NFL Player News

Thielen, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday after testing positive for the virus, tested negative a day later, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The NFL and medical experts are continuing to evaluate Thielen's situation, as it's possible that additional testing may prove that his initial result was a false positive. In any case, Thielen won't be able to practice with the Vikings as the team begins Week 12 prep, prompting head coach Mike Zimmer to admit Wednesday that he was unsure if the wideout would be cleared to play Sunday against the Panthers, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Justin Jefferson would act as Minnesota's clear No. 1 receiver if Thielen is forced to miss his first game of the season.

McLaurin (ankle) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game in Dallas, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

McLaurin is listed as a full participant on Wednesday's estimated injury report, which would seem to indicate that he's on track to suit up versus the Cowboy on Thanksgiving Day. If McLaurin is indeed able to take the field in Dallas, count on him to serve as Alex Smith's clear top option in the passing attack, as usual.

Coach Mike Vrabel said that Humphries (concussion) will practice Wednesday before being re-evaluated afterward, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports.

Humphries has missed three straight games while in the league's concussion protocol, so practicing in any capacity represents a tangible step in the right direction. The slot receiver will need to attain full medical clearance before returning to game action, so his chances of playing Sunday in Indianapolis remain murky.

Perriman (shoulder) will be a limited participant at Wednesday's practice, Ethan B. Greenberg of the Jets' official site reports.

Perriman will receive some maintenance for his lingering shoulder issue after he played all but one of the Jets' 60 offensive snaps in Sunday's loss to the Chargers. He delivered for fantasy managers during his time on the field, hauling in two of four targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. With no word that Perriman suffered a setback in that contest, he'll presumably be ready to play this weekend against the Dolphins so long as he upgrades to full participation in practice by Friday.

Pettis (illness) won't be available for Sunday's game against the Bengals, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Pettis landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive for the coronavirus Nov. 20. Even after the Giants were on bye Week 11, the wideout apparently won't have enough time to clear all health-related protocols prior to the Week 12 contest. A 2018 second-round pick of the 49ers, Pettis still has yet to suit up for the Giants since being claimed off waivers in early November.

Dulin (knee) was designated to return from injured reserve Tuesday, Stephen Holder of The Athletic reports.

Dulin landed on injured reserve with the knee issue in early November, but he's been cleared to return to practice this week. The 23-year-old is eligible to be activated for Sunday's matchup with Tennessee, though it's unclear if he'll have enough practice time to reach game readiness.

Johnson wasn't targeted during Sunday's 27-3 loss to the Steelers.

The rookie fifth-round pick had a strong Week 5 with three catches for 30 yards and a touchdown, but he has only two catches for 22 yards over the past five games. Johnson doesn't have a target in the last two games despite Laviska Shenault (hamstring) being unavailable.

Hightower wasn't targeted during Sunday's loss to the Giants.

The 24-year-old played only one offensive snap and didn't have a reception for the second straight contest. Hightower is buried on the depth chart behind Travis Fulgham, Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward and Alshon Jeffery.

Wilson caught one of two targets for seven yards in Sunday's 31-28 win over the Vikings.

Since the explosive 5-107-2 game back in Week 3, Wilson has averaged just 1.6 receptions and 11.3 receiving yards per game, totaling no touchdowns in that stretch. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb are expected to continue handling a bulk of the workload on offense.

Pringle (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star reports.

Pringle sustained the ankle injury during Sunday's win over the Raiders and will be sidelined for at least the next three games. Tyreek Hill or Mecole Hardman could fill in on kick returns for the Chiefs in the meantime.