NFL Player News

Chinn (back) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.

Chinn played through a back issue in the Raiders' Week 14 loss to the Broncos after being unable to practice the Friday before the contest. The safety's limited practice Thursday means he has already practiced more with the injury than he was able to last week, which bodes well for his chances of suiting up for Sunday's game against the Eagles. Chinn will have one more chance to upgrade to full participation and dodge an injury designation for Sunday, but he appears likely to play under any circumstance.

Evans (collarbone) is listed as active Thursday against the Falcons.

Evans thus is in line for his first appearance since Week 7, when he initially suffered a broken collarbone. Since he returned to practice last Wednesday, he was listed as limited on all six of the Buccaneers' injury reports, and coach Todd Bowles revealed to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times this Wednesday that Evans has yet to take contact. On Thursday afternoon, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported that Evans was expected to play in Week 15, but the veteran wide receiver also will be operating under a snap count. As a result, Evans seemingly will be working behind at least Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin in the pecking order at the position, while Jalen McMillan (neck), Tez Johnson, Sterling Shepard and Kameron Johnson also will be on hand for snaps and targets.

Mayer (ankle) practiced fully Thursday.

Mayer, who has missed two straight games, was limited Wednesday, but the tight end's full participation Thursday paves the way for him to rejoin the Raiders' lineup Sunday against the Eagles. With a 22-182-1 line on 32 targets in nine games this season, Mayer carries modest fantasy upside into Week 15 action in his complementary role working alongside fellow TE Brock Bowers, who leads the team in catches (53), targets (72), receiving yards (619) and receiving TDs (six).

Melton (heel) did not participate in practice Thursday, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

Melton returned to practice as a limited participant Wednesday after missing the last two weeks recovering from a heel injury. It appeared the 23-year-old was nearing a return; however, he is now trending in a negative direction. The second-year pro still has an opportunity to participate in practice Friday before Sunday's game against the Texans.

Carter (shoulder) did not participate in Thursday's practice.

Carter was unable to upgrade his participation level for Thursday's practice after being unavailable for Wednesday's walkthrough. The defensive tackle missed his second game of the season last Monday, a game the Eagles lost to the Chargers in overtime. Carter will have just one more chance to upgrade his practice participation, and he's unlikely to be available for Sunday's game against the Raiders without an upgrade. If the Georgia product is unable to play, Byron Young will continue to see more defensive snaps.

Thornton (concussion) practiced fully Thursday.

Thornton was limited at practice Wednesday, but his return to a full session a day later has him on track to play Sunday against the Eagles, barring any setbacks. Friday's injury report will reveal whether the wideout heads into the weekend with an injury designation, but with an 8-123-0 line on 25 targets through 11 games, Thornton is off the fantasy radar.

Young (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Young logged consecutive limited practices as he continues to nurse the knee injury he has dealt with since Week 13. If past practice logs and game participation are any indicator, the outside linebacker should be available for Sunday's game against the Lions. Since being added to the injury report with the issue, Young has logged 12 tackles (7 solo), including 2.0 sacks, through two games and will likely add to that total in Week 15.

Thompson (hamstring) did not participate in practice Thursday, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

Thompson did not participate in practice Thursday, his second straight absence. It's unclear when he sustained the injury, as there was no clear sign of decreased snap count in Week 14. The 27-year-old will likely need to return Friday for a chance to play Sunday versus the Texans.

Dissly (shoulder) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.

Dissly was a limited participant in Wednesday's session with a shoulder injury he likely sustained in the overtime win over the Eagles on Monday night. The tight end's upgrade to full participation and the corresponding clearing of an injury designation mean he should be all set to suit up for Sunday's game against the Chiefs. Dissly's projected availability will once again dampen Tyler Conklin's chances to garner active status after the No. 3 tight end was a healthy scratch in Dissly's return Monday night.

Adams (hamstring) officially didn't practice Thursday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

So far during Week 15 prep, Adams sat out Wednesday's walkthrough and then was seen rehabbing his hamstring on the side one day later, ultimately going down as a non-participant for a second straight session. He thus has one more chance to mix into drills this week, but there's been no indication from coach Sean McVay that Adams is in danger of missing Sunday's game against the Lions.