.

Beckham finished second on the team with eight targets behind only Cooper Kupp. However, he failed to work efficiently, picking up only 4.6 yards per target. Beckham's longest reception of the day went for 16 yards on a slant over the middle of the field, and he also scored the game-sealing touchdown with 11 minutes remaining in the final quarter when he beat his coverage to the back corner of the end zone. Though Beckham masked his inefficiency with his score, he has now tallied 50 or fewer receiving yards in three of his last five games.

Jeudy caught three of four targets for 60 yards in Sunday's 17-13 loss to the Raiders.

With Drew Lock under center, the Broncos' passing game found very little success, and Jeudy was the only Denver player to top 33 receiving yards. It was a solid rebound for the second-year wideout after he failed to catch a pass last week against the Bengals, and he'll have two more shots to score his first touchdown of the season beginning with a Week 17 tilt against the Chargers.

Thielen recorded three receptions on three targets for 40 yards in Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Rams before leaving the game early.

Thielen was active for the first time since Week 14 after missing time with an ankle injury and caught a 25-yard pass over the middle of the field in the opening quarter. However, he briefly left the game at the end of the first half after suffering an ankle injury, only to briefly return before shutting things down for the rest of the contest. There has been no word regarding the severity of the issue and in relation to his previous problem, though Thielen could be in danger of missing more game action.

Claypool caught four passes for 41 yards on six targets against Kansas City on Sunday.

Claypool was Pittsburgh's most efficient wide receiver Sunday, but he saw fewer targets than Diontae Johnson (nine) and Ray-Ray McCloud (eight), who respectively produced 51 and 25 yards with their usage. Claypool might have more work to do to get out of coach Mike Tomlin's doghouse, but McCloud's reliably poor returns might give reason for the Steelers to reconsider any punitive playing time reductions to Claypool in the future. The Steelers face the Browns -- against whom Claypool caught four passes for 45 yards and ran for 16 yards on two carries when he saw them in Week 8 earlier this year -- in Week 17.

Newsome caught a 10-yard pass in the Bears' 25-24 win over the Seahawks on Sunday.

After playing 66 percent of the snaps in Week 15 against the Vikings, Newsome was active but saw less playing time with Marquise Goodwin (foot) returning to the lineup. Although he could be active against the Giants in Week 17, he won't be a recommended fantasy option.

Byrd caught one pass for 11 yards in the Bears' 25-24 win over the Seahawks on Sunday.

Byrd actually won the game for the Bears by catching a two-point conversion in heavy traffic with less than a minute remaining in the contest. Otherwise, he was fourth on the team with three targets, and with Marquise Goodwin (foot) having returned to the lineup, Byrd broke a trend that saw him average five targets over the last four weeks. It's likely his role in the offense remains minor in Week 17 against the Giants.

Johnson caught six passes for 51 yards and one touchdown on nine targets against Kansas City on Sunday.

The touchdown occurred late during garbage time in a game during which the Steelers were pummeled 36-10, and Johnson lost a fumble without being touched earlier in the game, but the rougher points in his Sunday performance can be excused given the difficulty of the circumstances. Ben Roethlisberger couldn't get anything going against the Chiefs defense, and Johnson had only moderate success as a result. Johnson's sky-high target rate gives him a good chance to come through again for his fantasy investors even if Roethlisberger struggles against Cleveland in Week 17. The wideout caught six passes for 98 yards on 13 targets against Cleveland in Week 8 this year.