NFL Player News

Parkinson won't require foot surgery and could return in a few weeks, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

The 6-foot-7, 251-pound tight end made little impact last season, but he was impressing in training camp before re-injuring the foot that he broke last summer. Foot injuries are always tricky, but it's encouraging that Parkinson won't need surgery and could possibly be ready for Week 1. Even if he's in the lineup for the season opener, he'll be stuck behind Gerald Everett and Will Dissly, so fantasy managers can safely leave him off their radar. Nevertheless, it's worth keeping tabs on his performance, as he could become useful in 2022 if Everett leaves in free agency.

Carlson will undergo surgery on his knee and miss the entire 2021 season, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Carlson suffered the injury during Saturday's preseason opener versus the Jaguars, and there will be no chance of him retaking the field this season. He appeared in 16 games for Cleveland last year and caught one of two targets for 11 yards while primarily playing special teams.

Long (lower body) is participating in some team drills Tuesday, Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Long appears to be limited at Tuesday's practice, but it's certainly encouraging to see him handle blocking drills just over a week after he had to be carted off the field due to a lower-body injury. The Dolphins have a number of reliable tight ends atop the depth chart, namely Mike Gesicki, Adam Shaheen and Durham Smythe, so the team can take a cautious approach to Long's recovery. Still, it looks like the rookie third-round pick could have a chance at suiting up for action at some point during the preseason.

Alie-Cox (knee) returned to practice Tuesday, George Bremer of The Anderson Herald Bulletin reports.

After missing about two weeks of practice, Alie-Cox should have time to prep for an appearance in one or both of the Colts' remaining preseason games. He's competing for snaps in what could be a committee at tight end, with Jack Doyle and rookie Kylen Granson being the main competition for snaps/targets. Alie-Cox produced 394 yards on 39 targets last season, but the Colts seem to value his blocking and in-line work as much as, or more than, his athleticism.

Smith (ankle) isn't practicing Tuesday, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

Smith has missed back-to-back sessions after suffering a low ankle sprain in Sunday's practice. He'll presumably miss Thursday's preseason game against Philadelphia, but it's possible he makes it back for the exhibition finale versus the Giants on Aug. 29. Fellow Patriots tight end Hunter Henry has made enough progress with his shoulder injury to travel with the team for joint practices in Philadelphia, but it doesn't sound like he's done much on the field so far.

Waller (ankle) returned to practice Tuesday, Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports.

A report last week from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Waller likely would've been available to play had Saturday's preseason opener against Seattle been a regular-season contest. The tight end missed two weeks of practice but should still be plenty comfortable catching passes from QB Derek Carr in coach Jon Gruden's offense. Coming off back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, Waller is most often picked in the second round of fantasy drafts.

Akins (leg) returned to practice Monday, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

Akins missed four practices and the preseason opener while dealing with muscle tightness in his leg. He's a clear favorite to lead Houston tight ends in targets this season, but he may not have the blocking chops for a three-down role, which in turn would cap his volume ceiling as a pass catcher. The Texans also have blockers Pharaoh Brown and Ryan Izzo competing for TE snaps, in addition to the more receiving-focused guys like Akins, Kahale Warring, Antony Auclair and rookie fifth-round pick Brevin Jordan.

Conklin suffered a mild hamstring injury Monday, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

The tight end left practice early with a trainer but reportedly isn't expected to be out too long. Conklin is the Vikings' No. 2 tight end, with his solid performance late last season perhaps making it easier for the team to move on from Kyle Rudolph (now with the Giants) in the offseason. The role may entail only 2-4 targets per game, but Conklin could establish mainstream fantasy value if starter Irv Smith misses any time.

Akins (leg) is close to returning to practice, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reports.

Akins has been dealing with muscle tightness in his leg since Wednesday, and he's been held out of practice since then. The tight end also missed Saturday's preseason opener against Green Bay. Coach David Culley is optimistic that the 29-year-old's injury isn't serious, but a better idea of his status likely will be revealed once he's able to increase his activity level.

The Browns placed Carlson (knee) on injured reserve Monday, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reports.

Carlson suffered a season-ending knee injury in Sunday's preseason opener against the Jags, rendering this move more of a formality. Prior to the injury, he was enjoying a strong camp and considered a strong candidate to make Cleveland's 53-man roster.