NFL Player News
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Dominic Lovett WR | DET
Lions' Dominic Lovett: Limited to special teams in Week 7
Lovett logged all 11 of his snaps on special teams Monday in the Lions' 24-9 win over the Buccaneers.
A rookie seventh-round wideout of Georgia, Lovett has suited up for each of the Lions' first seven games but has played just seven total snaps on offense. Unless Detroit's depth at receiver takes a hit, Lovett should continue to see the overwhelming majority of his playing time on special teams, where he has a role on the Lions' coverage units.
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Dont'e Thornton Jr. WR | LV
Raiders' Dont'e Thornton: Fills in for Meyers
Thornton was unable to haul in any of his three targets in Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Chiefs.
Thornton actually had a pair of would-be first down receptions wiped out by penalties, but he ended the contest with a zero in the box score because of the flags. Nonetheless, his playing time surged with Jakobi Meyers (knee) and Brock Bowers (knee) sidelined, as Thornton logged 86 percent of the Raiders' offensive snaps. Meyers is tracking to return after the Week 8 bye, so Thornton figures to continue competing with Jack Bech for the WR3 role.
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Jack Bech WR | LV
Raiders' Jack Bech: Notches pair of receptions in loss
Bech caught two passes on as many targets for 13 yards in Sunday's 31-0 loss to Kansas City.
Bech's two receptions were good enough to make him the Raiders' second-leading receiver behind Tre Tucker, but quarterback Geno Smith completed just 10 passes all game. Las Vegas plans to have Jakobi Meyers (knee) and Brock Bowers (knee) back in the lineup following a Week 8 bye, capping Bech's fantasy upside as the WR3 on a struggling offense.
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Trent Sherfield WR | NE
Broncos' Trent Sherfield: Goes without target in Week 7
Sherfield went without a target while playing nine of the Broncos' 81 snaps on offense in Sunday's 33-32 win over the Giants.
Sherfield has suited up for all seven of the Broncos' games to date, but he remains buried on the depth chart at receiver and will continue to offer most of his contributions on Denver's special-teams coverage units. He's yet to play more than half of the offensive snaps in any game this season and has recorded three catches for 21 yards on four targets.
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Pat Bryant WR | DEN
Broncos' Pat Bryant: Draws season-high four targets Week 7
Bryant hauled in one of his four targets for a six-yard reception in Sunday's 33-32 win over the Giants.
The four targets were a season high for the rookie third-round pick out of Illinois, who had totaled four catches for 40 yards on six targets through the Broncos' first six games. Bryant took the field for 41 of the Broncos' 81 offensive snaps Sunday and has now seen his share of playing time hover between the 45- and 60-percent range for four straight weeks, but he'll need an uptick in involvement in the passing game before he garners more serious consideration as an option for fantasy lineups.
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Jayden Higgins WR | HOU
Texans' Jayden Higgins: No impact in loss
Higgins did not catch any of his three targets in Monday's 27-19 loss to the Seahawks in Week 7.
More was expected out of the rookie, who played a season-high 48 snaps as he moved up the depth chart with Christian Kirk (hamstring) inactive, but Higgins got caught up in the shocking mess that was Houston's offense, which had 15 days to prepare for the game but still managed just 254 yards of offense and only 14 first downs that weren't the product of Seattle penalties. Higgins was blanked for the first time in six games, as the Texans' shaky offensive line made life difficult for quarterback C.J. Stroud. There may be additional responsibility placed on Higgins next week against San Francisco, as top wideout Nico Collins was removed from Monday's contest and will begin preparation for Week 8 in the concussion protocol.
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Braxton Berrios WR | HOU
Texans' Braxton Berrios: Makes season debut
Berrios caught one of three targets for minus-one yard and returned three punts for 25 yards in Monday's 27-19 loss to Seattle in Week 7.
Berrios joined the active roster for the first time this season, taking the roster spot of Christian Kirk (hamstring), but it was a tough outing for Berrios against a raucous Seattle defense. He also took over punt-return duties from rookie Jaylin Noel, but that got off to a poor start. Berrios misjudged a punt which he thought would be a touchback, resulting in the Texans' first possession beginning at their own 4-yard line. Berrios could get a chance at redemption in Week 8, as top receiver Nico Collins (concussion) exited Monday's game, which could leave the team short on wideouts against San Francisco.
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Xavier Hutchinson WR | HOU
Texans' Xavier Hutchinson: Results don't match playing time
Hutchinson caught one of four targets for 13 yards in Monday's 27-19 loss to the Seahawks in Week 7.
Due to Nico Collins (concussion) leaving the game early, Hutchinson topped Houston wideouts with 59 snaps. However, as has happened all too often this year, Hutchinson's snap count didn't translate to meaningful fantasy production. He's second behind Collins in playing 67.3 percent of the offensive snaps, but he has a meager 13-123-2 line on 18 targets through six games.
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Jaylin Noel WR | HOU
Texans' Jaylin Noel: Gains 77 yards on MNF
Noel hauled in four of seven targets for 77 yards in Monday's 27-19 loss to the Seahawks.
Fresh off his first career touchdown reception in Week 6, Noel followed that up with a season-high 77 receiving yards on Monday Night Football. The absence of Christian Kirk (hamstring) helped elevate the rookie's role, and it is currently unclear how much time the veteran slot receiver will miss. No. 1 wideout Nico Collins (concussion) also left Monday's loss late in the fourth quarter, so the Texans may ask Noel to continue serving an elevated role if either starter is forced to miss Sunday's contest against the 49ers.
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Cooper Kupp WR | SEA
Seahawks' Cooper Kupp: Throws INT on trick play
Kupp caught his only target for 32 yards and threw an interception on a failed trick play in Monday's 27-19 win over the Texans.
The Seahawks tried to get cute in the second quarter with a wide receiver pass play that resulted in an interception for Kupp. Depending on league settings, the veteran wideout's rare turnover may have erased more than half of his fantasy production Monday. Only getting one target is the more concerning takeaway after Kupp scored his first touchdown as a member of the Seahawks in Week 6. The 32-year-old will carry a 24-293-1 receiving line into Seattle's upcoming bye week before resuming play against the Commanders on Nov. 2.