NFL Player News

James caught two passes for seven yards on Thursday.

James caught both balls thrown his way and, more importantly, avoided injury in Pittsburgh's 17-0 loss to Philadelphia. With each passing week of the preseason, James' chances of being the Week 1 starting tight end improve, as rumors circulate that Ladarius Green (ankle, headaches) could be headed for injured reserve.

HIgbee could have a prominent role in the passing game, ESPN.com reports.

A fourth-round rookie, Higbee entered the NFL while recovering from knee surgery, just a few weeks after he was arrested for second-degree assault. The knee is no longer a concern, but he does still have a very serious legal issue (and possible NFL discipline) hanging over his head. The league will likely let the legal case play out, allowing Higbee to suit up for the Rams in the meantime. He's a phenomenal athlete with the potential to become one of the league's more dangerous receiving threats at tight end, but Lance Kendricks is still the favorite to start Week 1, offering more experience and superior blocking. Higbee caught four passes for 49 yards in the Rams' preseason opener, making a case that he should at least have a part-time role in the passing game.

Ertz recorded three catches for 24 yards during Thursday's preseason win over the Steelers.

Ertz continues to be a viable target in the Eagles' aerial attack as the team's No. 1 tight end, while Brent Celek also figures to play a role as Ertz's backup. His next chance to produce and click with starting quarterback Sam Bradford will come next Saturday against the Colts.

Derby, who caught six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's preseason win over the Bears, continues to push for the Patriots' No. 3 tight end job, ESPN.com reports.

Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett are entrenched as the Patriots' top two tight ends, with Derby's strong work this summer putting him firmly in the mix to secure a role behind the team's top duo at the position. Others jostling for depth slotting on that front are Clay Harbor, Bear Pascoe, Steven Scheu and Bryce Williams.

Vannett suffered an ankle injury during Thursday's preseason loss to the Vikings, Danny O'Neil of 710sports.com reports.

Vannett was seen on crutches in the Seahawks' locker room following the game in Seattle. It's unclear at this point just how severe the issue is, but the rookie could miss practice time during the coming week. We'll update his status when more information is released.

Pruitt had one reception for 12 yards in Thursday's preseason game.

Pruitt isn't likely to have a large role in the offense as long as Kyle Rudolph remains healthy. He may also have been bypassed on the depth chart by rookie David Morgan due to his blocking ability. There was a thought last year that Pruitt could get significant playing time if the Vikings used two-TE sets, but that doesn't appear to be in the works for this season.

Hooper caught one pass for seven yards on three targets in Thursday's preseason game against the Browns.

Jacob Tamme got the start and caught his only target for a nine-yard gain, with Levine Toilolo later adding a 13-yard reception (on two targets). While clearly possessing the highest long-term ceiling of the bunch, Hooper hasn't made much of a bid for the starting role through the first two weeks of the preseason. This could end up being a timeshare, and the Atlanta offense probably won't be too friendly to tight ends.

Moeaki suffered a left hamstring injury during Thursday's preseason game against the Patriots, WGN Radio's Adam Hoge reports.

The hamstring issue marred an otherwise solid night for the oft-injured Moeaki, who caught four passes for 28 yards on five targets while filling in for Zach Miller (concussion). Assuming the injury isn't too serious, Moeaki seems to be ahead of Khari Lee in the battle for the No. 2 tight end job.

Graham (knee) might not be ready for Week 1, ESPN reports.

Graham returned to practice last week but has not participated in team drills. Coach Pete Carroll said the team has no timetable for Graham to be back to full speed. The previous expectation that Graham would be ready for Week 1 always seemed a overly optimistic, and it wouldn't be surprising if he missed more than just one week considering the severity of the injury.

Graham (knee) might not be ready for Week 1, ESPNreports.

Graham returned to practice last week but has not participated in team drills. Coach Pete Carroll said the team has no timetable for Graham to be back to full speed. The previous expectation that Graham would be ready for Week 1 always seemed a overly optimistic, and it wouldn't be surprising if he missed more than just one week considering the severity of the injury.