NFL Player News

Akins caught two of three targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 26-20 loss to the Colts.

Akins led Houston tight ends in targets and snaps (45), something that has been a common outcome when he's been healthy. However, the position group did not experience an uptick in targets even as the Texans played without Will Fuller (suspension), Randall Cobb (toe) and Kenny Stills (released); instead, the offense double-downed on the remaining wide receivers as Keke Coutee (nine targets), Brandin Cooks (eight) and Chad Hansen (seven) took up the slack. Akins could see more opportunities in Week 14, as Houston will be on the road in Chicago against a defense that has allowed nine touchdowns to tight ends.

Bryant was not targeted in Sunday's 41-35 win over the Titans.

Bryant went untargeted one week after he lost his second fumble of the season, but it's unlikely that miscue led to a lack of involvement against Tennessee. Sunday's game was the third in the last four that the rookie was untargeted. Bryant has fallen off the radar during the second half of the season, going from 2.6 targets per game over the first eight contests to 0.5 over the last four.

Njoku caught his lone target for five yards in Sunday's 41-35 win over Tennessee.

Njoku, who had one of three tight end targets Sunday, has been targeted just twice over the last four games. His involvement in the offense has taken a hit since Austin Hooper returned from an appendectomy, with Sunday's reception being his first since Week 8. The Browns face the Ravens in Week 14, an opponent that ranks 21st in yards allowed per game to tight ends, but if there's a Cleveland tight to consider, it's Hooper and not Njoku.

Hooper caught two of two targets for 24 yards in Sunday's 41-35 win over Tennessee.

Hooper led the team's tight ends, but the group played a small role on a day when the Browns' offense was as wide open as it has been all season. Cleveland tight ends combined for only three targets -- four, if you count offensive lineman Kendall Lamm, who caught a touchdown as an eligible receiver. Hooper now prepares for a Week 14 game against Baltimore, which ranks 21st in yards allowed (53.18 YPG) to tight ends.

Fant converted a team-high seven targets into four receptions for 57 yards in Sunday's 22-16 loss to Kansas City.

Fant continues to blossom as a receiving threat while slowly shedding the "bust" label that followed him after being selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The 22-year-old still struggles getting open in the end zone -- he has just two touchdowns through 12 games -- but he is consistently churning out high-floor, low-ceiling performances (excluding last week's bizarre contest in which Denver was pressed into starting a practice-squad WR at QB). There isn't a ton of upside here until he can develop into a reliable red-zone threat, but Fant is beginning to show some life in his sophomore campaign. Up next is a road tilt against the Panthers on Sunday.

Hurst caught one of his four targets for nine receiving yards during Sunday's 21-16 loss to New Orleans.

Hurst has been held under 48 receiving yards in two of his past seven appearances, with both down outings coming against the Saints. Those weren't merely slightly disappointing performances from the third-year tight end, either. To go with his one-catch, nine-yard Sunday showing, Hurst went without a single reception over two targets Week 11 against the Saints. The 27-year-old's next matchup comes against a Chargers defense that ranks eighth best in the NFL with 507 receiving yards allowed to opposing TEs, but that is also tied for second worst with nine TDs surrendered to the position.

Kelce racked up 138 receiving yards and a touchdown on eight receptions (13 targets) in Sunday's 22-16 win over the Broncos.

The Chiefs were uncharacteristically poor in the red zone, but Kelce was able to cash in on Patrick Mahomes' lone touchdown heave. The star tight end blew by the 1,000-yard marker for the fifth year in a row, and he is on pace to finish with double-digit touchdowns (eight through 12 games) for just the second time in his storied career. The 31-year-old continues to be one of the most consistent fantasy assets in the game with Mahomes under center, averaging numbers worthy of a WR1 with 6.8 receptions and 93.0 yards per game. Next Sunday's opponent, the Miami Dolphins, rank eighth against opposing tight ends, but the Broncos ranked ninth heading into Sunday's contest before Kelce annihilated them, confirming his matchup-proof status heading into Week 14.

Trautman caught all three of his targets for nine yards in the Saints' 21-16 win over the Falcons on Sunday.

The rookie matched his season high in receptions, but he was unable to turn them into meaningful yards against Atlanta's porous defense. Trautman isn't a fantasy-relevant option in New Orleans' passing attack.

Henry caught one of two targets for five yards during Sunday's 45-0 loss to the Patriots.

Henry's output was his worst of the season across the board as he was hardly involved despite the fact that his team played from behind for much of the day. This dud came as even more of a surprise considering he had two touchdowns and an average of 48.3 yards per game over his last three. Henry has been a reliable target for most of the season and will look to get back on track next Sunday against a Falcons defense that has been susceptible to opposing tight ends this season.

Dissly recorded four receptions on five targets for 28 yards in Week 13 against the Giants.

Dissly has been limited as a pass-catcher for much of the season and was held catchless in Week 12 against the Eagles. However, he bounced back to post his first performance with more than two catches on the campaign. Dissly worked exclusively in short areas of the field as his longest catch went for only 10 yards, limiting his production. Even with the relatively strong volume, it will be difficult to trust Dissly moving forward as he has to share targets with fellow tight end Jacob Hollister as well as standout wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.