Head coach John Fox said Wheaton exited Sunday's practice with a broken finger on his left hand, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

A day after returning to practice following his 13-day absence due to an appendectomy, Wheaton now has a new problem to deal with. While it isn't clear how long he'll be out, it's probably safe to say Wheaton won't be playing in Saturday's preseason matchup with the Cardinals.

Wheaton left Sunday's practice with an undisclosed injury, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

After missing the first two weeks of training camp due to an appendectomy, Wheaton only made it through one practice before suffering a new ailment. He was expected to have the inside track to a spot in three-wide sets, but his continued absence from training camp could open the door for Kendall Wright or Victor Cruz to grab the role instead. Cameron Meredith and Kevin White are expected to get most of the snaps in two-wide sets, with Meredith offering the versatility to slide into the slot when the team goes three-wide.

Wheaton (appendix) returned to practice after missing 13 days due to an appendectomy, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Now that he's back in action, Wheaton will continue to compete for a spot on the depth chart. He'll have a good chance of earning a role as a starter on the outside in three-receiver sets, as Cameron Meredith has performed very well in the slot. However, nothing's been determined, and this situation may not have clarity until after the third preseason game.

Wheaton (appendix) isn't expected to play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Broncos, Adam Hoge of WGN Radio reports.

EDGE Analysis

Wheaton isn't expected to back in action for another week. His absence likely opens the door for Kendall Wright and Victor Cruz to see additional snaps with the first-team offense.

Wheaton (appendectomy) expects to return to practice in two weeks, NFL Network's Stacy Dales reports.

EDGE Analysis

Wheaton seemingly expects to miss at least one preseason game, but he should be back before the end of training camp with enough time to play in at least two exhibitions. The missed time could still have a major impact on his standing with the team, as Kendall Wright and Victor Cruz provide strong competition for the No. 3 receiver job. Assuming Cameron Meredith and Kevin White lock down the top two spots, it will be tough for more than one of Wheaton, Wright and Cruz to stay regularly involved in the offense.

Wheaton had an appendectomy performed on Sunday and is out indefinitely, Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

Wheaton had recently gotten over a shoulder injury and was cleared for camp, but this latest appendectomy will provide a short setback for his availability. He's currently without any sort of timetable for a return, although another update on his status should be provided shortly. Wheaton is expected to fight for a top three spot in the wide receiver rotation, but for the duration of his absence, look for Kendall Wright and Victor Cruz to get additional reps behind Cameron Meredith and Kevin White.

Wheaton (shoulder) is on the field for Wednesday's practice session, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

This isn't a big surprise, as news regarding his recovery had been positive throughout the off-season, and Wheaton will be competing for an opportunity to be in the starting lineup. With Cameron Meredith and Kevin White ahead of Wheaton on the depth chart, Wheaton is most likely competing to be on the field when the team goes to sets with three receivers. Since the Bears are expected to have a run-heavy offense, a role as a third receiver would likely have sporadic fantasy value.

Wheaton (shoulder) has an opportunity to start this season, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Bears added several veteran wideouts this offseason in order to try and replace Alshon Jeffery. While Kevin White and Cameron Meredith (thumb) are slated to be the starters, injury history has haunted the Bears' receiving corps the past few years, which could lead to Wheaton's opportunity. He'll be competing with Victor Cruz and Kendall Wright for reps, but Wheaton's superior ability on the outside compared to the other two wideouts could set the 26-year-old apart from the crowd. However, he'll first have to make a full recovery from shoulder surgery.

Wheaton (shoulder) is nearing a full recovery from shoulder surgery, Matt Eurich of 247 Sports reports. "I'm waiting for them to let me loose," Wheaton said. "I feel great, though."

EDGE Analysis

Wheaton said earlier in the offseason that he anticipated being fully ready for the start of the Bears' offseason program in April but it doesn't sound as if that expectation ever became reality. Now, with OTAs in the books, the 2013 third-rounder could readjust his sights for next week's mandatory minicamp or, if not then, training camp in late July.

Wheaton (shoulder) received $5 million guaranteed on the two-year, $11 million deal he signed with Chicago, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's a surprisingly strong contract for a player who caught just four passes in three games during an injury-plagued 2016 season -- a year that many expected to serve as his breakout campaign. Wheaton did turn 79 targets into 44 catches for 749 yards (9.5 YPT) and five touchdowns the previous season while mostly serving as Pittsburgh's No. 3 wideout behind Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. Wheaton never quite emerged as a consistent second option behind Brown when given the chance, but the speedy 26-year-old might still have a bit of untapped upside. He'll be paid like a high-end No. 3 receiver -- as will fellow free-agent acquisition Kendall Wright, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract Saturday. With Cameron Meredith and injury-plagued Kevin White (fibula) projecting as the starters, Wheaton may end up battling Wright for the No. 3 role. Wheaton said he expects to be ready for the start of the team's offseason program in April.