NFL Player News

Kittle (foot) won't be activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday's game against the Cowboys, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Earlier this week, the 49ers designated Kittle to return from IR, hoping to get him back for the final stretch of the regular season. Of course, they may opt for caution if/when they're eliminated from playoff contention, something that could happen as soon as this weekend. Ross Dwelley and Jordan Reed will continue to split reps at tight end, while Brandon Aiyuk remains a clear favorite to lead the Niners in targets.

Swaim (ankle) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports.

Swaim had his best game of the season against Jacksonville last weekend, with three catches for 34 yards and a score, but he may not be available against Detroit on Sunday. With Jonnu Smith fully healthy, Swaim will be in line for No. 2 duties if active.

Smith could take on a more pronounced role Sunday against the Bears with teammate Kyle Rudolph (foot) having been ruled out for the contest.

Rudolph -- who is missing his second straight game -- had been getting some extra targets while Smith missed three out of four games between Weeks 10 and 13. The 22-year-old returned last week and caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown in the 26-14 loss to Tampa, but his 35 percent snap share was a season low, with fellow tight end Tyler Conklin getting more playing time (57 percent) and more targets (five). Smith should see his role increase now that he's off the injury report, facing a Chicago defense that's given up the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends.

Smith (knee) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday night's game against the Browns, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Smith recently spent time on the COVID-19 list, but it's a knee injury that's threatening his availability for Week 15. With top tight end Evan Engram (calf) also listed as questionable, Smith's presence as a depth option would be even more valuable than usual for the Giants.

Engram was added to the Giants' injury report Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Cleveland with a calf injury, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

The timing suggests Engram got hurt during practice Thursday or Friday, leaving his availability in question for Sunday's contest. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (hamstring/ankle) and backup tight end Kaden Smith (knee) also are listed as questionable. There are a lot of variables to sort out, and a late kickoff (8:20 p.m. ET) won't make things any easier on Engram's fantasy managers.

The Bears list Graham (hip) as questionable for Sunday's game against the Vikings.

After beginning the week as a full practice participant, Graham downgraded to limited activity Thursday and Friday, prompting the Bears to give him a designation for their Week 15 contest. Even if he manages to gain clearance ahead of Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, Graham could see his involvement in the offense dwindle further with Cole Kmet having seemingly usurped him as the Bears' top tight end. Graham has played fewer than half of the Bears' offensive snaps in each of the past three games, logging seven receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown on nine targets during that stretch.

The Browns list Hooper (neck) as questionable for Sunday's game against the Giants, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Though Hooper put in a full practice Friday, it wasn't enough for him to enter the weekend minus an injury designation. The Browns may have just deemed Hooper questionable as a matter of caution after his neck issue prevented him from playing in the Week 14 loss to the Ravens. Hooper hasn't experienced any reported setbacks with his neck while increasing his practice activity throughout the week, so the prevailing expectation is that he'll be ready to step into his usual role as Cleveland's top tight end once Sunday arrives.

The Browns list Njoku as questionable for Sunday's game against the Giants due to a knee injury, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Njoku didn't appear on either of the Browns' first two Week 15 practice reports, but he was added Friday after the knee issue kept him out of the team session. Fortunately, Njoku isn't believed to be dealing with any significant setback, as head coach Kevin Stefanski said after practice that he expects the 24-year-old to suit up this weekend, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Meanwhile, top tight end Austin Hooper (neck) is also listed as questionable, so Njoku and Harrison Bryant could take on more snaps in the event Hooper is limited at all or ultimately forced to miss a second straight game.

Alie-Cox (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game versus the Texans, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Coach Frank Reich said Friday that Alie Cox's knee injury -- which has been lingering since October -- has been "nagging more recently." The 27-year-old tight end made his first appearance at practice this week on Friday, turning in a limited session. He'll likely be monitored closely leading up to game time. Meanwhile, position mates Jack Doyle and Trey Burton both have clean bills of health heading into the Week 15 matchup.

Gesicki (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against New England, Safid Deen of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

According to Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post, Gesicki turned in a limited practice Friday, marking the second straight day he was able to get in some on-field work. While Gesicki appears to be doing everything he can to play this weekend, a final word on the athletic tight end's status could realistically come down to a game-time decision. Adam Shaheen and Durham Smythe will handle expanded roles if Gesicki can't play.