Avoids injury report

Nelson (illness/personal) isn't listed on the Cardinals' injury report Wednesday, Scott Bordow of The Athletic reports.

Analysis: Nelson was one of three Cardinals to battle an illness last week, but the wide receiver might have been due to receive Sunday's loss to the Rams off anyway following the birth of his child. With his health intact and personal time over, he's back and available to the receiving corps. Unfortunately, Nelson hasn't been in the good graces of the new coaching staff, earning just 19 targets in 14 appearances this season.

Hits sideline Week 16

Nelson (illness) is listed as inactive Sunday against the Rams, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: In a week in which he had a bout with food poisoning and experienced the birth of a child, Nelson will miss his first game since the 2016 season. With Nelson sidelined, the Cardinals will trot out Larry Fitzgerald, Trent Sherfield, Chad Williams and Jalen Tolliver at wide receiver.

Questionable for Week 16

Nelson (illness) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Rams, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Nelson did not practice Wednesday and Thursday due to an illness, but he was a limited participant Friday. If the depth wideout is able to suit up versus the Rams, he'll serve as the Cardinals' No. 4 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald, Trent Sherfield and Chad Williams.

Comes down with illness

Nelson didn't practice Wednesday due to an illness, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: With Christian Kirk (foot) missing the last two games after being placed on injured reserve and Chad Williams (hamstring) out of the lineup the past six contests, Nelson only made an impact in the box score one time during that span. Williams seems to be trending toward a return this weekend against the Rams, so Nelson could be buried further in the receiving corps moving forward. At the moment, Larry Fitzgerald and undrafted rookie Trent Sherfield are the only Arizona wideouts making regular…read more

Hauls in three passes

Nelson accumulated three catches (on seven targets) for 43 yards and lost five yards on his only carry during Sunday's 17-3 defeat to the Lions.

Analysis: Like the rest of the receiving corps, Nelson's workload increased due to Christian Kirk's broken foot. Unfortunately for Nelson, he remained behind undrafted rookie Trent Sherfield in the pecking order. After Larry Fitzgerald (67 of 70 snaps on offense), Sherfield (65) was the next most utilized, followed by Nelson (48) and Jalen Tolliver (12). After accumulating 22 catches of 20-plus yards in his first three seasons, Nelson has yet to add to that total this year. However, an increase in volume…read more

Continues to be unutilized

Nelson failed to reel in his lone target during Sunday's 23-21 loss to Oakland.

Analysis: Nelson has now failed to catch his only target in a game in three straight contests and failed to log a catch or a carry for the first time since Week 5. This, mind you, was against a middle-of-the-pack Oakland pass defense that had been picked apart this season. Things should get even tougher Sunday against a Chargers defense on a roll.

Catchless in loss

Nelson failed to catch his only target during Sunday's 26-14 loss to Kansas City.

Analysis: Arizona's offense might have a new coordinator, but -- through two games -- the points haven't been pouring in. The fourth-year speedster is feeling the pain. Never much of a volume target, Nelson at least used to be able to be counted on as a big-play threat with a career 18.6-yards-per-catch average during his first three seasons. He's yet to record even a 10-yard catch this season. If he were to turn it around, Sunday's matchup with Oakland would be the ideal opportunity: The Raiders have…read more

Catchless in win over 49ers

Nelson had an eight-yard run and was unable to haul in his only target during Sunday's 18-15 win over the 49ers.

Analysis: The Cardinals have a new offensive coordinator, but the change doesn't appear to mean much for Nelson -- at least in the short term. The fourth-year target has more catchless games (five) than games with a reception (three) thus far this season and has reached double-digit total yardage just once this season. The Cardinals offense seems to be making small strides and has a favorable matchup coming up against a leaky Chiefs defense Sunday, but Nelson doesn't look to be a viable factor.

Posts 15 scrimmage yards Thursday

Nelson compiled one rush for seven yards and two receptions (on four targets) for eight yards during Thursday's 45-10 defeat to the Broncos.

Analysis: Benefiting from his most targets and first carry of the campaign, Nelson surpassed 10 yards from scrimmage for the first time in 2018. His production isn't even sniffing that of the first three years of his career under former coach Bruce Arians, who used the wideout's blazing speed to keep defenses honest. With a change from Mike McCoy to Byron Leftwich at offensive coordinator, perhaps Nelson can begin to approach his marks of 18.6 YPC and 8.5 YPT from before this season.

Will play Thursday

Nelson (back) has been cleared of an injury designation going into Thursday's matchup against the Broncos, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: Nelson was able to log a full practice Wednesday after practicing in limited capacity Monday and Tuesday. The 26-year-old has two receptions for 13 yards through six games.

Limited Tuesday

Nelson (back) was limited in practice Tuesday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: On Sunday in Minnesota, Nelson earned his second-most offensive snaps (11) in a game this season, which he parlayed into his second reception of 2018. He's averaging pitiful marks of 7.5 yards per catch and 2.6 yards per target, which is a far cry from 18.6 and 8.5, respectively, from the first three years of his career, all of them under retired coach Bruce Arians. It appears the new coaching staff prefers Larry Fitzgerald, rookie Christian Kirk and even Chad WIlliams to fill in at wideout,…read more

Gets no targets Sunday

Nelson wasn't targeted while playing two of 51 offensive snaps during Sunday's 28-18 victory over San Francisco.

Analysis: Nelson has made nary an impact in Arizona box scores this season, reeling in one of his three targets for four yards. A lack of work primarily is to blame -- he's been on the field for just 14.7 percent of the offensive snaps -- but it's apparent Nelson is far behind the top trio of Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring/back), Chad Williams and Christian Kirk in the NFL's second-worst passing attack (146.2 yards per game). As such, Nelson will need upheaval in the receiver ranks to be a regular target of…read more

Sees one pass

Nelson caught his lone target for a four-yard gain during Sunday's 20-17 loss to Seattle.

Analysis: It was Nelson's first reception of the season. Despite a modest 17 points, Sunday represented Arizona's most successful offensive output of the season. Nelson still failed to top the single target that he saw in each of the previous two games. Though Week 5's matchup against a middle-of-the-road 49ers pass defense should be easier than Sunday's game against Seattle, Nelson is unlikely to see enough targets to produce -- even if the Cardinals offense makes strides with rookie quarterback Josh…read more

Still catchless

Nelson was targeted once but did not record a reception during Sunday's 16-14 loss to Chicago.

Analysis: Sam Bradford looked deep for Nelson early in the third quarter, but he was picked off by Eddie Goldman. It was just the second time Nelson had been targeted this season. Little has gone right for the Cardinals' offense, and the emergence of rookie Christian Kirk takes targets away from fellow receivers such as Nelson. The bright side: There is little where else to go but up with rookie Josh Rosen taking the reins. A tough matchup against Seattle's top-10 pass defense looms Sunday.

Doesn't catch sole target

Nelson didn't bring in his only target during Sunday's 34-0 road defeat to the Rams.

Analysis: Nelson appears to be a person non grata within the Cardinals offense, but his offensive snap count increased from one in the season opener to 23 in this contest. Outside of Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson and rookie running back Chase Edmonds, there's been little to note among the rest of the skill-position players. Due to the lack of output from wide receivers Chad Williams (no catches on six targets) and Christian Kirk (five receptions for 31 yards on seven targets), Nelson could begin a…read more

Sees one snap in Week 1

Nelson took the field for just one snap in Sunday's season opening loss to the Redskins, but head coach Steven Wilks indicated the Cardinals' big deficit effected the play-calling, Kyle Odegard of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: It is unclear why a big deficit would be anything but helpful for a wide receiver, but it sounds like Nelson could potentially be in line for more snaps going foward. Still, he is fourth on the depth chart and not on any fantasy radar at the moment.

Three targets in two preseason games

Nelson has combined for two catches (on three targets) for 10 yards through two preseason games.

Analysis: The coaching staff under Steve Wilks doesn't appear to hold Nelson in high regard if his exhibition workload is any indication. So far, all of Nelson's looks have come from rookie signal caller Josh Rosen rather than expected Week 1 starter Sam Bradford. Moreover, Nelson has accumulated just a trio of targets on 34 offensive snaps. When roster cuts are due Sept. 1, he may be saved by the fact he has one year remaining on his rookie deal, but Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk and Chad Williams…read more

Nelson is in the mix for the No. 2 wide receiver spot behind Larry Fitzgerald, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: Aside from Fitzgerald and 2017 third-round pick Chad Williams, Nelson is the sole holdover from last year's receiving corps, which lost John and Jaron Brown to free agency. Nelson is thus the top non-Fitz incumbent, but the Cardinals replaced the Browns with Christian Kirk, a second-rounder in April, and free agents Brice Butler and Greg Little. Primarily seen as a deep threat in his three pro seasons, Nelson has improved his route tree, as intimated by wide receivers coach Kevin Garver, who…read more

Nelson reeled in 29 of 61 passes for 508 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games during the 2017 season.

Analysis: Nelson upheld his stature as a hit-or-miss option, with far more of the latter than former in his third NFL campaign. As of Week 5, he had two touchdowns and two games with at least 80 yards receiving. Over the final 11 contests, though, he didn't reach the end zone once, had no more than two catches in a given game, and was held below 46 yards in every outing. No matter, his ability to rip off yards in big chunks helped Nelson reach 500 yards through the air for a second consecutive year.…read more

Nelson snagged one of three targets for a 46-yard gain and added a seven-yard run during Sunday's 20-15 loss to Washington.

Analysis: The game snapped an eight-game streak during which Nelson failed to total 50 yards in a game. He opened the season with two such performances in his first five contests, but he's struggled with the quarterback carousel and scope of his own role this season. Don't expect the return of Drew Stanton to make things any better. In Stanton's two starts earlier this season, Nelson combined for two catches and 32 yards off six targets.

Nelson gathered in two of three passes for 26 yards during Sunday's 12-7 win versus the Titans.

Analysis: After Larry Fitzgerald's five catches for 44 yards on 62 (of 65) offensive snaps, Nelson was second among Cardinals wideouts in receiving yards, despite Jaron Brown (15 yards) out-snapping him, 55-40. Nelson has actually earned three of his five greatest workloads of the season the past trio of games, but it hasn't translated to the game log, which displays five receptions (on 15 targets) for 82 yards. His explosiveness also hasn't shown through, as evidenced by one reception of 20-plus yards…read more

Nelson (knee) is listed as active Sunday versus the Titans, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: Despite a generous 90 offensive snaps the last two games, Nelson hasn't profited from 12 combined looks from Blaine Gabbert, gathering in three for 56 yards. Nelson's opponent, the Titans, have allowed the second-fewest catches of 20-plus yards this season, but wideouts have accounted for 15 touchdowns against this unit, good for third-most in the NFL.

Nelson (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest versus the Titans, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: The Cardinals placed limitations on Nelson's practice regimen this week due to a knee injury. His ability to take part Wednesday through Friday bodes well for his availability this weekend, but the potential exists for his status to come down to Sunday's 4:05 p.m. EST kickoff.

Nelson (knee) was a limited participant in practice Thursday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: One of three receivers on the Cardinals' Week 14 injury report, Nelson looks bound to avoid the inactive list Sunday against the Titans after turning in his second limited practice in as many days. Nelson's full participation Friday would likely allow him to head into the weekend without carrying an injury designation.

Nelson was limited in practice Wednesday with a knee injury, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: Nelson played second fiddle to Larry Fitzgerald among Cardinals wide receivers Week 13 against the Rams, turning eight targets into two receptions for 42 yards. The stat line broke a streak of four straight games with exactly one catch, but his catch rate remains a putrid 47.2 percent (25 of 53) on the season. Assuming he puts a knee injury behind him and plays Sunday versus the Titans, he'll have the chance to take advantage of a defense that has allowed the third-most touchdowns (15) to…read more

Nelson snagged two of eight targets for 42 yards during Sunday's 32-16 loss to the Rams.

Analysis: The eight targets were a season high for Nelson, but they did little to snap a seven-game streak with two or fewer catches. His 42 yards on Sunday mark his highest total during that span. Nelson had a strong start to the season with 10 catches, 163 total yards and two touchdowns in Weeks 1 and 2, but he was unable to keep it up. He has caught just 37.5 percent of his targets since then and has averaged just 28.5 total yards per game with no touchdowns. He should not be on your radar week to…read more

Nelson played 40 of the Cardinals' 73 offensive snaps during Sunday's 27-24 win against the Jaguars.

Analysis: Targeted four times by current starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert, Nelson hauled in just one of them for 14 yards. Nelson has now tallied exactly one reception in four consecutive contests, during which his catch rate rings in at a woeful 30.8 percent. With far more misses than hits, the explosive wideout can safely be avoided with Carson Palmer (arm) out of the picture.

Nelson (chest) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: With John Brown (chest) ruled out and Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey (hand) also potentially absent, Nelson finds himself in a decent spot for the first time since September. of course, a matchup with Jacksonville still looks quite tricky, and Cardinals coach Bruce Arians hinted that he may use Brown's absence to give rookie third-round pick Chad Williams some playing time. On top of all that, starting QB Blaine Gabbert isn't exactly known for taking shots down the field.

Nelson (chest) was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Analysis: After earning at least 60 percent of the offensive snaps in two of the first three games of the season, Nelson's workload has ranged from 18.5 to 56 percent of those reps, during which he's hauled in 12 of 25 passes for 199 yards across seven contests. His lack of production, along with John Brown's (turf toe) compromised health and similar inconsistency as a pass catcher, has forced head coach Bruce Arians to consider other options in the passing game opposite Larry Fitzgerald. Among those…read more

Nelson was targeted three times and caught one of them for 14 yards in Sunday's 31-21 loss to Houston.

Analysis: It was the fourth time in five games in which Nelson was held to one or no catches for less than 20 yards. Nelson started the season off hot, with touchdowns in each of his first two games and at least three catches in four of his first five contests. Nelson saw the field for 29 of the Cardinals' 58 offensive snaps on Sunday, fourth among receivers. He is not a safe bet week to week.

Nelson was on the field for 29 of 80 offensive snaps during Sunday's 22-16 defeat to the Seahawks.

Analysis: Nelson hasn't received more than 52 snaps on offense since Week 3 and has only surpassed 43 yards receiving twice in nine games, the last of which occurred Week 5 (four catches for 80 yards at Philadelphia). On Sunday, he was targeted four times by Drew Stanton but hauled in just one for 17 yards. Outside of Larry Fitzgerald and surprisingly tight end Jermaine Gresham, it's been tough sledding for the rest of the receiving corps. Now, Stanton may miss some time due to a sprained knee, which…read more