NFL Player News

Oliver had seven catches for 50 yards on 10 targets Saturday against the Panthers. He also lost one fumble.

Though Oliver led all Ravens pass-catchers in every major category, his red-zone fumble casts a pall over his performance. Oliver is battling for the No. 3 tight end spot while Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle are locks.

Smith (ankle) is present for Monday's practice, Zack Cox of NESN.com reports.

Smith missed three straight practices due to a low ankle sprain before missing Friday's preseason matchup against the Eagles. He still may end up having his reps limited Monday, but rejoining teammates in some capacity at least could bode well for Smith's chances of suiting up for the Patriots' final exhibition contest Aug. 29 against the Giants.

Bryant did not play in Sunday's 17-13 win over the Giants in preseason Week 2, Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram reports.

A healthy Bryant played the preseason opener last week against the Jaguars but got the day off Sunday. He joined Austin Hooper and David Njoku on the no-play list, while Connor Davis and Jordan Franks were given a lot of run at tight end. The Browns also deployed fullback Johnny Stanton at tight end. With Stephen Carlson (knee) expected to miss multiple months, and perhaps the entire season, the Browns will need a fourth tight end.

Njoku did not play in Sunday's 17-13 win over the Giants in preseason Week 2, Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram reports.

A healthy Njoku joined fellow tight ends Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant in not playing Sunday, leaving most of the reps for Jordan Franks and Connor Davis. The Browns also used fullback Johnny Stanton at tight end.

Parham did not play in Sunday's preseason loss after aggravating a tailbone injury in Friday's practice, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Parham arguably has been one of the team's biggest training-camp standouts to date, seemingly gaining an innate rapport with quarterback Justin Herbert, particularly in the red zone. The injury, which initially occurred earlier in the week and was aggravated in a jump-ball situation Friday, doesn't seem to be serious, but any lingering issues could allow for 2021 third-round pick Tre' McKitty to play his way into a larger role behind starter Jared Cook.

Hudson secured six of seven targets for 74 yards and lost a fumble in the Buccaneers' 34-3 preseason loss to the Titans on Saturday night.

Hudson once again paced the Buccaneers in receptions and receiving yards, and brought in a particularly impressive 25-yard pass from rookie Kyle Trask in the fourth quarter. Despite his impressive work as a receiver this preseason, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports Hudson is being given no assurances by head coach Bruce Arians, who noted after Saturday's game, "there's more to it than just catching the ball" with respect to the tight end's bid for a roster spot. Hudson's blocking continues to be spotty, but he should ample chances to once again impress in Saturday's preseason finale against the Texans.

Fant wasn't targeted in 21 offensive snaps in Saturday's 30-3 win over the Seahawks.

Fant was a non-factor in Week 2 of the preseason, but the 23-year-old tight end figures to be a key component of the Broncos' passing attack in 2021. According to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic, Fant likely will be used in creative ways and run routes deeper down field, as well. The 6-foot-4, 249-pounder will compete for targets with the likes of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler in the passing game, so it may be tough for him to find consistent production in the Denver offense. However, it appears the coaching staff would like to get Fant more involved, so the former first-round pick may earn a solid percentage of the target share among Denver's pass catchers.

O'Grady was waived by the Bengals on Sunday.

O'Grady was signed as an undrafted rookie after the 2021 draft. He last played at any level in 2019 and will now look to latch on with a new team for the 2021 campaign.

Wood-Anderson was waived by Seattle on Sunday.

Wood-Anderson faced an uphill battle to make the roster with Gerald Everett, Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson (foot) all firmly ahead of him on the depth chart. He has yet to appear in an NFL game, but he will now be in search of opportunity elsewhere.

Kittle isn't expected to suit up for Sunday's preseason contest at the Chargers, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Coach Kyle Shanahan implied the starters would play at least a quarter in preseason Week 2, but Kittle won't be among the 49ers' skill-position players to take the field Sunday. Kittle will be joined by No. 1 running back Raheem Mostert, meaning the top weapons available to Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance will be Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Mohamed Sanu.