Calvin Johnson has yet to play in a preseason game this year and he's expected to sit out again on Friday when the Lions travel to Jacksonville. This comes just two days after another NFC North team, the Packers, announced that their franchise receiver would miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL suffered in their most recent contest. Many players and coaches have come forward since then to express their concerns in regards to the length of the preseason, and whether or not it's really necessary. If you own Johnson don't worry, as he isn't dealing with any real health issues at the moment. The 29-year old wide receiver will likely miss the final preseason game as well, in hopes to stay healthy and play a full 16-game season for the first time since 2012. Johnson is still considered a top-five receiver and if he can find a way to stay on the field, he could be in for a huge comeback season.
Eddie Royal missed practice on Wednesday as he continues to deal with a minor hip injury. Coach John Fox labeled him as "day-to-day" and he doesn't expect the veteran receiver to miss any significant time. After playing his first seven seasons in the AFC with the Broncos and Chargers, Royal signed a three-year deal in the offseason with a Bears team that desperately needed to fill the void at wide receiver left by former Pro-Bowler Brandon Marshall. Chicago also used a first-round draft pick to select Kevin White out of West Virginia, but he'll miss at least the first six games of the season as he deals with injuries of his own. It's worth noting that Royal played with Jay Cutler in Denver during his rookie year, when he hauled in 91 passes for 980 yards and five touchdowns. The 29-year old wide receiver will look rekindle that relationship once again, and he should see plenty of targets while White is sidelined to begin the year.
The Carolina Panthers are no strangers to injuries at the wide receiver position after Kelvin Benjamin tore his ACL just a week ago. Reports from Wednesday's practice had rookie wide-out Devin Funchess receiving an increased workload in the No. 1 spot which is a good sign considering the fact that he just returned to practice on Monday after dealing with a hamstring issue. At 6-foot-4 and 225 lbs, Funchess should see a healthy amount of targets in Benjamin's absence, especially considering how thin the Panthers are at wide receiver. He has a lot of catching up to do after missing the first two preseason games, but if they can get him up to speed by Week 1, Funchess could be a steal as he'll likely go in the later rounds of your fantasy football drafts.
Terrelle Pryor returned to practice on Wednesday after a strained hamstring kept him off the field for over a week. Although Pryor will likely hold very little value in the world of fantasy football, it's still an interesting story to follow as the former quarterback looks to make the change to wide receiver in hopes to make the Browns' roster. Most quarterbacks in today's world would refuse to make that switch, but Pryor swallowed his pride and accepted the fact that it might be his only option if he wishes to continue chasing his dream. As an avid Wisconsin Badger fan it hurts me to cheer for a former Ohio St. Buckeye, but I give Terrelle credit and wish him the best of luck.
The Raiders got Roy Helu back at practice Wednesday who had also been dealing with a hamstring injury over the last couple of weeks. After playing his first four seasons in Washington, Helu signed a two-year deal with the Raiders earlier this spring in hopes to bolster a backfield that had thinned out after the departure of Darren McFadden. The 26-year old running back has always been known as a solid pass-catcher in third down situations, and he should see some solid action alongside starter Latavius Murray. Helu caught at least 30 passes in three of his first four seasons and could provide some good value in deeper PPR leagues, especially if Murray were to go down with an injury.
Dorial Green-Beckham suffered a left ankle injury during Tuesday's practice and didn't return. Although it's not expected to be anything major, it's certainly worth keeping an eye on considering how often ankle injuries can continue to linger. The rookie wide-out has looked good so far throughout the preseason and even though there are a lot of guys in the mix for the Titans, Green-Beckham should see some good time right out of the gates. At 6-foot-5 and 237 lbs., the 22-year old ran a 4.49 40-yard dash which is pretty impressive at his size. Green-Beckham has the skills and athleticism to be a big-time receiver in this league, and it'll be interesting to see if he can emerge in his rookie season.