NFL Player News

Hockenson (shin) was a limited practice participant Thursday.

One day removed from not mixing into any drills due to a shin injury Wednesday, Hockenson was back on the field, signaling that he's trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's contest at Dallas. Friday's practice report will unveil whether or not he enters the weekend with a designation for Week 15 action, but fellow TE Josh Oliver is on hand if Hockenson is inhibited or sidelined.

Rodriguez (groin) was a limited participant at Thursday's practice.

Rodriguez didn't practice Wednesday, so Thursday's limited participation marks a step in the right direction. He has received a plurality of touches in Washington's backfield in recent weeks, working slightly ahead of Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols. If Rodriguez maintains that role Sunday, he could find success against a vulnerable Giants run defense, but he may need to upgrade to full participation Friday to avoid an injury designation.

Addison (Achilles) practiced on a limited basis Thursday.

Addison now has put together back-to-back capped sessions to kick off Week 15 prep as he tends to an Achilles injury. He may need to practice fully Friday in order to head into the weekend without a designation for Sunday's game at Dallas. Having said that, Addison hasn't exceeded 62 receiving yards in any contest since Week 7, leaving him with only modest viability in terms of fantasy.

Dugger (hand) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.

Dugger missed last Sunday's loss to the Ravens due to a hand injury, but the safety has bounced back and has been cleared of any injury designation before Monday's game against the Dolphins. The 2020 second-round pick is set to suit up Monday as the starting strong safety alongside Jalen Ramsey, looking to get back to the 99 percent-or-higher defensive snap share he's logged since Week 6.

Skowronek (hand) did not participate in Thursday's practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

Skowronek dealt with a shoulder injury during practice Week 14 but managed to suit up for the Steelers' win over Baltimore without any sort of designation. Now, however, the depth wideout's status appears uncertain due to a hand issue. Skowronek will have two more opportunities to get back on the practice field ahead of Monday's matchup against the Dolphins.

Jones (shoulder) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday.

Jones has operated with practice restrictions more often than not since he suffered a shoulder injury Week 9 in Detroit. He's still led the Vikings backfield most weeks in the meantime, earning 67 touches to Jordan Mason's 37 over the last five games. Friday's practice report will reveal whether or not Jones enters the weekend with a designation for Sunday's contest at Dallas.

Metcalf (abdomen) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

After Metcalf was briefly hospitalized following Sunday's win over the Ravens when he experienced stomach pains on the team flight, head coach Mike Tomlin suggested Tuesday that the wideout's practice availability could be affected in Week 15. Metcalf evidently bounced back from the stomach issue quicker than anticipated, as his ability to begin the week of practice without any restrictions should clear the way for him to play Monday versus the Dolphins. For his part, Metcalf didn't go into details regarding the severity of his stomach pains when he spoke to the media Thursday, though he confirmed that he was "good" for Monday's game, per Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Washington (concussion) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

Washington remains in concussion protocol, which he entered after being concussed during this past Sunday's win over the Ravens. In order to clear the protocol and be eligible to suit up Monday against the Dolphins, Washington will need to upgrade to full participation by Saturday and gain clearance from an independent neurologist.

Smith (right shoulder/back) remained sidelined at practice Thursday, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.

On Wednesday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport indicated that Smith is considered unlikely to start Sunday's game against the Eagles, and back-to-back 'DNPs' logged Wednesday and Thursday by the QB support that notion. If Smith is indeed unavailable this weekend, Kenny Pickett would be in line to make his first start of the season.

The Eagles opened the practice window for Williams (shoulder) to return from injured reserve Thursday.

The Eagles will now have 21 days to activate Williams, or he will be forced to remain on IR for the rest of the season. The tackle's return would offer a strong reserve option for an Eagles team that has dealt with constant injuries to its offensive linemen this season.