NFL Player News

Fant caught seven of nine targets for 47 yards during Sunday's 31-30 win over the Chargers.

With Tim Patrick (hamstring) out of the lineup, Fant served as Drew Lock's security blanket Sunday, tallying a career-high seven catches. He did most of his damage underneath, finding holes in the Chargers' zone and breaking upfield. Fant is getting his opportunities with at least five targets in each game this season -- a number he reached just four times as a rookie in 2019. If there's a gripe to be had, it is that he's not getting the sort of chunk plays he generated last season. Fant is averaging 10.5 yards per catch this season -- down from 14.1 last year -- and he and Lock missed each other on the lone deep shot to Fant Sunday. He may still be hobbled by an ankle sprain suffered earlier this season, but Atlanta's defense -- which ranks 28th in the league with 12.2 yards per opponent catch -- could be just what the doctor ordered in Week 8.

Okwuegbunam caught his only target for a nine-yard touchdown during Sunday's 31-30 win over the Chargers.

Okwuegbunam brought the Broncos to within a score early in the fourth quarter, skying for the touchdown in the back of the end zone and getting his rear in bounds for his first career score. It was arguably just his second most important play of the game. Okwuegbunam drew a critical pass-interference penalty in the back of the end zone during the closing seconds that set up the winning play. Okwuegbunam has chemistry with Drew Lock from their college days at Mizzou and it's shown. In addition to his two big plays in the red zone Sunday, Okwuegbunam let a touchdown or two clang off his hands back in Week 6 against New England. He's a difficult matchup in the red zone and the more consistently he completes plays, the bigger threat he'll be.

Hill carried the ball five times for 35 yards and caught both his targets for 30 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 26-23 overtime win over the Bears.

With the Saints' receiving corps extremely short-handed, Hill saw a season high in touches while scoring his second TD of the year, and his first receiving TD. Depending on the health of Michael Thomas (hamstring), Emmanuel Sanders (COVID) and other WRs, Hill could again see a few plays called for him in Week 9 against the Buccaneers.

Smith caught both his targets for 29 yards during Sunday's 31-20 loss to the Bengals.

Smith actually finished behind fellow tight end Anthony Firkser in targets and receiving yards, with both tight ends hauling in a pair of catches. While he was once a focal point in the passing offense, his role has diminished to the tune of four catches (on eight targets) for 51 yards combined over the last three games. This is likely a result of A.J. Brown and Corey Davis both back and producing regularly, which should continue in next Sunday's matchup with the Bears.

Andrews caught three of his six targets, producing 32 receiving yards during Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Steelers.

Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes Sunday and Andrews was involved in neither, a slightly surprising development after he reeled in five of the quarterback's 10 TD passes between Weeks 1 and 7. Scoring plays have largely salvaged Andrews' fantasy value in 2020, as Baltimore ranks 31st in passing offense after posting a 24th-place finish in that category a year ago. A Week 9 matchup against the Colts is challenging, as Indianapolis holds league lows with 222 receiving yards and no touchdowns surrendered to the tight end position.

Graham caught two passes for 13 yards yards in Chicago's 26-23 overtime loss to the Saints on Sunday.

Although Graham was tied for second on the team with seven targets, he was consistently taking big hits from the New Orleans defenders, which caused him to struggle to secure a number of reception attempts. He's now scored just once over his last five games while failing to surpass 34 yards in any of those contests, and he remains a touchdown-dependent lineup option for fantasy managers.

Vannett sustained a foot injury during Sunday's 31-30 win over the Chargers, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post reports.

Vannett didn't record a catch during Sunday's contest. The severity of the depth tight end's injury remains undisclosed, but if he were to miss time, it could mean more opportunities for impressive rookie Albert Okwuegbunam.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said after Sunday's loss to Seattle that initial X-rays have determined that there are no broken bones in Kittle's ankle, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Even given this news, Kittle faces an uphill battle to suit up in just four days Thursday against the Packers. He's scheduled to go for an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his foot injury. On the bright side for San Francisco, Shanahan said that he's hoping backup tight end Jordan Reed (knee) will make his return Thursday. Reed's much more capable of filling the receiving void created by Kittle's potential absence than Ross Dwelley or Charlie Woerner.

Bryant reeled in all three of his targets for 25 receiving yards during Sunday's 16-6 loss to the Raiders.

Bryant did finish as the No. 2 leading option among Cleveland pass-catchers Sunday, but the performance came on a day in which the Browns mustered only 122 yards through the air with no touchdowns. He also lost a fumble in the first quarter on the Las Vegas side of the field. The fourth-round rookie established a career high with 56 receiving yards last Sunday against the Bengals, notching two touchdowns in a 37-34 win. He was thrust into the starting position for a second consecutive game this week as Austin Hooper (appendix) sat out again, but the two-time Pro Bowler will be afforded the Browns' Week 9 bye to rest up from an Oct. 23 appendectomy and could reclaim his spot over Bryant in the lineup come Week 10.

The injury Kittle picked up Sunday against the Seahawks has been clarified as a foot injury rather than an ankle injury, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports reports.

The severity of Kittle's injury is still unknown at this time, though he remains questionable to return. The 49ers' chances of coming back from down double digits in the fourth quarter are even slimmer with neither Kittle nor starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) on the field.