NFL Player News

Smith caught both his targets for 39 yards in Friday night's 28-25 preseason loss to the Chiefs.

Smith hauled in a 23-yarder from Kirk Cousins to begin his night, then put Minnesota in a first-and-goal situation with a 16-yard grab a few plays later. Heading into his third season, Smith seems poised for a larger role complementing wideouts Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, putting his stock on the rise in advance of Week 1's matchup against the Bengals.

Granson caught three of four targets for 23 yards in Friday's preseason win over the Lions.

The 23-year-old tied for second on the Colts in targets on the night, but his longest grab went for only 10 yards as he worked with Jacob Eason and the first-team offense. There's been speculation Granson could have a bigger role than expected in the passing game even if he's only third on the depth chart at tight end, as the team has a track record of finding targets for multiple players at the position; however, the 2021 fourth-round pick is still a long shot to have much fantasy value.

Engram (undisclosed) returned to practice Friday, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports.

Engram had worked on the side with the Giants' training staff during Thursday's joint practice with the Patriots, but the tight end's return to the field Friday suggests that he has a chance to see action in the team's preseason finale Sunday against New England. Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com previously noted that the Giants' healthy starters would play at least a half versus the Patriots, but it's possible that Engram could potentially be held out for precautionary reasons, given his recent on-field limitations.

Granson will be featured in the Colts passing game if training camp is any indication, Stephen Holder of The Athletic reports.

While this is an encouraging report, Granson hasn't been showcased in the preseason. He has two receptions on seven targets through two exhibitions while playing 42 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also behind both Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox on the depth chart. However, this report implies that Granson could be utilized in the Colts' passing game similar to how Trey Burton was deployed in 2020 when the Colts often utilized three tight ends, and he could therefore be a sleeper should Doyle or Alie-Cox miss time due to injury.

The Saints will kick off Week 1 against the Packers with Jameis Winston starting under center, leaving Hill to handle backup duties, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Coach Sean Payton took his time evaluating all options before officially naming a No. 1 quarterback. Although Hill threw for 138 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's preseason win over the Jaguars while operating with the second unit, Winston was able to lock up the top gig after compiling 123 yards and two touchdowns while working with the starters. Hill will kick off the regular season operating as Winston's primary backup, though he could also still take the field in his usual capacity as a gadget player. With Adam Trautman (anke) and Nick Vannett (knee) both nursing multi-week injuries, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, Hill could end up handling increased work at tight end.

Deguara (knee) participated in team drills during Thursday's practice, Marques Eversoll of The Fan 107.5 reports.

Deguara also participated in team drills during joint practices with the Jets last week, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press Gazette, but the second-year tight end didn't suit up for last weekend's preseason game against New York. However, Deguara's continued participation in team drills this week suggests he didn't suffer any sort of setback, so it seems possible he could take the field for the Packers' preseason finale Saturday against the Bills.

Fant (leg) should be ready for Week 1, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.

Fant has missed practice all week and won't play in Saturday's preseason game against the Rams. After that, the Broncos will have two weeks to prepare for their Sept. 12 opener against the Giants, with Teddy Bridgewater getting the start at QB. The breakout case for Fant remains solid, though he'll have no shortage of competition for targets in the Denver offense.

The Titans placed Swaim (undisclosed) on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Swaim will need to fully clear the league's COVID-19 protocols before returning to team facilities. The timing of Swaim's placement on the COVID list makes him an unlikely candidate for Saturday's preseason finale against the Bears, but he'll have over two weeks to gain clearance for the regular-season opener against Arizona on Sept. 12.

Pruitt (calf) is practicing Thursday, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports reports.

Pruitt missed a significant portion of training camp due to a calf injury, but he's now back on the field. The sixth-year pro is competing for a depth gig in San Francisco's tight-end corps, where George Kittle stands as the unquestioned No. 1 option.

Engram worked with the training staff during Thursday's joint practice with the Patriots, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports.

He's seemingly bothered by a minor injury, with a limited practice Wednesday and now an absence Thursday morning. The Giants reportedly planned to play Engram for at least the first half of Sunday's preseason finale against New England, but it's no longer clear the tight end will be able to play. Engram otherwise has been healthy this summer, yet was held out of the Giants' first two preseason games.