NFL Player News

Skowronek (hip) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Chiefs, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

Skowronek suffered a hip injury during Pittsburgh's Week 16 loss to Baltimore this past Saturday. While he was able to return to that contest, the injury prevented him from participating in Monday's walkthrough and Tuesday's practice, and the 2021 seventh-round pick will be sidelined for Christmas Day. Skowronek's next opportunity to play will be in the Steelers' regular-season finale against the Bengals on Sunday, Jan. 5.

Pickens (hamstring) was a full participant in practice Tuesday and does not have an injury designation for Wednesday's matchup against Kansas City, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

Pickens sat out each of Pittsburgh's past three games due to a hamstring injury, but he showed significant improvement in practice this week, as he was deemed a full participant in Monday's walkthrough before participating in full in Tuesday's standard practice session. As such, the star wideout is set to return for the Christmas Day home matchup against the Chiefs. Pickens is 150 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard mark on the campaign and should immediately resume his role as Pittsburgh's biggest offensive weapon in the passing game, while Calvin Austin will return to working as the team's No. 2 wideout after tallying 65 receiving yards both of the past two games in Pickens' absence.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that Watson's left knee injury is "just a bruise" and suggested that the wideout's status for Sunday's game against the Vikings will be determined by his practice participation this week, Wes Hodkiewicz of the team's official site reports.

Watson had a scare during Monday's 34-0 win over New Orleans when a defender fell on the receiver following his 14-yard second-quarter carry. The wideout initially returned to the contest but was then removed in the third quarter and didn't return. LaFleur's update suggests that Watson could be able to suit up this weekend in Minnesota, though the 25-year-old may need to put in a full practice by Friday to avoid taking a designation into Sunday.

Wicks was targeted seven times and had three receptions for 13 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 34-0 victory over the Saints.

Wicks didn't add much production after finding the end zone on Green Bay's opening drive, but that was his first touchdown since Week 7. Wicks has gotten more involved after a quiet midseason stretch, and he could be busier than he has been in Week 17 if fellow wideout Christian Watson (knee) is unable to go.

Nailor had one reception for five yards on two targets in Sunday's win at Seattle.

Nailor continues to get plenty of action as the third receiver (playing on 35 of the offense's 66 snaps) but few targets. He has just nine targets and four receptions in his last six games.

Tucker caught two of four targets for 41 yards in Sunday's 19-14 win over the Jaguars, but he also lost eight yards on his only rushing attempt.

Tucker has caught no more than two passes in four consecutive games, despite playing north of 90 percent of the Raiders' offensive snaps during each contest within this late-season sample. He remains a big-play threat ahead of a Week 17 matchup against the Saints, but Tucker's inability to earn much volume in a struggling offense is worrisome for his fantasy floor.

Palmer brought in two of four targets for 31 yards and returned four punts for 31 yards in the Buccaneers' 26-24 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday night.

After going without a catch for three consecutive games, Palmer logged counting stats on offense for the first time since Week 12 and multiple receptions for the first time since Week 9. Palmer still played a sparse 13 snaps (18 percent) from scrimmage, however, and his production remains hard to trust heading into a Week 17 home matchup against the Panthers.

Miller secured both targets for 17 yards and a touchdown in the Buccaneers' 26-24 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday night.

Miller played on 33 snaps (46 percent), but he had only one catch on the night when he got wide open near the back of the end zone late in the fourth quarter for a 13-yard strike from Baker Mayfield that narrowed the deficit to two points. The scoring grab also gave Miller multiple catches for the second time on the season, but he exclusively remains an option for those in very deep leagues and a DFS dart throw heading into a Week 17 home matchup against the Panthers.

Pettis secured two of seven targets for 31 yards and returned two kickoffs for 70 yards in the Saints' 34-0 loss to the Packers on Monday night.

Pettis finished second in receiving yards and targets on the night for the Saints while also tying Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson for the team lead in catches. The veteran wideout continued to enjoy an expanded role in the offense due to New Orleans' multitude of injuries at wideout, and his receiving yardage total was a new season high. However, despite the elevated level of opportunity Monday, Pettis could bump down all the way to a No. 4 or No. 5 role for a Week 17 home matchup against the Raiders if Marquez Valdes-Scantling (chest/illness) and/or Chris Olave (concussion, IR) are able to return for that contest.

Doubs had two receptions (on three targets) for 20 yards in Monday's 34-0 win over the Saints.

Doubs fell victim to a run-heavy game script in what turned out to be a lopsided victory. Christian Watson (knee) left the contest nursing what appeared to be a minor knee injury, but further tests Tuesday will reveal its severity. Should the latter miss any time, Doubs would be the likely beneficiary of increased targets and/or playing time against Minnesota in Week 17.