NFL Player News

The Patriots hope to have Bourne (illness) available for Sunday's game against Buffalo, Andrew Callahan of Boston Herald reports.

The wideout reportedly is vaccinated and thus stands a chance to be removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list this weekend. Bourne could have a larger-than-usual role if he plays, with Nelson Agholor (head) ruled out and N'Keal Harry (hip) listed as questionable. Harry does appear on track to play, and could be looking at a near-every-down role if both Agholor and Bourne are out.

Jennings caught two of five targets for 19 yards in Thursday's 20-17 loss to Tennessee.

Jennings saw his usual allotment of offensive snaps (46 percent), but was unable to replicate last week's trip to the end zone. The 23-year-old would have finished with three receptions for the third straight game if he didn't drop a pass that hit him right in the hands during a crucial stalled drive in the fourth quarter. Jennings has settled into a low-usage role as the 49ers' No. 3 wideout heading into a Week 17 matchup against the Texans.

Jones (toe) was cleared from the injury report Friday and will play in Sunday's game against Denver.

Jones is coming off season highs for catches (six), yards (67) and targets (nine) in last week's 16-14 win over Cleveland. He hasn't scored a TD since Week 1 and hasn't come close to a 100-yard game, but he does have four in a row with five or more targets and three or more catches.

Harry (hip) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bills.

Harry was able to practice in a limited fashion this past week, so we suspect he'll be a go for Sunday's 1:00 ET contest. With Nelson Agholor (concussion) out and Kendrick Bourne (illness) on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Harry could see added Week 16 looks, assuming he's active this weekend, especially if Bourne isn't cleared to play.

Agholor (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

With Agholor out and Kendrick Bourne (illness) still on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Patriots' Week 16 wideout corps could be headed by Jakobi Meyers, N'Keal Harry (hip/questionable) and Gunner Olszewski in the event that Bourne isn't cleared to play Sunday.

Taylor (shoulder) was moved to injured reserve Friday, per the team's official site.

Taylor had previously been dealing with an abdominal issue, and it's unclear when he picked up the shoulder injury. He has only two receptions this season, as most of his work has been on special teams. The placement on IR means that Taylor won't be able to return until after the regular season.

Metcalf (foot) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Bears, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

As expected, with Metcalf limited by the injury in practice but still handling full workloads each Sunday. While his weekly ceiling remains sky-high, Metcalf now is at six consecutive games with no touchdown and 60 yards or less.

Smith (shoulder) was a limited participant in Friday's practice, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Smith may be able to play, but between his recent lack of production and the Saints' COVID-19 outbreak, he doesn't hold a ton of fantasy appeal ahead of the Monday night matchup with Miami. Even if his shoulder turns out to be a non-issue, Smith may have to catch passes from third-string quarterback Ian Book.

Hodgins was elevated from the Bills' practice squad Friday.

Hodgins has yet to play a pro offensive snap after being drafted by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2020 Draft. That could change Sunday in New England, as the Bills are depleted on offense due to a heavy COVID-19 impact -- notably, receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis are in the protocols and will miss the game -- so the team will have to dial up some plays for folks like Hodgins who normally woudn't be out there. We'll see if he's made active with Sunday's roster announcement, but that seems like a likely path right now even if it's just to put Hodgins on special teams.

McKenzie figures to replace Cole Beasley (illness) as Buffalo's primary slot receiver Sunday against the Patriots, Chris Brown of the team's official website reports.

Gabriel Davis (illness) will also miss the contest, while Emmanuel Sanders is returning from a one-week absence due to a knee injury. McKenzie was impressive in a limited role last season with a 30-282-5 receiving line on 34 targets, but he's been much quieter this year with just 11 targets and 38 receiving yards in 12 games, limiting the fantasy appeal in a difficult matchup with New England. Other candidates for added playing time without Beasley/Davis include WR Jake Kumerow, No. 2 Tommy Sweeney and H-back Reggie Gilliam.