NFL Player News

Sims caught two of three targets for 19 yards in Friday's preseason win over Cincinnati, but he lost a fumble on one of the receptions.

If you're looking for a silver lining, the fumble did come while QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and the first-team offense were still on the field. Then again, Sims might not've been on the field with them if Curtis Samuel (groin) had been ready to play. In any case, the 6-5 wideout finds himself competing for a roster spot after starting for much of last season, as Washington added Samuel, Dyami Brown and Adam Humphries this offseason. Sims looks like the fourth or fifth option at wide receiver, if he keeps his roster spot at all.

Humphries finished without a catch on three targets in Friday's preseason game against Cincinnati.

The good news is that Humphries saw all three of his targets from projected starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, after accounting for two of Fitz's eight passes in the preseason opener. The veteran slot receiver is now just 1-of-5 for six yards this preseason, but the usage suggests he's on track for the No. 3 receiver role, or at least in position to split it with another player -- possibly rookie third-round pick Dyami Brown. Humphries probably needs the job to himself to have a real shot at mainstream fantasy value, even in an offense that heavily relies on three-wide sets.

Arcega-Whiteside has done little in the preseason and could be left off the Eagles roster, Mike Kaye of NJ.com reports.

Arcega-Whiteside dropped his only target in the Eagles' second preseason game, a blowout loss to the Patriots. His second-round pedigree may not matter if he can't separate from the pack over the rest of camp. Fortunately for the Stanford product, his competition hasn't done much to stand out aside from Quez Watkins' strong play, but Greg Ward and Travis Fulgham proved themselves last season. It may come down to John Hightower (groin) and Arcega-Whiteside for one spot at the bottom of Philadelphia's receiver depth chart.

Chase failed to record a reception on three targets in Friday's preseason game against Washington.

All three targets hit Chase in the hands, and two particularly appeared to have the makings of routine catches. While it's not the performance Chase desired, he'll continue to get plenty of opportunities after being selected fifth overall by the Bengals in the 2021 draft. Chase's college production indicates that he has the talent to excel in the pros, though his inconsistency could lead to a slow start to his rookie campaign. This falls in line with earlier reports from training camp, which suggested that Chase had struggled to both create separation and consistently catch the ball in practice.

Higgins recorded one reception on three targets for 11 yards in Friday's preseason game against Washington.

Higgins was heavily involved early on in the contest, drawing all three of his targets on the team's first three possessions. He came down with only one of those opportunities, though it was a contested catch over the middle of the field that went for a first down. Higgins is coming off of a 67-reception effort in his rookie campaign, and he should be able to build on that performance even with the team adding Ja'Marr Chase to compete for targets.

Brown recorded two receptions on four targets for 33 yards in Friday's preseason game against Cincinnati.

Brown had mixed results in his second professional game. He began the contest with a drop -- albeit on a tough opportunity -- but he bounced back to record a 29-yard catch over cornerback Darius Phillips. With Curtis Samuel (groin) still sidelined, Brown had valuable reps with presumed starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Though he may start the season in a reserve role, Brown figures to have the chance to enter three-receiver sets at some point in the campaign.

Hopkins (undisclosed) didn't see the field during Friday's preseason loss to the Chiefs, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Hopkins hasn't been on the practice field much during training camp and even missed all the sessions leading up to Friday's exhibition, his second DNP this month. However, he doesn't need many reps to be ready for Week 1, when he'll still have Kyler Murray under center and a refurbished receiving corps around him, namely A.J. Green, Christian Kirk and rookie Rondale Moore. Despite the increased competition for targets, Hopkins is the unquestioned No. 1 WR in Arizona after putting up a 115-1,407-6 line in his first year with the team in 2020.

Bandy signed with the Chargers on Friday.

Bandy signed with the Chargers during OTAs after going undrafted. He was cut by the team earlier in the week, but they've opted to bring him back. The San Diego product saw eight offensive snaps in the team's preseason opener.

Moore secured three of five targets for 15 yards, rushed once for nine yards and returned one kickoff for 11 yards in the Cardinals' 17-10 preseason loss to the Chiefs on Friday night.

The rookie had logged five targets in his pro debut against the Cowboys last Friday, and he saw a similar level of opportunity versus the Chiefs while playing the entirety of the first half. Moore is primed to open the season potentially battling Christian Kirk for No. 3 receiver reps, and given the pass-centric nature of the Cardinals offense, even No. 4 duties could help him generate some serviceable numbers early in his first season.

Hardman secured four of eight targets for 39 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs' 17-10 preseason win over the Cardinals on Friday night.

Hardman is heading into the regular season with the pressure of serving as a full-time starter for the first time in his career, but his performance Friday supported the notion he could be up to the task. The third-year speedster corralled a 17-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne late in the first half, and he also recorded two receptions for 19 yards while working with Patrick Mahomes earlier in the contest. Hardman could be set for plenty of single coverage in the coming season with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce sure to draw no shortage of defensive attention.