NFL Player News

Pitts caught two of his six targets for 13 yards during the Falcons' 19-13 loss to the Panthers on Sunday.

After back-to-back 100-yard performances, Pitts was humbled in this Week 8 defeat. Calvin Ridley was out for the second time in three games due to a personal issue, so Pitts operated as Atlanta's top receiving option and was doubled for the majority of the contest. Matt Ryan tried to force the ball to the 6-foot-6 tight end on multiple occasions, but the rookie first-round pick failed to make a highlight play. Pitts remain a must-start moving forward, but he'll need a bounce-back performance against the Saints next Sunday to give his fantasy managers confidence once again.

Arnold caught eight receptions for 68 yards on 10 targets against Seattle on Sunday.

Arnold was by far the most effective target for Jacksonville on Sunday, but that's not saying much in a game where quarterback Trevor Lawrence averaged just 4.4 yards per pass on 54 attempts. Arnold should continue to see his target volume benefit from the combination of Jacksonville's dearth of viable pass catchers and the fact the Jaguars are forced to play from behind from relatively early in nearly every game. Arnold could be surprisingly useful going forward in PPR formats, though a Week 9 matchup with Buffalo is not encouraging.

Gesicki secured three of four targets for 48 yards and also caught a two-point conversion pass in the Dolphins' 26-11 loss to the Bills on Sunday.

The talented tight end's yardage total, modest as it was, checked in second only to that of DeVante Parker's on the Dolphins for the afternoon. However, with a long catch of 40 yards, Gesicki's other two grabs went for just eight yards. The two-point conversion reception helped prop up his tally just slightly, but Gesicki still finished with his lowest reception total since Week 2. Next up for the Penn State product and his teammates is a matchup versus the Texans' Cover-2 scheme, which does give up a fair amount of production to tight ends.

Freiermuth caught four of seven targets for 44 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 15-10 win over Cleveland.

The rookie tight end ranked second on the team in targets behind top wideout Diontae Johnson, and it's the second straight week he's been targeted seven times. Freiermuth had only 11 receptions for 100 yards and one score across the first five weeks of the season, but he's been more involved the past two games with 11 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.

Uzomah caught all four of his targets for 33 yards in Sunday's 34-31 loss to the Jets.

Uzomah was held in check after compiling five touchdowns over his previous four games. The tight end had a pair of yardage outbursts north of 90 over that productive stretch but has failed to reach the 40-yard mark in any other game this season. Uzomah will remain a boom-or-bust option in Week 9 against the Browns with the Bengals looking to bounce back from this spooky Halloween loss.

Akins caught five receptions for 53 yards on five targets against the Rams on Sunday.

Akins was efficient with his workload, but the five targets marks just the third time in 2021 that Akins drew more than two targets in a game, and his usage Sunday was possibly boosted by the absence of starting tight end Pharaoh Brown (thigh). Not just that, but rookie fifth-round pick Brevin Jordan saw four targets of his own and caught three for 41 yards and one touchdown. Jordan is the same type of tight end as Akins -- a slightly undersized pass-catching specialist -- so if Jordan should emerge further, it could occur at Akins' expense. The Texans face Miami in Week 9.

Swaim had four receptions (five targets) for 23 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 34-31 win over the Colts.

Ryan Tannehill dialed up his tight end near the goal line on a play-action pass for the veteran's first touchdown of the season. Swaim has been logging starter's snaps on offense, but this was just his eighth reception on the year. The 27-year-old's value lies in his ability to block in front of Derrick Henry, so fantasy managers can dismiss this rare trip to the end zone.

James caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown in the Bears' 33-22 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.

With Jimmy Graham (COVID-19) missing this game, James caught all three of his targets, including the only touchdown pass Justin Fields threw. For the second straight game, James caught three passes, though once Graham returns, there's a strong chance James returns to the reserve spot he held, which resulted in zero catches through Week 6.

Hockenson caught 10 of 11 targets for 89 yards during Sunday's 44-6 loss to the Eagles.

Seeing more than double the number of targets as the next closest player on the team, Hockenson was the only avenue through which the Lions were able to find success. Through eight games, the tight end has now seen at least eight targets six times, which is a claim that only one other tight end in the NFL (Travis Kelce) can make. While Hockenson won't have Kelce's upside as long as Jared Goff is throwing him the ball, his usage rate is elite and it's likely that Hockenson is just approaching his physical peak. The No. 8 pick of the 2019 NFL Draft will remain a top fantasy option when the Lions return from their Week 9 bye.

Kmet caught three passes for 24 yards in the Bears' 33-22 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.

Kmet was second on the team with six targets, but aside from a 16-yard reception, he had a quiet afternoon. He's yet to score a touchdown or reach 50 yards in a game this season, making him a low-upside fantasy option.