All articles tagged with #wide receiver
Calvin Austin was carted off Giants practice after injuring his right knee during a 1-on-1 drill, receiving consolation from teammates and owner John Mara before departing. Austin, who signed a one-year deal, is currently behind Malik Nabers on the depth chart, with Odell Beckham Jr. also in the mix; a serious injury could impact his roster chances and potentially boost Beckham's bid for a roster spot.
The New England Patriots traded wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Boutte, 24, showed progress after a quiet rookie season but had been the subject of trade rumors for two offseasons; with the Patriots having added WRs A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs in 2026 and Boutte requesting a trade, he moves to Houston. With Boutte gone, New England’s WR depth chart features Brown, Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism.
With Jake Bobo sidelined by a serious knee injury and Tory Horton uncertain, Seattle’s WR depth behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed is in flux. The piece surveys four potential replacements for Bobo—Cody White, Montorie Foster Jr., Ricky White III, and Emmanuel Henderson Jr.—highlighting White’s experience and special-teams value, Foster’s standout training-camp and preseason showing, White III’s college production and early NFL exposure, and Henderson’s elite gunner-style special-teams role as a path to a roster spot or the practice squad.
Pat Forde’s Sports Illustrated list highlights 25 intriguing non-quarterbacks for 2026, spanning WRs, DBs, LBs, DLs, and more from programs like Ohio State, Texas, Michigan, Miami, LSU and Notre Dame. It spotlights Jeremiah Smith’s potential to extend Ohio State’s first-round WR streak, Cam Coleman’s impact at Texas, and other standout players—plus transfer stories and unique backstories—showing rich talent beyond QBs and strong draft avenues across the country.
Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins tore his ACL during a Tuesday practice, likely sidelining him for the season. Higgins was expected to serve as the team’s No. 2 WR behind Nico Collins, so his absence thins out Houston’s depth at receiver. Expect Xavier Hutchinson to take on a bigger role, with Tank Dell and Jaylin Noel seeing more snaps, which could dampen fantasy value for Texans pass-catchers other than Collins in 2026.
Travis Hunter did not participate in any 11-on-11 offensive reps on Monday, fueling talk that the Jaguars plan to deploy him primarily as a cornerback in 2026, with Week 1 against the Browns likely featuring limited offensive involvement.
The Colts signed veteran Keenan Allen, reuniting him with coach Shane Steichen and adding a high-target option for Indy, though his aging efficiency could cap big-yardage upside. Allen could start with a larger role if Alec Pierce misses Week 1, but is expected to slide into a more part-time role once Pierce returns, potentially limiting Downs’ and Pierce’s ceiling while Warren remains a key fantasy contributor in the short term.
With cutdown day looming, Detroit's roster decisions center on QB depth, WR competition, and the interior line. The Lions appear to keep Jared Goff as the starter, with Josh Dobbs and Luke Altmyer battling for the QB3 role. In the backfield, Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco are the assumed top two, with Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors pushing for a fourth spot as Jabari Small returns from injury. At wide receiver, the top four (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Greg Dortch) seem secure, while Tay Martin and Dominic Lovett contend for the next spots. On tight end, Tyler Conklin is in the mix and Jackson Meeks is on the bubble; on the offensive line, Detroit sticks with nine linemen, and with Cade Mays on IR, Seth McLaughlin is the leading backup center candidate, while Ratledge could factor at center depending on how the job shakes out.
Florida State enters move week with several unsettled spots, notably the right side of the offensive line (right guard candidates Andre Otto, Nate Pabst, and Paul Bowling, plus a right tackle competition between Johnathan Daniels and Chimdia Nwaiwu), a behind-Duce Robinson wide receiver battle (Micahi Danzy and Jayvan Boggs, with freshmen Devin Carter and Jasen Lopez pushing for time), and the safety/nickel spots after Karson Hobbs’ injury, as Ma’Khi Jones, KJ Kirkland, CJ Richard Jr., and Ricky Knight III compete for advantages as Norvell pushes for depth-chart clarity before game prep.
During the ninth Eagles practice, Darius Cooper stood out with back-to-back catches and a late grab, cementing himself as a top option as Hurts connected with Cooper and Elijah Moore. The session featured competitive pace, injuries to DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon, Cam Jurgens returning after heat exhaustion, and a tight backup QB battle between Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton. Lemon’s absence is a concern for his rookie timeline, but Cooper’s impressive showing could push him into a larger role this season.
Eight practices into camp, the Eagles’ three most urgent needs are wide receiver (Lemon and other depth options fighting for WR2/WR3), safety (shoring up the back end with Mukuba/DeJean and Epps in nickel), and long snapper (Underwood showing upside but accuracy concerns linger), while other spots look less urgent as camp continues.
Miami explored Stefon Diggs as a potential long-term answer at receiver, but talks didn’t lead to a deal and Diggs signed a one-year pact with Washington. With a thin WR corps and a developing QB in Malik Willis, the Dolphins are likely prioritizing cheaper veteran options and internal development over a high-priced add, while evaluating what they really have in Willis as camp progresses.
The Washington Commanders reportedly sign Stefon Diggs to a one-year deal worth up to $12 million, moving on from Brandon Aiyuk rumors. Diggs would add veteran depth to a receivers group led by Terry McLaurin, and he would have led Commanders receiving yards in 2025. The agreement comes as preseason approaches.
Odell Beckham Jr. delivered the best practice of Giants training camp as he drew first-team reps and made several plays in a padded session, helping the offense click. Jaxson Dart showed improvement despite two interceptions, while Dalen Cambre and Tae Banks continued to stand out in the receiver group. Dominic Zvada went a perfect 10-for-10 on kicks, Theo Johnson and Calvin Austin contributed with tough catches, and a few players logged minor injuries. The Giants also made roster moves, placing Roy Robertson-Harris on IR and waiving Beaux Collins while adding D.J. James and David Long, with Marty Mornhinweg visiting and the team continuing to mix units for game-like reps ahead of two more open practices in West Virginia.
Zay Flowers’ $140 million extension at roughly $35 million per year is expected to ripple through the NFL WR market, influencing deals for peers like Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Drake London, and George Pickens, and potentially shaping franchise-tag decisions as teams navigate a rising salary cap.