NFL Player News

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.

Hooper hauled in both of his targets for 24 yards in Sunday's preseason loss to the Steelers.

Hooper's first catch, a 14-yard gain from the arm of Matt Ryan, helped set up a touchdown on the opening drive. Hooper has already caught three passes this preseason in limited duty, a rate far better than the 19 balls he caught in 14 games as a rookie. Much has been made about new offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian improving upon the system left by former coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and incorporating more passes to the tight ends could be one way Sarkisian goes about doing that. Notably, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins was a focal point of Sarkisian's offenses at the University of Washington.

Paulsen has suited up for both of the 49ers' preseason contests, but he has yet to garner a target in the passing game.

The veteran tight end was brought in by Kyle Shanahan due to his familiarity with his offensive scheme from their days in Washington. This connection between the two may dismiss Paulsen's lack of touches, because his skill set should be already be clear to the 49ers' new head coach. San Francisco's third tight end job will likely come down to Paulsen and Garrett Celek.

Kittle (hamstring) made three receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's preseason loss to Denver.

The rookie's touchdown came on an impressive play in the third quarter where he corralled a pass in the flat from fellow rookie C.J. Beathard and proceeded to lower his shoulder and truck a Bronco corner, giving him a clear path to the end zone. Kittle's minor hamstring injury is behind him, and he is currently competing for meaningful snaps with Vance McDonald. While the latter has the edge for the starting gig in San Francisco, the rookie could make a strong push with more performances like the one he produced Saturday.