NFL Player News

Hurst (foot) is hoping to play Sunday against the Steelers, Ryan Mink of the team's official website reports. "I think I'm good to go. It's up to the trainers and what they think is right for me," Hurst said Thursday.

The rookie got back on the practice field this week for the first time since suffering a stress fracture in August. He's still limited in practice, but there is a chance Hurst makes his debut in Week 4 against the Steelers. If Hurst is able to play, he'll join an already crowded position group that has accounted for 23 percent of all of Baltimore's targets. Given Hurst's lengthy absence and Baltimore's tight end depth, it would be unlikely for Hurst to see heavy playing time right away if he does debut in Week 4.

Hurst (foot) said he considers himself day-to-day in advance of the Ravens' Week 4 game against the Steelers, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports. "It's a little sore," Hurst said Thursday of his surgically repaired foot. "But four weeks removed from surgery, I'm excited about my progress."

After undergoing the foot procedure in late August, Hurst has yet to make his NFL regular-season debut, but he seems to be trending in the right direction after putting in a limited practice Wednesday. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Hurst said he thinks he'll be ready to go for Sunday's game, but a decision on that front will ultimately fall to the Ravens' training and coaching staffs. If active in Week 4, Hurst likely wouldn't see much work among a crowded tight-end group that also includes Nick Boyle, Maxx Williams and Mark Andrews. All three of those players have handled 20-plus snaps in each of the Ravens' three games thus far.

Derby (foot) wasn't on the field for the start of Thursday's practice, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.

For the second straight day, it looks like Derby will go down as a non-participant in practice, which seemingly puts his status in jeopardy for Sunday's game against the Patriots. If Derby can't go in Week 4, rookie Mike Gesicki would likely draw the start at tight end and handle the majority of the snaps at the position.

Coach Mike McCarthy said that Graham (knee) would be a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

It's a good sign for Graham after the knee injury prevented him from practicing Wednesday, though the Packers never seemed especially concerned about the tight end's availability for the Week 4 matchup with the Bills. Per Owczarski, McCarthy labeled Graham's absence as "maintenance," suggesting that the 31-year-old has probably just been managing some minor soreness coming out of Sunday's loss to the Redskins.

Hollister (chest) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.

Hollister sat out Week 1 with a hamstring injury and Week 3 with the chest injury. Getting some work at practice is a good sign, but he'll need to be a full participant by Friday's practice to guarantee a role in Sunday's game versus the Dolphins. If he can go, his role still won't affect the fantasy realm.

Graham didn't practice Wednesday due to a knee injury, Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

With the injury in tow, Graham joins quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee) as a non-participant to begin Week 4 preparations. Rodgers has yet to find the tight end in the end zone through three games, and Graham's own health issue places a cloud over his availability for Sunday's contest against the Bills. Nevertheless, Graham, like Rodgers, has two more chances to take the practice field and thus alleviate concerns about his potential to play this weekend.

Hurst (foot) returned to practice Wednesday and moved around well, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.

Hurst's practice was his first since late August, when he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot. The recovery timeline initially was estimated at 3-to-4 weeks, but it's now been close to five weeks since the injury was first reported. Hurst was listed as a limited participant at Wednesday's practice, but this at least puts him on track to make his NFL regular-season debut in either Week 4 or Week 5. Once he's ready, the first-round pick likely will enter a timeshare at tight end with Nick Boyle, Maxx Williams and fellow rookie Mark Andrews. The aforementioned trio has accounted for 21 catches and 243 receiving yards, with each player averaging less than three catches and four targets per game.

Derby (foot) wasn't present for the start of Wednesday's practice, Chris Perkins of The Athletic reports.

Unless Derby joins the Dolphins for the portion of the session closed to the media and logs some on-field work, he'll go down as a non-participant in the team's first practice of the week. After the foot injury forced Derby's early departure in the Dolphins' Week 3 win over the Raiders, rookie Mike Gesicki handled the bulk of the snaps at tight end, finishing with three catches for 31 yards.

Graham wasn't present at Wednesday's practice, Michael Cohen of The Athletic reports.

The reason for Graham's absence won't be known until the Packers release their first Week 4 injury report, so it's unclear if he's tending to an injury or merely receiving a personal day. In his first campaign with the Packers, Graham ranks third on the team in targets (19), but with 7.8 yards per target and no touchdowns through three games, he's been a slight disappointment.

Engram, who is dealing with an MCL sprain of his right knee, could be sidelined for roughly 2-to-4 weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The Giants are labeling Engram as week-to-week for the time being, but with reports suggesting that the tight end is only dealing with a moderate sprain, Rapoport's estimate seems reasonable. Per Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York, Giants head coach Pat Shurmur relayed Engram wouldn't practice Wednesday, and it's likely the second-year player will remain with the rehab group throughout the week. With Engram in line to miss at least Sunday's game against the Saints, Rhett Ellison is expected to step in as the team's temporary starter at tight end.