NFL Player News

McKenzie, who was limited Wednesday with an ankle injury, was back to a full practice Thursday.

It actually looked like McKenzie's season was over when he was carted off the field Sunday against the Lions, but it turned out to be a more minor injury combined with some cramping, so he'll almost certainly be back at it for Week 16's contest in New England. McKenzie has been used in a hybrid role you see a number of offenses utilizing these days, as a third receiver, occasional jet-sweep guy, and return man.

Beasley (foot) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, David Helman of the Cowboys' official site reports.

Beasley opened Week 16 with a limited session Wednesday, but his advance to full participation suggests his status isn't in any peril for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers. While the wideout's health shouldn't impact his fantasy outlook, his lack of production of late -- 21 receptions for 178 yards and no touchdowns over the past seven games -- puts a cap on his fantasy upside.

Allen (hip) is listed as questionable for Saturday night's game against the Ravens.

That said, Adam Schefter of ESPN indicates that Allen -- who suffered a hip pointer in Week 15 -- is expected to play this weekend, a notion that will be confirmed, either way, upon the release of the Chargers' inactives in advance of Saturday's 8:20 ET kickoff. Assuming he suits up and avoids any in-game setbacks, Allen should return to his usual high-volume role in the Chargers offense.

Beckham said Thursday he's going "day by day" with his quadriceps injury and will suit up "if his body cooperates," Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Beckham hasn't practiced since last Wednesday, Dec. 12 and hasn't played in a game since a Week 13 win against the Bears. While he missed Thursday's session, he was spotted working on the side with a trainer and snagging passes from a JUGS machine, according to Raanan, so he may be making some progress with his health. The Giants could make a ruling on Beckham's Week 16 availability as soon as Friday, especially if he's a non-participant. Sterling Shepard, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard (ankle) and Corey Coleman have composed the team's receiving corps sans Beckham.

Cobb (concussion) isn't participating in Thursday's practice, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic reports.

Cobb's ability to progress even to non-contact work in practice suggests he remains stuck in the initial stages of the NFL's five-step concussion protocol. The wideout still has a few days for his condition to take a turn for the better before the Week 16 showdown with the Jets, but the Packers might not be inclined to rush him back into action even if he gains clearance to play. Cobb doesn't have a problematic history of head injuries, but he's missed six games this season on account of hamstring issues and could probably benefit from some rest over the final two contests of 2018.

Chark (quadriceps) isn't on track to practice Thursday.

The lack of on-field activity continues a trend that has persisted since Chark first tweaked his left quadriceps in Week 11. The rookie wideout looks highly unlikely to play Sunday in Miami and could struggle to make it back for the season finale in Houston in Week 17.

Boyd (knee) wasn't spotted on the field during the portion of Thursday's practice that was open to the media, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.

Boyd is thus in line to go down as a non-participant in practice for the second straight day, putting his status for Sunday's game in Cleveland on murky ground. The Bengals, who have already shut down two of their best pass catchers for the season in No. 1 receiver A.J. Green (foot) and top tight end Tyler Eifert (ankle), can hardly afford another significant absence at wideout, especially with the inexperienced Jeff Driskel under center. If Boyd is sidelined for Week 16, John Ross (knee) would likely rank as Driskel's top target, but the Washington product wouldn't make for a particularly comfortable lineup option.

Beckham (quadriceps) wasn't participating in the portion of Thursday's practice that was available to the media, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

Per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com, Beckham was instead working out on the side on a stationary bike and also caught balls from a JUGS machine. Given Beckham's lack of involvement in team drills for the first two practices of the week, it's not looking promising that he'll be able to return from a two-game absence and play Sunday in Indianapolis. If Beckham is indeed sidelined again, Sterling Shepard would rank as the Giants' clear top option at receiver, though Shepard has only parlayed that distinction into four receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets over the past two weeks.

Allen (hip) is expected to play Saturday night against Baltimore, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Allen did not take the practice field Tuesday, but was able to return to action on a limited basis in Wednesday's session. While the news appears positive, Allen's practice level Thursday will remain something worth monitoring for fantasy owners, who will also want to verify his status following the announcement of the Chargers' Week 16 inactives. Should Allen overcome his hip pointer and suit up as expected, he'll draw a Baltimore defense that has surrendered the third-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers in standard formats.

Sherfield was a limited practice participant Wednesday due to an ankle injury, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Essentially the last man standing at receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald, the 22-year-old undrafted rookie was one of the few bright spots for Arizona in ugly losses the past two weeks, catching eight of 12 targets for 92 yards and his first career touchdown. Assuming the ankle injury isn't too serious, Sherfield should get plenty of run Sunday against the Rams, potentially heading for a third straight week with a snap share above 90 percent.