The Patriots activated WR Tyquan Thornton (collarbone) from IR. The rookie broke his collarbone in mid-August and just returned to practice this week. Don't expect him to play a big role in Sunday's game vs. the Lions, but we'll keep an eye on his development.

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton (shoulder) has been placed on IR. He'll miss at least the first four weeks of the season. The second-year receiver was sidelined during the spring with a soft-tissue injury and then hurt his shoulder in mid-August. He's not worth rostering in redraft. JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and Demario Douglas figure to open the season as New England's top four WRs.

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton is a “candidate” for injured reserve, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Thornton hasn’t practiced since August 17, when he landed hard on his shoulder in a joint practice with Green Bay. Reiss didn't hint at a season-ending injury, but Thornton certainly comes with added risk. New England looks set to enter Week 1 with JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker as the top-2 WRs.

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton missed Saturday night's preseason game with what's believed to be a shoulder injury. "He's doing fine. It's a week-to-week situation," a source told The Boston Globe's Christopher Price. Thornton can't afford the missed reps. He was sidelined for part of the spring with a soft-tissue injury and has been out-played by rookie WR Demario Douglas in camp. At this point, Thornton is well off the redraft fantasy radar. We'll let you know when he returns from this latest injury.

Patriots insider Alex Barth believes, based on Sunday's practice, that Tyquan Thornton might be in a battle for the fourth WR spot with rookie Demario Douglas. Barth notes that WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and Douglas worked with QB Mac Jones in positional drills early in the practice. And when the Patriots moved to team drills, Thornton and Douglas split reps evenly with the first-team offense. "This could be a sign of a true position battle, with the two proving to see who is the better option as the fourth wide receiver and main speed threat in the group," Barth writes. We'll keep an eye on the situation, but neither Thornton nor Douglas are recommended fantasy picks right now.

Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton has not appeared limited in training camp so far, according to insider Alex Barth. Thornton missed time in the spring with a soft-tissue injury, but that looks to be behind him. The 2022 second-round pick has an opportunity to carve out a significant role in a New England passing game that could certainly use his speed.