NFL Player News

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that he's hopeful Kittle (foot) will return for the "last couple weeks" of the season, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Kittle and Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) are slated to begin doing individual work on a side field in the near future as they continue their respective rehabs. The tight end himself hasn't played since Week 8 due to a fractured cuboid bone in his foot, and neither of the players' 21-day windows to be activated from IR will be opened until next week, at the earliest. Shanahan specifically noted "whether it's two games or one game or none," so a decision on Kittle could come down to whether the 49ers are still in the race for a playoff spot.

The Giants activated Smith (illness) from the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.

Smith tested positive for the virus Nov. 20 but has cleared the necessary protocols to return to team activities. The second-year tight end will return to the lineup without missing a game, set to serve as the No. 2 option behind Evan Engram against the Seahawks on Sunday.

Alie-Cox had two receptions for 19 yards on two targets in Sunday's loss to Tennessee.

Alie-Cox was out there for 38 of the offense's 74 snaps. He played the most snaps among the Indy tight ends, but he had fewer targets than Trey Burton (three receptions on six targets, including a touchdown). The Indy passing game utilizes all three tight ends, so Alie-Cox isn't going to get many receptions per week, and Burton has overtaken him as a red-zone target.

Dillon had one reception for six yards on his lone target in Sunday's win over Carolina.

It was his first reception of the season. Dillon played eight snaps on offense and was activated from the practice squad with Irv Smith sidelined with a groin injury. Dillon may move back to the bench when Smith returns.

Sample caught four passes for 40 yards on five targets, but also coughed up a critical fumble in Sunday's loss to the Giants.

The fumble came in the fourth quarter deep in Bengals territory and ultimately led to the Giants' final field goal, one that would provide their margin of victory in the 19-17 game. The target and catch volume were Sample's highest since Week 7 however, and suggest he'll remain a bigger option in the passing game with Brandon Allen under center instead of Joe Burrow (knee).

Waller caught four of seven targets for 23 yards in Sunday's 43-6 loss to the Falcons.

Not even a pass-friendly game script saved Waller from a disappointing fantasy effort by his standards Sunday as the Raiders fell behind by 20 points early in the third quarter, but were ultimately kept out of the end zone all day. He's still seen at least one red-zone target in all 11 contests this season, but Waller has caught four passes or less in two of Las Vegas' last three tilts. On a more positive note, another favorable matchup awaits for him in Week 13 against the Jets, who just ceded a pair of touchdowns to Dolphins tight ends Mike Gesicki and Adam Shaheen on Sunday.

Goedert caught seven of 10 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 23-17 loss to the Seahawks.

Goedert was quarterback Carson Wentz's favorite target, as he led the Eagles in all major receiving categories. Along with a 27-yard reception, the tight end's night was highlighted by his three-yard touchdown just before halftime. That play gave Goedert a score in consecutive games, and he has topped 70 yards both of the last two weeks as well. Although teammate Zach Ertz (ankle) stands a chance of returning in Week 13 versus the Packers, Goedert should remain heavily involved as one of his team's few reliable pass-catching options in an offense that could be playing from behind most of the game.

Arnold gathered in one of three passes for 17 yards during Sunday's 20-17 defeat at New England.

Arnold continues to be a distant second to Maxx Williams among Cardinals tight ends in usage. In this contest, Arnold played 36 percent of the offensive snaps to Williams' 72 percent (practice squad callup Evan Baylis handled 30). Having said that, Arnold is more reliable as a receiver, recording multiple catches in five of his 10 appearances this season. Meanwhile, Williams has five receptions in his five outings.

Swaim secured all three targets for 30 yards in Week 12 against the Colts.

Swaim was the Titans' most productive tight end and was on the field for a season-high 64 percent of offensive snaps. He served as a blocker for the majority of his time on the field, however, as the Titans attempted only seven passes in the second half. Swaim has increasingly gained a role in the offense of late, though that has resulted in only four receptions for 39 yards across three contests.

Smith (illness) likely will be activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list before this Sunday's game versus the Seahawks, Tom Rock of Newsday reports.

Smith tested positive for the virus Nov. 20, so he's eligible to come off the reserve list Monday. As long as he clears the league's COVID-19 protocols, he's expected to return to team activities Wednesday. Smith has posted 14 receptions for 87 yards over 10 games this season while averaging 31.0 snaps per contest.