NFL Player News

Kittle (calf) remained limited Friday at practice, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Barring an unexpected last-minute setback, Kittle figures to start and handle a three-down role Monday night against the Rams. He put up a 6-101-1 receiving line while playing 73 percent of snaps in a Week 9 loss to the Cardinals, immediately making an impact after returning from IR.

Smith (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Browns after practicing in a limited fashion this past week.

Smith has been managing a shoulder issue of late, but we'd still expect him to be available for Sunday's 1:00 ET kickoff. That said, the tight end remains a hit-or-miss fantasy option while continuing to work in a timeshare with Hunter Henry.

Bryant (thigh) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's contest against the Patriots, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Bryant was limited at practices throughout the week, but he will be available Sunday. The 23-year-old tight end played through the injury in Week 9 and caught both of his targets for 26 yards during the 41-16 win.

Okwuegbunam (knee) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Eagles, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

Okwuegbunam was unable to practice Wednesday but then managed to participate on a limited basis both Thursday and Friday. Denver got Noah Fant back from the reserve/COVID-19 list this week, so Albert O will work in a complementary role at tight end if he manages to play through the knee injury.

Hill will once again cede the starting quarterback role to Trevor Siemian against the Titans on Sunday, but coach Sean Payton said the team will have some packages for Hill, John DeShazier of the Saints' official site reports.

Hill had two pass attempts and one carry last week while playing a total of 17 offensive snaps. His usage will likely come primarily in red-zone packages, which would give Hill a significant enough role to cut into Siemian's upside but not enough playing time for Hill to have much standalone fantasy value outside of formats in which he's eligible at a position other than quarterback.

Gesicki failed to bring in any of his seven targets in the Dophins' 22-10 win over the Ravens on Thursday night.

On a celebratory night for the Dolphins due to the sizable upset, Gesicki was a surprising non-factor despite logging a team-high amount of targets. The 2018 second-rounder hadn't been held without a catch since a Week 6 contest against the Jets last season, and his first chance to atone for the shutout comes against that same New York squad a week from Sunday in a Week 11 road matchup.

Andrews secured six of eight targets for 63 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' 22-10 loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night.

Andrews was one of the few bright spots of the night for the stagnant Ravens offense, co-leading the team in receptions and also recording a five-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter to give Baltimore temporary hope. The talented tight end's catch total was his second highest of the season, and he's now crossed the 60-yard threshold in five of the last seven games. Andrews' next opportunity to extend that favorable stretch comes a week from Sunday in a Week 11 road matchup versus the Bears.

Dafney (hamstring) didn't participate in Thursday's practice session.

Dafney failed to haul in his lone target in Sunday's loss to Kansas City, and he apparently sustained a hamstring injury that has kept him off the field for the last two days. He'll likely need to practice in some capacity Friday to have a chance to play Sunday against the Seahawks.

Vannett (knee) was activated off of injured reserve Thursday.

The tight end injured his knee in the preseason finale and is yet to make his 2021 debut. Vannett's first opportunity will come Sunday against the Titans, though he will likely operate as a depth option behind Adam Trautman and Garrett Griffin.

Kittle (calf) will be a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

After missing three games plus a bye week with a calf injury, Kittle made a successful return to action last weekend against the Cardinals. In addition to handling something just short of a normal workload (41 snaps, 73 percent), Kittle paced the 49ers in receiving yards (101), tied for the team lead in receptions (six) and tied for second in targets (eight) in the 31-17 loss. Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't suggest that Kittle experienced any setbacks in his return, so Kittle's limitations to begin Week 10 prep are likely just maintenance-related. Assuming Kittle remains unscathed as the week rolls along, he should see a slight uptick in his snap share during the 49ers' meeting with the Rams on Monday night.