NFL Player News

Ertz (hamstring) is listed as limited on Tuesday's practice estimate, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

In the first game with DeAndre Hopkins (knee) officially out for the rest of the regular season, Ertz earned a season-high 11 targets this past Sunday in Detroit, which he turned into six catches for 74 yards. Ertz also dealt with the hamstring issue prior to that contest and proceeded to suit up, but his activity still will need to be monitored to make sure he's available Saturday versus the Colts.

Uzomah had three catches on four targets for 18 yards in Sunday's win over the Broncos.

It was hard for Uzomah to get any sort of volume with the Bengals limited to just 22 passes all day. However, Uzomah had a big day (3-91-2) against the Ravens, next week's opponent, when they previously met.

Bell was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

The tight end tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday and now joins the long list of Chiefs players that have been added to the reserve/COVID-19 list in the last few days. With both Bell and Travis Kelce (illness) in COVID-19 protocols, Noah Gray is the last remaining active tight end on the roster at the moment.

Bryant (ankle) was listed as a limited participant on the Browns' estimated injury report Tuesday, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

The tight end came into Monday's loss to the Raiders listed as questionable with a high-ankle sprain, but he was cleared to make his return from a one-game absence. He finished with two receptions for 11 yards and a touchdown in the contest and wasn't believed to have suffered any setbacks, so his appearance on Cleveland's initial Week 16 injury report may just be precautionary. So long as he maintains limited activity or upgrades to full participation by Thursday, he should be cleared to play Saturday in Green Bay.

Seals-Jones (illness) is listed as active Tuesday at Philadelphia.

Seals-Jones picked up a non-COVID-19 illness over the weekend, but the fact this contest was pushed back allowed the tight end to make himself available for Week 15 action. With Logan Thomas (knee) on injured reserve, Seals-Jones will continue to serve as the No. 1 TE for Washington, while John Bates and Alex Armah are the other available options at the position. Unfortunately for Seals-Jones, he doesn't have much familiarity with the team's spot starter at QB, Garrett Gilbert, who is stepping in for Taylor Heinicke (reserve/COVID-19) and Kyle Allen (reserve/COVID-19).

Gray was not targeted in Thursday's game against the Chargers.

Gray has not received a target since Week 11 versus Dallas but has played 20-plus percent of the offensive snaps in each of the last five contests. That trend figures to continue next week, and Gray could be looking at an expansion in his snap count if Travis Kelce -- who was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list Monday -- isn't cleared to play ahead of Sunday's clash with the Steelers.

Bell was unable to haul in his lone target Thursday against the Chargers.

Bell has played more than 20 percent of snaps in all but one game he's appeared in this season but hasn't recorded more than a single catch in any one game.That could change next week, however, with Travis Kelce being placed on the COVID-19/reserve list Monday. Bell would presumably take over as the team's top tight end if Kelce is unable to clear the league's protocol in time, with Noah Gray also figuring into the mix more often.

Higbee wasn't activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list and won't be available for Tuesday's game against the Seahawks, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports.

Higbee is one of nine players on the 53-man roster and 16 in the organization who was unable to clear the necessary COVID-19 protocols for the Week 15 contest, even after the NFL pushed back the game two days from its original date. The tight end will be missing his second straight game, after he was previously sidelined for a Week 14 win over the Cardinals for what was later revealed to be a false positive COVID-19 test. Though he was restored to the roster one day after that game, Higbee returned to the list three days later, either due to a true positive test or as an unvaccinated close contact of an infected person. In any case, with Higbee missing his second game in a row, the Rams will likely turn to the blocking-oriented Kendall Blanton to make another start at tight end.

Freiermuth was placed in the NFL's five-step concussion protocol after exiting Sunday's 19-13 win over the Titans with a head injury, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.

Freiermuth contributed four receptions for 37 yards on four targets before departing. With the rookie tight end now in the concussion protocol, he'll likely be listed as a limited or non-participant when Pittsburgh resumes practicing Wednesday. In order to make himself eligible to play this weekend in Kansas City, Freiermuth will need to resume taking contact in addition to receiving clearance from an independent neurologist.

Okwuegbunam caught three of four targets for 58 yards in Sunday's 15-10 loss to the Bengals.

Okwuegbunam remained involved in Denver's passing attack Sunday, as his 58 yards were a team-high. The 23-year-old tight end has now seen at least four targets in his last 3 games. Against Cincinnati, Okwuegbunam played on 30 of the Broncos' 75 offensive snaps, exactly half of starter Noah Fant's snap total in the contest. Though Okwuegbunam is difficult to trust for fantasy purposes, his involvement in the offense is an encouraging sign. The 6-foot-5, 258-pounder will be nothing more than a desperation play in a favorable matchup with the Raiders in Week 16.