NFL Player News

Firkser recorded two receptions on three targets for 36 yards in Week 8 against Cincinnati.

Firkser recorded the majority of his production in the fourth quarter as the team tried to come behind from a deficit. He made catches of 10 and 26 yards on back-to-back plays, helping Tennessee move down the field on a drive that ended with a touchdown. Firkser could be in line for more targets over the middle of the field if Adam Humphries (head) is unable to suit up in Week 9 against Chicago, though Jonnu Smith remains clearly atop the depth chart.

Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Hooper "will definitely be back" for the Week 10 matchup against Houston, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Hooper has missed the past two games after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, but he's expected to return to practice following the team's Week 9 bye. Barring an unforeseen setback, he'll be given the green light against the Texans. Rookie Harrison Bryant carved out a substantial role during Hooper's absence and produced a 7-81-2 line over two games, but Hooper will operate as the No. 1 tight end upon his return to the lineup. Hooper could see more targets as well because Odell Beckham (torn ACL) is done for the year.

Vannett was diagnosed with a foot bruise after an MRI on Monday and should be able to play Week 9, Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports.

The 27-year-old received the start Sunday with the Broncos starting out in a two-tight end set, but he ended up playing only 11 offensive snaps. Vannett has only five catches for 33 yards in six games this season, so even if available this weekend, he's unlikely to be a significant factor in the passing game.

Dissly caught a 17-yard pass on his lone target in Sunday's 37-27 win over the 49ers.

Meanwhile, Greg Olsen failed to catch any of his four targets Sunday. Dissly played more than the veteran, too, recording a 63-percent snap share while Olsen played 54 percent of those plays. It's possible that the Seahawks' injury-riddled backfield factored into Dissly's playing time, but he's been trending in this direction for weeks and could maintain this role moving forward. Dissly run blocks on a good chunk of his snaps, though, and as long as Olsen is on board, his fantasy upside is capped.

Smith hauled in his lone target for a 16-yard gain Sunday in the Vikings' 28-22 win over the Packers.

High-speed winds in Green Bay along with Dalvin Cook's dominance on the ground muted the Minnesota passing game, as quarterback Kirk Cousins attempted a season-low 14 throws in the victory. As a result, Smith and Minnesota's other pass catchers were held to modest box-score lines, with Adam Thielen leading all Vikings receivers and tight ends with three catches for 27 yards. Better days should be ahead for Smith, but so long as the game flow allows for it, the Vikings again could opt for a ground-oriented game plan Week 9 against a vulnerable Lions run defense.

Schultz reeled in six of eight targets for 53 yards Sunday in the Cowboys' 23-9 loss to the Eagles.

Schultz's production has been trending down since Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury Week 5, but the tight end benefited from third-string quarterback Ben DiNucci drawing the start in place of the concussed Andy Dalton. The Eagles' fierce pass rush coupled with a banged-up offensive line effectively eliminated the Cowboys' downfield passing game, forcing DiNucci to rely on Schultz as a safety valve underneath. Schultz was able to turn his high target count into decent production Sunday, but his overall fantasy upside will be capped now that the Dallas offense is no longer the up-tempo, high-scoring unit it was earlier this season when Prescott was under center.

Goedert (lower leg/ankle) caught his lone target for a 15-yard gain Sunday in the Eagles' 23-9 win over the Cowboys.

Playing for the first time since suffering a high-ankle sprain and fractured tibia in a Sept. 27 win over the Bengals, Goedert was thrust into a sizable role in his return to the lineup. Goedert played 53 of the Eagles' 63 offensive snaps in the victory, but Carson Wentz didn't pepper him with targets, with the quarterback instead spreading the ball around between seven different pass catchers. With a Week 9 bye on tap, Goedert's involvement in the passing game should increase in the back half of the Eagles' schedule, especially with Zach Ertz (ankle) likely to miss at least a couple more games.

Everett caught five of nine targets for 32 yards during Sunday's 28-17 loss to Miami. He played 52 of 95 offensive snaps.

Everett didn't capitalize on his season-high nine targets Sunday, and in particular, his drop on third and five from the Miami 30-yard line late in the game was costly. He was also the target when Dolphins' safety Eric Rowe intercepted Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff in the second quarter. It wasn't a strong showing from Everett, but the entire offense struggled to find a groove after its opening drive touchdown. It's also important to keep the target volume in context. Goff attempted a season-high 61 passes. Additionally, with fellow tight end Tyler Higbee returning to the field in Week 8, Everett's probably best viewed as a high-risk, medium-reward fantasy option moving forward.

Thomas caught all three of his targets for 28 yards in Thursday night's 25-17 loss to the Falcons.

Thomas set new season highs in catches and yards, and while that obviously marks encouraging progress, his overall totals still weren't enough to make much of a fantasy impact.

Njoku caught one of three targets for 19 yards in Sunday's 16-6 loss to the Raiders.

Njoku, like many Browns' receivers, was hindered by the conditions of the day, which featured 35-plus MPH shifting winds that made moving the ball via the air challenging. For the second week in a row without Austin Hooper (appendix), Njoku (29 snaps) finished behind rookie Harrison Bryant (39) in snap count. Njoku has made his desire to be traded clear, but the Browns are reticent to pull the trigger, preferring to keep him around as part of team's three-man rotation at tight end. Without a deal by the Nov. 3 deadline, Njoku could drop to No. 3 on the depth chart in terms of usage. Hooper is expected to return in Week 10 after the Browns' bye this coming week.