NFL Player News

Evans (hamstring) isn't participating in Thursday's practice, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.

Evans didn't take any reps during Wednesday's walk-through session and looks set to be listed as a non-participant on the Buccaneers' second straight practice report. While the lack of activity at this stage of the week is normally a worrisome sign for a player's chances of playing Sunday, Evans started Week 14 prep in a similar fashion before suiting up for Tampa Bay's 28-13 win over Las Vegas and finishing with four catches for 69 yards on five targets while playing 85 percent of the offensive snaps. If he continues to mirror his participation from last week, Evans will be limited in Friday's session, which could be enough for him to avoid carrying a designation into Sunday's game against the Chargers.

Sterling (foot) isn't participating in Thursday's practice, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.

With a pair of absences to begin Week 15 prep, Shepard's status for Sunday's game against the Chargers is looking shaky. The veteran wideout will likely need to practice in some fashion Friday just to carry a questionable tag into the weekend, while another missed practice would likely result in him being ruled out for Sunday's game. Shepard hasn't topped a 52 percent snap share in any of Tampa Bay's last three contests but has nonetheless seen his involvement in the passing game increase, as he's put together a 13-121-0 receiving line on 20 targets during that stretch.

The Buccaneers announced Thursday that Johnson (ankle) has been designated to return from IR, opening his 21-day practice window, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

Johnson has been sidelined since Week 5 due to an ankle injury. Now having been cleared to practice, Johnson can be activated fully from IR and to the 53-man roster at any point during his 21-day window, making him eligible to retake the field as early as Sunday versus the Chargers. The undrafted rookie drew just one target while handling a depth role in his first four NFL games.

Davis was limited in practice Wednesday due to a hamstring issue, Eric Smith of the Chargers' official site reports.

Davis previously dealt with a hamstring issue and missed two games in late October as a result, but it's not clear if his current injury is related. The second-year wideout's chance of suiting up Sunday against Tampa Bay should be clearer based on his practice participation the remainder of the week. Davis has played a limited role in Los Angeles' offense with no more than two catches in any game this season, but he's also served as the team's primary kick and punt returner.

Rice (shoulder) isn't likely to have his practice window opened this week, per Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, Alex Insdorf of BoltBeat.com reports.

Rice has missed the required four games since landing on injured reserve Nov. 2, but it doesn't appear he's ready to return to practice. The rookie wideout got into only three games prior to suffering the shoulder injury and played just three offensive snaps along with 10 snaps on special teams.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Wednesday that he doesn't expect Fehoko's (elbow) practice window to open this week, Alex Insdorf of BoltBeat.com reports.

Fehoko has been on IR since Nov. 6 due to an elbow issue. He's now eligible to be activated, but it doesn't sound like that's going to happen this week. Fehoko had been getting occasional good run prior to his injury, playing at least 73 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps in three of his eight games, but he was inefficient with just six catches on 16 targets -- though he turned those receptions into 106 yards -- over eight games.

Austin logged 44 of the Saints' 68 snaps on offense and recorded one catch for five yards on five targets in Sunday's 14-11 win over the Giants.

Austin has handled snap shares north of 60 percent in each of the Saints' last three games, essentially making him the team's No. 2 wideout during that time. Despite seeing steady playing time, Austin hasn't made much of an imprint on the box score, producing a 5-54-0 receiving line on 10 targets to go with nine rushing yards during that stretch.

Wilson took the field for 25 of the Saints' 68 snaps on offense and finished with an 18-yard reception on his lone target in Sunday's 14-11 win over the Giants.

Wilson served as New Orleans' No. 3 wideout in Week 14, narrowly edging out Dante Pettis (21 snaps) in playing time. Though the losses of Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) have opened up more opportunities in the Saints' wideout corps, Wilson hasn't been able to capitalize. Since accruing a season-best 6-57-1 receiving line on seven targets in Week 7 against Denver, Wilson has managed just four catches for 71 yards and no touchdowns on five targets over his subsequent four appearances.

Pettis took the field for 21 of the Saints' 68 snaps on offense and was unable to reel in either of his two targets in Sunday's 14-11 win over the Giants.

Pettis was held without a catch for the first time in four appearances with the Saints and finished fourth in snaps among New Orleans receivers, trailing Marquez Valdes-Scantling (48), Kevin Austin (44) and Cedrick Wilson (25). The 29-year-old is unlikely to see his role grow dramatically over the final four games of the season, though he'll at least have some security after the Saints gave him a permanent spot on the roster by signing him off the practice squad last week.

Miller (head) isn't listed on Tampa Bay's injury report Wednesday, Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

Miller was evaluated for a concussion near the end of Sunday's game against Las Vegas, but he appears to have come out clean given his lack of a designation on the first practice report of this week. Miller should thus be fine to resume his regular role as a depth wideout while also working on special teams Sunday versus the Chargers.