NFL Player News

Carlson caught his lone target for 11 yards in Sunday's 27-25 win over Jacksonville.

Carlson is the seldom-used fourth tight end on the Browns' roster. The catch was his first of the season and the target just his second.

Njoku played 40 snaps and was not targeted in Sunday's 27-25 win over Jacksonville.

Njoku, who has not caught a pass since Week 8, went untargeted for the second time in the last three weeks. He and Harrison Bryant have become afterthoughts, combining for just three targets in the last three games while starter Austin Hooper had nine. The return of Nick Chubb has turned Cleveland into a run-heavy team and squeezed targeting opportunities for the entire tight end position group.

Bryant caught one of two targets for 13 yards and lost a fumble in Sunday's 27-25 win over Jacksonville.

The good news for Bryant is that he snapped a two-game run without a target, but his fumble on the first play of the second half led to a go-ahead touchdown. The entire tight end group has experienced a drop in targets, coinciding with the return of running back Nick Chubb three weeks ago. Cleveland has a 62/38 percent run/pass split over the last three games, which has resulted in just 13 tight end targets during that span, and nine of those targets belong to starter Austin Hooper. That run/pass mix will likely continue in Week 13 against Tennessee, but the Titans present a favorable matchup for Bryant, ranking 26th in the NFL with seven touchdowns allowed to opposing tight ends.

Hooper caught two of two targets for 13 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-25 win over the Jaguars.

Hooper gave the Browns a brief lead at the end of the first half with a nine-yard touchdown reception, his second TD of the season. He's averaging just two catches and 19 yards in three games since returning from an appendectomy, but Hooper stands out among the team's tight ends as they prepare for Week 13 against Tennessee. The Titans rank 26th with seven touchdowns allowed to opposing tight ends.

Tonyan (ankle) hauled in all five of his targets for 67 yards and a score in Sunday's 41-25 win over Chicago.

Tonyan was late to the scoring party in the one-sided affair, cashing in on a 39-yard score in the third quarter that rescued what would have been a pedestrian outing. The 26-year-old has been a pleasant surprise since taking over as the starting tight end this season, totaling 37 receptions, 458 yards and seven touchdowns through 11 contests. Tonyan remains a fantasy threat so long as he has the trust of Aaron Rodgers, which he continues to build week by week. The rising star will next take on the Eagles, who are allowing 8.9 fantasy points per game to tight ends this year.

Kmet caught one pass for eight yards in Chicago's 41-25 loss to the Packers on Sunday.

Kmet was targeted three times, including one on a deep pass down the middle of the field that was significantly off target. He's caught just three passes over the last four games, and unless he begins to show consistent production, he won't be a reliable fantasy option.

Smith did not receive a target in Week 12 against Colts.

The Titans attempted only 22 passes in their blowout win over the Colts. That provides a partial explanation for Smith's lack of involvement, though tight ends Geoff Swaim and Anthony Firkser both drew targets in the contest. Like many of the Titans' secondary receivers, Smith commands unreliable volume and now has two or fewer catches six or his last seven games. He'll draw a matchup against Cleveland in Week 13.

Graham caught three passes for 34 yards in Chicago's 41-25 loss to the Packers on Sunday.

Graham failed to see a target until the game was well out of hand in the fourth quarter, but he ended up posting a decent yardage total. After a hot start to the season, he's failed to find the end zone in five of his last six games, and he's surpassed 34 receiving yards on only two occasions this season, making him a touchdown-dependent fantasy option.

Knox snagged his only target for a two-yard score in Buffalo's 27-17 win over the Chargers on Sunday.

This could have been a much better day for the second-year tight end, as fellow position mate Tyler Kroft was inactive for the contest, while Knox caught his TD on the team's opening drive. However, that was the last time Josh Allen looked his way. Knox became the 12th different Bills player with a TD catch this season, but that in itself tells you a lot about how many weapons the Bills have and how far down the pecking order the tight end position lies. Knox has yet to catch more than two balls in a game this season.

Fant reeled in one of his two targets for 13 yards during Sunday's 31-3 loss to the Saints.

The tight end recorded Denver's only reception of the afternoon, as Kendall Hinton struggled in his NFL debut. To be fair, the young signal-caller joined Denver's practice squad Nov. 4 as a wide receiver and had little time to prepare for his first start, but that doesn't help fantasy managers who were depending on a decent outing from Fant. The Iowa product yielded 35-plus receiving yards in his first seven appearances of the season, but he's now been held under 20 yards in two of his past three. If Drew Lock is activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list in time for a Week 13 matchup against Kansas City, Fant's prospects will be exponentially improved.