NFL Player News

Knox (calf) won't practice Thursday, Chris Brown of the Bills' official site reports.

Knox was forced out of this past Tuesday's loss to the Titans, and his non-participation in Thursday's jog-through suggests that he's not a lock to play Monday against the Chiefs. If he's out or limited Week 6, Tyler Kroft would be in line to see added pass-catching opportunities versus Kansas City.

Lewis (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

Lewis usually takes a veteran rest day on Wednesdays when he's healthy, but it's encouraging that he's practicing in some capacity for the first time since Week 3. If he's able to play Sunday versus the Buccaneers, Lewis likely won't have a major role considering how well Robert Tonyan performed in a Week 4 win over the Falcons.

Akins (concussion/ankle) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

Akins logged two limited practices last week before being inactive for Sunday's win over the Jaguars. While Akins' presence on the practice field to begin Week 6 is a good sign, he apparently has a new ankle injury to work through in addition to clearing the NFL's five-step concussion protocol. A return to full practice by Friday would likely erase any questions about Akins' status for this weekend's game against the Titans. Darren Fells will operate as Houston's No. 1 tight end if Akins isn't ready to play.

Hurst was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to a back issue, Will McFadden of the Falcons' official site reports.

Hurst appears to have picked up the injury in Sunday's loss to the Panthers, during which he only hauled in two of six targets for eight yards. He played a season-high 83 percent of offensive snaps in the contest, so getting the tight end some rest could have factored into Atlanta's decision to limit him in practice. As long as Hurst can upgrade to full participation Thursday or Friday, any concerns about his Week 6 availability will be dispelled.

Fant (ankle) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

Fant wasn't able to practice in any capacity last week, so handling restricted reps Wednesday represents a significant step in the right direction. Coach Vic Fangio initially labeled Fant as week-to-week due to the ankle injury he sustained Oct. 1, so it's possible that the tight end could have to upgrade to full practice by Friday in order to play Sunday against the Patriots.

Alie-Cox (knee) isn't practicing Wednesday, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.

This isn't a good start to the week for Alie-Cox, who picked up a knee injury in Sunday's loss to the Browns while also failing to record a catch. With Trey Burton and Jack Coyle back in action after previously missing time with injuries earlier this season, Alie-Cox likely won't be in store for a significant amount of snaps and targets if he shakes off the injury in time for this weekend's game versus the Bengals.

Fant (ankle) will participate in Wednesday's practice, Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports.

The extent of Fant's practice activity remains to be seen, but it's encouraging to see him get on the field in some capacity after having been absent all last week. The tight end is working to overcome the ankle sprain in time for Sunday's game in New England.

Smith caught his lone target for a seven-yard gain during Sunday's 37-34 loss to the Cowboys.

With Evan Engram back in the fold after missing eight games last season because of knee and foot injuries, the 23-year-old tight end from Stanford has posted seven total receptions over the first five appearances of his sophomore campaign. Smith has four starts to his name and has also played at least 30 percent of the offensive snaps in every game this season, but he hasn't been heavily involved pass-catching-wise for the Giants' 31st-ranked scoring offense.

Firkser recorded three receptions on five targets for 19 yards in the Titans' Week 5 win over the Bills.

Firkser drew the third-most targets on the team, benefitting from the absences of Corey Davis (COVID-19) and Adam Humphries (COVID-19). He didn't do much with the opportunity, however, as he recorded under four yards per target with his longest reception of the contest going for 12 yards. Firkser could maintain increased volume if Davis and Humphries remain out in a Week 6 matchup against Houston, though his work in the shorter areas of the passing game limit his potential.

Smith caught five of his seven targets for 40 receiving yards and two touchdowns during Tuesday's 42-16 win against Buffalo.

Smith and the recently returned from injury A.J. Brown were the clear top options for quarterback Ryan Tannehill, attracting five of the team's six red-zone targets on the night. Smith has been one of the year's fantasy revelations at tight end thus far, as his five TD receptions in four games are more than he managed in his preceding 20 games combined. The Florida International standout faces a Houston defense in Week 6 that is conceding a 72.7 percent completion rate to opposing tight ends on the season.