NFL Player News

  • Cardinals' Ricky Seals-Jones: Dominates Week 1 snaps

    Seals-Jones played 49 of 53 offensive snaps in Sunday's 24-6 loss to Washington, catching three passes for 19 yards on six targets.

    Though he didn't do much in terms of pass-catching impact, Seals-Jones did dominate Gabe Holmes (nine snaps) when it came to playing time. A downturn in snaps could be coming whenever Jermaine Gresham (Achilles) is available, but there doesn't seem to be much question about Seals-Jones operating as the team's top receiving threat at tight end. It's a role that could result in a surprising number of targets, given the lack of proven talent at wide receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald.

  • Marcedes Lewis TE | DEN

    Packers' Marcedes Lewis: No catches in Packers debut

    Lewis did not catch a pass in Sunday's victory over the Bears.

    It was assumed that Lewis would complement top tight end Jimmy Graham, but that was not the case in the opener, as Lewis was on the field for just seven plays while fellow reserve tight end Lance Kendricks received 19 snaps. For now, consider Lewis depth for the Packers, and a long shot to put up useful numbers in fantasy games.

  • Jimmy Graham TE | NO

    Packers' Jimmy Graham: Quiet in Packers debut

    Graham caught two passes for eight yards in Sunday's victory over the Bears.

    Graham made little impact in his Packers debut as Aaron Rodgers mainly honed in on his top three wide receivers, who caught a total of 19 passes. Graham figures to do most of his damage in the red zone this season, and the Packers rarely found themselves in that spot Sunday night. They should do that plenty though, as long as Rodgers remains on the field, so Graham should have ample opportunities to up the production down the road.

  • Jordan Akins TE | JAC

    Texans' Jordan Akins: Targeted twice in opener

    Akins caught both of his targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Patriots in Week 1.

    Houston's tight ends combined for three catches on nine targets as quarterback Deshaun Watson never resembled the dynamo we saw in his six-game run as a starter in 2017. Starter Ryan Griffin did not have a catch in five targets while Jordan Thomas caught one of two for 27 yards. The pecking order will likely remain the same heading into Week 2 against the Titans, but given that Griffin and Watson were so out of sync Week 1, Akins is on our watchlist.

  • Jonnu Smith TE | PIT

    Titans' Jonnu Smith: Targeted three times

    Smith hauled in one of his three targets for 12 yards in Week 1 against Miami.

    Smith saw two his three targets on the last drive of the game, after Delanie Walker (ankle) was off the field due to what is believed to be a season-injury. The second-year tight end is now in line for an increased workload as the presumptive starter, with Luke Stocker also a candidate to see added reps at the position while Walker is out. Though No. 1 wideout Corey Davis dominated the targets Sunday, Rishard Matthews (knee) is still limited by offseason injuries and Taywan Taylor failed to make his mark in the opening game. As a result, if Smith emerges as the primary replacement for Walker, he could see a fairly significant increase in targets.

  • Ian Thomas TE | LV

    Panthers' Ian Thomas: Makes two catches in debut

    Thomas caught both of his targets for four yards during Sunday's 16-8 win over the Cowboys.

    Thomas made a seven-yard catch before losing three yards on the only other pass thrown his way. Despite his modest NFL debut, he could be in for an increase in usage after teammate Greg Olsen (foot) left the game with an injury. The severity of the issue will become more clear over the next couple of days, but Thomas would profile as the main beneficiary if Olsen misses any time. Thomas' next chance to contribute will come next week against the Falcons.

  • Geoff Swaim TE | CLE

    Cowboys' Geoff Swaim: Brings in three catches versus Panthers

    Swaim caught three of four targets for 18 yards during Sunday's 16-8 loss to the Panthers.

    Swaim tied for third in the team in targets, accounting for all but one of Dak Prescott's pass attempts aimed at tight ends. He made a nice play on a screen which resulted in a first down early on, but he was limited to a pair of short gains during the remainder of the game. Although the Dallas passing attack is clearly a work in progress, Swaim is the only option on the depth chart with much experience and was easily the most involved during the season opener. With that said, he won't take much fantasy value into next week's matchup with the Giants.

  • Will Dissly TE | LAC

    Seahawks' Will Dissly: Shines in first career game

    Dissly hauled in three passes for a team-high 105 yards and one touchdown on five targets during Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Broncos.

    Dissly was the most-targeted tight end, as Nick Vannett was thrown to twice. Originally drafted as a run-blocking asset, the rookie fourth-round pick looked like a natural catching the ball, scoring the game's first touchdown and later adding a 66-yard catch-and-run to set up a Sebastian Janikowski field goal. However, it will be tough for Dissly to approach this kind of production if he continues to split work with Vannett in a timeshare at tight end. The division of snaps and targets will be something to watch in a Monday Night Football matchup with the Bears in Week 2.

  • Travis Kelce TE | KC

    Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Quiet in season debut

    Kelce caught just one of six targets for six yards in Sunday's 38-28 win over the Chargers.

    Patrick Mahomes had a great game, throwing for 256 yards and four touchdowns, but Tyreek Hill (seven catches for 169 yards and two scores) was the one that benefited the most. It's possible that Kelce's stats take a minor hit this season with the quarterback switch from Alex Smith to Mahomes, although the presence of Hill and newcomer Sammy Watkins should open up the middle of the field for Kelce. Next week, Kelce will look to rebound at Pittsburgh.

  • Evan Engram TE | DEN

    Giants' Evan Engram: Held to 18 yards Week 1

    Engram managed just two catches for 18 yards on five targets in Sunday's 20-15 Week 1 loss to Jacksonville.

    It wasn't terribly surprising to see Engram struggle against one of the league's toughest defensive units, but he alarmingly ranked fourth on the team in targets behind Odell Beckham (11), Sterling Shepard (seven) and Saquon Barkley (six). While it remains to be seen how New York's offense does against less difficult competition, Engram will be hard-pressed to produce TE1 numbers on a consistent basis if he continues to serve as the fourth option in the passing game. On a positive note, Engram appears to be over the concussion he suffered Week 3 of preseason.

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