NFL Player News

Fant (leg) didn't practice Wednesday, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

The tight end continues to manage an unspecified left leg injury, but DiLalla relayed Tuesday that Fant's issue is not believed to be a long-term concern. When the 2019 first-round pick returns to the field, he'll look to continue to build chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater, who was named the Broncos' starting quarterback Wednesday.

Head coach Nick Sirianni said Ertz and Goedert both rank near the top of the team in targets and catches throughout training camp, Eliot Shorr-Parks of Sports Radio 94 WIP Philadelphia reports.

Shorr-Parks says his stats show the same thing, with quarterback Jalen Hurts taking a liking to his talented tight ends. The popular thinking all offseason was that the Eagles would trade Ertz and shift to more three-wide formations under a new coaching staff, but both tight ends now seem likely to have significant roles in the passing game. Assuming Ertz remains in Philadelphia, the division of snaps and targets between him and Goedert will be one of the key things to monitor for fantasy purposes early in the season. The Eagles kick their season off Sept. 12 in Atlanta, facing a Falcons defense that finished in the bottom half of the league for points and yards allowed each of the past three seasons.

Trautman (ankle) expects to miss 1-to-3 weeks, but he could have a different timeline after he visits a specialist Thursday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Fellow Saints tight end Nick Vannett (knee) is out for 2-to-4 weeks, leaving Juwan Johnson, Ethan Wolf and Garrett Griffin as the Saints' healthy options at the position for the time being. Trautman, a third-round pick last year, still is the best chance the group has to produce a viable fantasy player for 2021, though his second-year breakout case took a hit after a slow preseason (zero targets in two games) ended early due to the ankle injury. It isn't clear if Trautman will even be ready for Week 1.

Togiai (undisclosed) was waived/injured by the Colts on Tuesday.

Togiai appeared in four games for the Colts in 2020 and failed to haul in his lone target. He dealt with a knee injury during the second half of the season, but it's not clear what injury he's dealing with ahead of the 2021 campaign. If the 24-year-old goes unclaimed on waivers, he'll revert to the team's injured reserve.

Vannett (knee) is expected to miss 2-to-4 weeks, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

The blocking-oriented tight end injured his knee during Monday's preseason game against the Jaguars, while fellow tight end Adam Trautman hurt his ankle. The position already looked like a potential weakness for the Saints after they parted ways with Jared Cook and Josh Hill in the offseason, and a trade would make sense now that the top two guys on the depth chart are banged up. Vannett is an extreme long shot for fantasy value this year, but his absence could have some impact on playing time for the team's more receiving-oriented TEs (i.e. Trautman and Juwan Johnson).

Kmet (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday, Larry Mayer of the Bears' official site reports.

It's a sign of progress, though the Bears are holding a light practice with no pads Wednesday, per Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. Kmet has been dealing with the hamstring injury since last week, missing Chicago's second preseason game after he caught one pass for three yards in the first. He should lead the team's tight ends in snaps this year, but splitting targets with Jimmy Graham probably won't work out great for either player from a fantasy standpoint.

Head coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday that Parkinson has a "real slight" nondisplaced fracture in his foot and remains uncertain for Week 2, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Carroll added we won't know for a while if Parkinson will be cleared for the season opener. In turn, the Seahawks added free agent TE Luke Willson for depth behind Gerald Everett and Will Dissly. The Seahawks will likely take a cautious approach with Parkinson -- who they selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft -- because of the delicate nature of foot injuries. Once the 6-foot-7 tight end is cleared, he should claim the No. 3 role.

Fant didn't participate at Tuesday's practice due to a leg injury, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.

The specifics of the issue remain unclear, though coach Vic Fangio indicated it isn't believed to be a serious concern. Fant seemingly picked up the injury during last Saturday's preseason matchup with the Seahawks, when he wasn't targeted in 21 offensive snaps. Even if the 23-year-old makes a quick return to practice, he may not see much, if any, action during Saturday's preseason finale versus the Rams.

Trautman (foot/ankle) is optimistic he avoided a major injury but nonetheless will visit a specialist to get a return timeline, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

While he seemingly avoided a long-term absence, there hasn't been anything said about Trautman's potential availability for Week 1. He's tentatively expected to be the team's top pass-catching tight end, with Nick Vannett (knee) the favorite for in-line, blocking work. Vannett was also injured in Monday's preseason game against the Saints, leaving Juwan Johnson and Ethan Wolf as the healthy tight ends.

Trautman (foot/ankle) is believed to have avoided a serious injury Monday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Trautman and fellow tight end Nick Vannett (knee) were scheduled to have MRIs following their respective early exits from Monday's preseason game against Jacksonville. The two are probably competing with teammates more so than each other given their differing skill sets, but it nonetheless leaves the Saints awfully thin -- though perhaps just temporarily -- at a position that already looked shaky. The lack of a high-profile offseason addition after Jared Cook's departure could still work in favor of Trautman, a 2020 third-round pick who caught 15 of 16 targets as a rookie. Converted wideout Juwan Johnson may be Trautman's main competition for playing time in clear passing situations.