NFL Player News

Gathers (concussion) will be held out of Saturday's preseason contest against the Raiders, Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Gathers entered the concussion protocol last Tuesday after a helmet-to-helmet hit from safety Kevon Frazier in practice. The friendly fire will force two DNPs at least during a preseason in which consistent performances could have been rewarded with a role in the offense. Instead, the Cowboys will continue to roll with James Hanna and Geoff Swaim as the primary reserves behind Jason Witten.

James hasn't faced a serious challenge for the starting tight end job, Bob Labriola of Steelers.com reports.

After making 13 starts last season while Ladarius Green was limited to six games, James had the inside track to the No. 1 spot on the depth chart once Green was released in May. There was some thought Xavier Grimble would push for the starting gig -- or at least regular work on passing downs -- but it seems James has locked down the top job without much trouble. Given both his own limitations and the team's abundant talent at the other skill positions, James still only projects as a complementary piece in the passing attack. He caught 39 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns on 60 targets last year, producing just 8.7 yards per catch and 5.6 per target. James does at least stand to benefit from playing in a high-powered offense with a quarterback who likes to target tight ends near the end zone.

Njoku suffered an ankle injury during Monday's exhibition against the Giants, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports.

The extent of Njoku's injury isn't known, but it probably won't help the rookie tight end's chances of landing a meaningful role in the Browns' offense when the regular season begins. Look for an update on Njoku's condition to come once he undergoes further testing.

Engram caught three of four targets for 32 yards in Monday's preseason game against the Browns.

Engram's total included a game-long reception of 21 yards. The lone target the rookie first-rounder didn't haul in was a would-be touchdown that was broken up before the ball reached him. Based on Engram's performance so far in the preseason, it appears the rookie could be a nice weapon for the Giants down the seam.

Lucas (ankle) was waived/injured by the Seahawks on Monday, Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.

Lucas will land on the Seahawks' injured reserve if he clears waivers. The 25-year-old has yet to appear in an NFL game since exhausting his collegiate eligibility at Missouri in 2013.

Helfet (undisclosed) was removed from the Active/Non-Football Injury list Monday after passing a physical, freelance NFL reporter Adam Caplan reports.

Helfet had been on the NFI list since late July, with the Raiders providing no specifics regarding the injury. The 28-year-old has a lot of ground to make up to earn playing time over the final two exhibitions and is unlikely to be a major factor in the Raiders' passing game if he survives roster cuts.

Orndoff signed a contract Monday with the Lions, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Orndoff, an undrafted rookie, caught 35 passes for 579 yards and five touchdowns as a senior at Pittsburgh last season. He'll need to impress on special teams in order to make the team, as the Lions already have plenty of capable options on hand at tight end.

Derby hauled in his lone target for six yards in the Broncos' preseason win over the 49ers on Saturday.

Virgil Green continues to get first-team reps at tight end in the preseason while Derby and Jeff Heuerman have followed him in the contests, so it appears that Derby isn't in any serious contention for a starting role. Derby is currently listed as third on the depth chart, but his unique skill set as a "move tight end" probably means that he'll see more passes come his way than his slotting would indicate. Derby nabbed 16 catches in his six games with the Broncos in 2016.

Harkey caught two of three targets for 18 yards during Saturday's preseason win over the Raiders.

Harkey ran with the second-term offense Saturday, but was still on the field for only 19 offensive snaps. With Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee the clear top two tight ends in the Rams' passing attack, Harkey looks like a long shot to garner fantasy value in most leagues this season. The 27-year-old will likely crack the roster and continue being utilized primarily as a blocker.

McGrath (knee) was inactive for Sunday's preseason game against the Saints, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reports.

McGrath is still dealing with a hyperextended knee that he suffered in practice last Friday. Should he eventually return to the field, McGrath will be in competition for the No. 3 tight-end spot behind Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates.