NFL Player News

Fant (leg) participated in individual drills during Monday's practice, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

DiLalla adds that coach Vic Fangio believes that Fant should be able to play Sunday against the Giants. That's a notion that should be solidified, one way or the other, as the Broncos continue their preparation leading up to their Week 1 kickoff. The team's first practice/injury report of 2021 is due Wednesday.

Henry (shoulder) indicated Monday that he expects to play against the Dolphins in Sunday's regular-season opener, Zack Cox of NESN.com reports.

Henry is bouncing back from a shoulder injury that he suffered during practice Aug. 8, but it appears as though he's trending toward suiting up Week 1, barring any setbacks. Added clarity with regard to his status should arrive no later than Wednesday, when the Patriots submit their first practice/injury report of the 2021 season. Once cleared to play, Henry is slated to combine with fellow newcomer Jonnu Smith to form a potent one-two punch in a New England offense that figures to roll out plenty of multi-tight end formations, with rookie QB Mac Jones under center for the team.

Engram (calf) was in pads and caught passes prior to Monday's practice, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports.

That's not to say Engram actually will participate in the session, but it's a good sign that he's making progress through the left calf injury that he suffered in the Giants' exhibition finale on Aug. 29. Still, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported earlier Monday that Engram has a slim chance to suit up for Week 1 against the Broncos, so his status throughout preparation for that game in the coming days will be worthwhile to monitor. If Engram is unable to give it a go Sunday, New York may have to rely on Kyle Rudolph (foot) and Kaden Smith at tight end in the opener.

Swaim has been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Swaim thus is in line to be available for Sunday's season opener against the Cardinals. In 10 games with the Titans last year, he logged nine catches on 12 targets for 83 yards and a TD. The 27-year-old plays a key role as a blocker in Tennessee's offense, but teammate Anthony Firkser profiles as the team's primary pass-catching tight end.

Engram (calf) is a long shot to play in Sunday's season opener against Denver, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Giants aren't quite ready to rule Engram out but seem to be preparing for a Week 1 absence after he injured his calf in the final preseason game. Kyle Rudolph (foot) and Kaden Smith are the other tight ends on New York's 53-man roster, with the former also uncertain for Week 1 as he works his way back from offseason foot surgery. It stands to reason that the team will lean on three-wide formations out of the gate, though the Rudolph acquisition this offseason hinted at a desire to use more multi-TE sets.

Pruitt has signed on with the Titans' practice squad, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Pruitt missed out on a 53-man roster spot with the 49ers but found a new home to continue his NFL pursuit after just a few days. The signing makes sense for Tennessee given that he's played each of the last three seasons in Nashville.

Okwuegbunam could see an increased role early in the season, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post reports.

With starting tight end Noah Fant sidelined with a leg injury since Aug. 19, Okwuegbunam could be called upon to take over the top spot at the position if Fant is unable to return for the season opener. Coach Vic Fangio believes Fant will return for Week 1, but said Okwuegbunam is "definitely ready" to take on No. 1 tight end role if needed. The 23-year-old appears ready to take a step forward in Denver's offense, and it's plausible to think that the coaching staff will look to get him more involved in the passing game. The Broncos used two-tight-end sets for nearly 40 percent of their snaps in the Broncos' preseason finale, which may hint at an intention to also deploy it frequently during the regular season. Nonetheless, it may be difficult for the 6-foot-5, 258-pounder to find a level of consistency in a Broncos offense littered with talented pass catchers. Okwuegbunam's clearest path to fantasy relevance would come if Fant is forced to miss an extended period of time.

Engram (calf) hasn't done much on the practice field this week, Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

Duggan adds that Engram was having a good summer prior to injuring his calf in the final preseason game. The tight end has been a repeated disappointment for both fantasy managers and the Giants, but he just turned 27 and stills ranks among the league's fastest players at his position. That said, he'll likely lose a bunch of last year's snaps to Kyle Rudolph, who also looks questionable for Week 1 in the aftermath of offseason foot surgery. Engram wore full pads for Thursday's practice, but he was then limited to side work with the training staff, according to Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record. Giants coach Joe Judge called it a "down day" for the tight end, noting that Engram likely will be held out through the weekend at the very least, per John Fennelly of Yahoo. The team will release its first injury report Wednesday, ahead of next Sunday's opener against the Broncos at the Meadowlands.

The Colts waived Togiai (undisclosed) from injured reserve with an injury settlement Thursday, independent NFL journalist Aaron Wilson reports.

It is unclear what is ailing Togiai, but when he is healthy he will be free to join a new team during the 2021 campaign. He appeared in four games for the Colts last season and failed to catch his lone target.

The Cowboys moved McKeon (ankle) to injured reserve Thursday, Rob Phillips of the team's official site reports.

McKeon will be eligible to come off IR as early as Week 4 against the Panthers, as long as he's recovered from his ankle injury by then. The second-year pro appeared in 14 games with the Cowboys as a rookie last season.