NFL Player News

Dissly hauled in both of his targets for 19 yards in Thursday's 19-17 preseason loss to the Colts.

Dissly also showed glimpses of exceptional run blocking, which is why the Seahawks drafted him in the fourth round. He likely won't be a fantasy contributor this season as the third-string tight end, but Dissly could form into a vital edge-sealer for an untapped backfield.

Garner has been ruled out for the 2018 season after suffering an ACL tear in Thursday's preseason opener, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Garner received a promotion from Washington's practice squad last December after failing to make the roster out of camp, but he failed to appear in a game for the Redskins. His pursuit of a 53-man job out of camp this season just hit a major snag, and he will now have to wait until 2019 to take another shot.

Further medical testing revealed no tears or structural damage on Kittle's separated right shoulder, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports.

Kittle prematurely exited Thursday's preseason opener with an unspecified shoulder injury, but it seems the 49ers offense dodged a bullet. While the tight end could still be held out for the remainder of the preseason, there doesn't seem to be any concern over Kittle's availability for Week 1 of the regular season.

Cajuste (concussion) caught both targets for 27 yards in Thursday's 20-10 preseason win over the Giants.

Cajust suffered a concussion in late July but is apparently clear of any further issues. The 25-year-old led Cleveland tight ends with 37 offensive snaps Thursday and was the only one to catch a pass besides starter David Njoku.

Kittle (shoulder) isn't expected to practice next week or play in the 49ers' second preseason game, Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Kittle was removed from Thursday's preseason game against Dallas after taking a hard hit in the first quarter, later walking to the locker room with his right arm pinned to his body. A serious injury would be a major blow to the San Francisco offense, after Kittle finished his rookie season with 194 receiving yards over the final three weeks. Garrett Celek will step in as the 49ers' top tight end while Kittle is unavailable.

Gathers turned his lone target into a nine-yard gain during Thursday's preseason opener against the 49ers.

Gathers watched as the likes of Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz garnered more attention from the Dallas quarterbacks, waiting until the final drive of the game to garner his only reception. Even more discouraging for Gathers' case was that Geoff Swaim, the most experienced player of the bunch, didn't play in this one. The Dallas tight end battle remains open, but Gathers seemingly has a ways to go before the end of the preseason to claim a roster spot.

Akins brought in both of his targets for 20 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans' 17-10 preseason win over the Chiefs on Thursday.

The 2018 third-round pick made quite the splash in his NFL debut, connecting with backup quarterback Brandon Weeden for both of Houston's touchdowns. Akins is the rare 26-year-old rookie, having played minor-league baseball for several years. Despite the advanced age for a first-year player, he has an opportunity for a solid amount of playing time in the coming season if he can continue generating the caliber of performance he provided Thursday -- the team doesn't have any locks at the position behind starter Ryan Griffin. Akins will look to prove his opening act was no fluke when the Texans face off with the 49ers a week from Saturday in their second exhibition game.

Gesicki failed to come up with either of his two targets during the Dolphins' 26-24 preseason loss to the Buccaneers on Thursday.

The heralded second-round pick had been coming on all throughout camp, progressively earning himself more first-team snaps in the process. That made Thursday's empty stat line both surprising and disappointing, the usual applicable caveats about preseason notwithstanding. Despite the underwhelming debut, the Dolphins clearly have plans for the talented Penn State product to play a significant role in the offense during the coming season, and he has all of the measurables to create plenty of mismatches. He'll look to bounce back when Miami takes on the Panthers a week from Friday in their second exhibition contest.

Goedert nabbed four of five targets for 66 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's 31-14 loss to Pittsburgh.

The rookie settled into a soft spot in Pittsburgh's coverage on a scramble drill early in the second quarter, leading to a 15-yard Eagles touchdown. The second-round pick looks like a smooth receiver on a roster that knows how to get the ball to the tight end. If all goes as planned, he can slide nicely into Trey Burton's old role opposite starter Zach Ertz.

Kittle injured his shoulder and will not return to Thursday's preseason opener against the Cowboys, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Kittle came up holding his right shoulder after running downfield for a deep ball. The exact nature of his injury isn't clear. In Kittle's absence, Garret Celek will take over as the 49ers' No. 1 tight end.