NFL Player News

With Jermichael Finley dealing with a serious neck injury, the Packers "almost certainly" will start tight end Andrew Quarless on Sunday at Minnesota, reports ESPN.com. But Quarless, who has four catches this season, is better suited to play on the line of scrimmage than in the slot or out wide, as Finley often did, the report said.

Tight ends Brandon Bostick and Jake Stoneburner also figure to play more with Finley sidelined. Tight end Ryan Taylor is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

The status of Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, who suffered a foot injury Week 6 at New England, is uncertain for Week 8 vs. Buffalo, a source told ESPN Monday. The Saints are expected to determine Graham's status for Sunday's game after watching him in practice this week.

The source said had the Saints not been on a bye Week 7, Graham might have sat out. There is still a chance he's sidelined Week 8.

Tight end Garrett Graham and wideout DeVier Posey led a group of Texans that made small contributions to the effort Sunday in Kansas City. Graham caught three passes for 38 yards while Posey added a 42-yard reception.

Also on the stat sheet were Lestar Jean, who added 21 yards through the air, and Greg B. Jones, who rushed twice for two yards.

Several Browns contributed a bit to a meager offensive effort Sunday in Green Bay.

Among them were running backs Chris Ogbonnaya and Fozzy Whittaker. The former gained 15 yards on four carries while the latter added 11 yards on five attempts and two catches for 13 yards. MarQueis Gray lost two yards on one carry.

Also denting the scorebook through the air was Davone Bess with two catches for 11 yards.

Eagles running back Bryce Brown and tight end Zach Ertz had minor contributions during a 17-3 loss Week 7 vs. Dallas. 

Brown totaled two carries for 4 yards, while Ertz had three catches for 33 yards. The Eagles are back in action Week 8 vs. N.Y. Giants.

Buccaneers tight end Timothy Wright -- who broke out along with fellow rookie Mike Glennon last week, catching seven passes for 91 yards -- didn't have as much of a connection with the young quarterback Week 7 at Atlanta. He finished with two catches for 15 yards -- his first not coming until midway through the second quarter -- and was targeted only three times.

Of course, Glennon was so busy throwing the ball to star wide receiver Vincent Jackson that he couldn't really establish a connection with anyone else. Of his 44 passes, a whopping 22 went Jackson's way.

Wright, who doesn't have much competition for targets aside from Jackson and wide receiver Mike Williams, will hope for a better percentage of them Week 8 against the Panthers.

Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew put an end to an eight-game scoring slump, which dated back to last season, during a 27-24 loss Week 7 vs. Cincinnati. Pettigrew managed just three catches for 7 yards Sunday.

Pettigrew hauled in a 3-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter after Matthew Stafford failed to connect with Calvin Johnson and Joseph Fauira on the previous two plays. Pettigrew, who has 15 carer touchdowns, has been held to less than 10 yards in three of seven games.

The Lions are back in action Week 8 vs. Dallas.

Lions tight end Joseph Fauria had a letdown performance Week 7 vs. Cincinnati after breaking out with three touchdowns Week 6. Fauria finished with one catch for 15 yards in a 27-24 loss.

The Lions tried a few times to get Fauria back into the end zone Sunday. Fauria was targeted on a 3-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, but somehow Matthew Stafford overthrew the 6-7 tight end.

Stafford tried to connect with Fauria on an 18-yard touchdown pass later in the first half, but Fauria couldn't haul in the pass as he was being covered by two defenders.

Fauria was targeted four times in the loss. Detroit returns to action Week 8 vs. Dallas.

Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis, who returned to action for just his second game this season due to a calf injury, was certainly involved during the Week 7 home loss to the Chargers Sunday. 

Lewis caught a 31-yard pass from quarterback Chad Henne. That said, he was targeted three times and that was his only reception. He did not score. 

Jacksonville plays at home against the 49ers Week 8 and the Jaguars have still yet to score a touchdown at home this season. 

Despite a lengthy injury list, the Chiefs are healthy heading into Week 7. Only two non-starters are among the injured inactives. They are tight end Kevin Brock (shoulder) and linebacker Dezman Moses (toe).

The healthy inactives are defensive tackle Jaye Howard, quarterback Tyler Bray, safety Bradley McDougald, offensive lineman Eric Kush and guard Rishaw Johnson.