NFL Player News

Hurst caught four of his six targets for 51 receiving yards during Monday's 30-16 loss to the Packers.

The 2018 first-round draft choice got off to a slow start to his Falcons tenure with three catches and 38 receiving yards in a season-opening loss to Seattle. Between Weeks 2 and 3, Hurst rebounded with touchdown grabs in back-to-back outings, while Monday night he finished as Atlanta's second-leading receiver behind Olamide Zaccheaus. As Todd Gurley remains a non-factor in the passing game with nine total receiving yards through four games and Julio Jones deals with a recurring hamstring injury, Hurst may once again be one of Atlanta's go-to options during a Week 5 matchup against Carolina.

Tonyan caught all six of his targets for 98 yards and three touchdowns in Monday night's 30-16 win over the Falcons.

Tonyan entered Monday having scored in back-to-back games, but his three-touchdown tally was still certainly a surprise. After going for a 27-yard gain on Green Bay's second offensive play, Tonyan's next catch was a 19-yard touchdown ahead of the two-minute warning. The tight end then struck again before halftime, hauling in an eight-yarder to extend the Packers' lead. To complete his hat trick of touchdowns, Tonyan got up after being pulled down during his route to score from 21 yards midway through the third. Despite being relatively unknown, the 26-year-old had been gaining traction with quarterback Aaron Rodgers lately, and with top wideouts Davante Adams (hamstring) and Allen Lazard (abdomen) both sidelined Monday, Tonyan picked up the slack in a big way. Of course, it's likely Adams will return following Green Bay's Week 5 bye, and not every opponent will resemble Atlanta's injured and ineffective outfit, but given his steady growth and spectacular showing, Tonyan could be an important option in an exciting offense, making him worthy of attention going forward.

Knox caught two of three targets for 16 yards during Sunday's win in Las Vegas.

Knox only played 48 percent of the offensive snaps after missing Week 3 with a concussion. Backup Tyler Kroft was on the field for 33 percent of those snaps and was also targeted three times, hauling in just one for 12 yards. Knox remains the starter and is the more talented player, but with Buffalo's wide receivers playing so well -- not to mention running back Devin Singletary's involvement in the passing game -- the tight end could be a hit-or-miss option for much of the season.

Kelce caught three of six targets for 70 yards in Monday night's 26-10 win over the Patriots.

Kelce again led Kansas City in receiving yards, with the bulk of his total coming on a 45-yard grab during the second half. That play was the Chiefs' longest of the game and helped compensate for Kelce posting a season low in catches. Nonetheless, with at least 70 yards and/or a touchdown in all four outings this season, Kelce is in fine form ahead of Week 5's game against the Raiders.

Deguara (shin) is active for the Packers' Week 4 matchup against the Falcons.

Deguara got in two limited practices to close the week, enough for him to be ready to go for Monday's action. With Marcedes Lewis (knee) sidelined, Deguara may see an increased role. However, Regulars will still work behind both Robert Tonyan and Jace Sternberger.

Lewis (knee) is inactive for the Packers' Week 4 matchup against the Falcons.

Lewis was listed as doubtful heading into the matchup after failing to practice in any capacity throughout the week. He has served in a rotation of three tight ends for the Packers, meaning some opportunity could be open for Robert Tonyan and Jace Sternberger.

Dissly caught both of his targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 31-23 win over the Dolphins.

This was a season-high yardage tally for Dissly, who is coming off an Achilles tear and is lined up as the No. 2 tight end behind Greg Olsen. Dissly appears to be closing the gap in usage, as he played 43 percent of the snaps Sunday while Olsen logged a season-low 56 percent, the Seahawks are utilizing Dissly in more as a blocker than a pass catcher. That could change as he gets more comfortable on the field, but the upside is low considering the high target shares for Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.

Alie-Cox had one reception for a 13-yard touchdown on two targets in Sunday's win over Chicago.

With injuries at wide receiver -- Parris Campbell and Michael Pittman are on IR -- the Colts utilized three tight ends in the passing game against the Bears. Alie-Cox was a starter in a two-TE set with Jack Doyle. Alie-Cox played 33 of the offense's 72 snaps with Doyle playing 45 snaps and Trey Burton playing 36 snaps. It looks like all three tight ends will be active in the offense, but the setup likely makes Alie-Cox's fantasy value touchdown-dependent. Still, he's scored a touchdown in two consecutive games.

Sample had three catches for 47 yards on five targets in the Bengals' win over Jacksonville on Sunday. He also was the targeted receiver on Joe Burrow's lone interception, a play in the end zone where Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack outfought Sample for the ball after it initially ricocheted off of Sample's facemask.

Sample was on the field for 64 offensive plays (85 percent), more than any of the other Bengals running backs, wide receivers or fellow tight end Cethan Carter. Despite the end-zone miscue, he's becoming more than just a blocking or check-down tight end for Burrow.

Smith did not have a reception and was only targeted once in Sunday's win at Houston.

Smith has been a non-factor in the passing game with just two receptions for 14 yards in four games this season. The tight ends are not an active part of the passing game in Minnesota's offense, as Kyle Rudolph has just six receptions, despite game scripts that have seen the Vikings needing to pass while trailing or in high-scoring games.