NFL Player News

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is looking at an average matchup Week 16 against the Panthers.

Carolina has been slightly better than average against opposing tight ends this season, holding them to 7.43 Fantasy points per game. The Panthers actually do a good job limiting tight end yardage, but struggle once teams get into the red zone. Tight ends have scored eight touchdowns against the Panthers. The team has only allowed 14 passing touchdowns all year, so that's a significant amount.

Even if it was a tough matchup, Fantasy owners aren't going to sit Graham. He may be coming off one of his worst games of the season, but Graham has been a Fantasy monster this year. Graham is also not affected as much by the team's home/road splits. He has four fewer touchdowns on the road, but has tallied more receptions and more yardage away from New Orleans. He continues to be a strong play regardless of matchup.

With wide receiver Cecil Shorts going on IR in the days leading up to the game, the Jaguars found themselves short on capable wide receivers Week 15 against Buffalo. So they turned to tight end Marcedes Lewis, who set season highs with four catches for 54 yards and equaled a season high with seven targets. He also scored a touchdown for a third straight game.

His matchup Week 16 against Tennessee should only further his cause. The Titans rank a discouraging 10th against the pass, allowing 225.9 yards per game, but tight ends are responsible for most of the damage against them. The Titans have allowed the 13th-most Fantasy points at the position.

Judging by the matchup data, the Jaguars will most likely lean on their running game in this one, but on those occasions when they have to pass, Lewis is the most logical target. He's about all they have left.

As a result, Jamey Eisenberg and Nathan Zegura both kind of like him this week, ranking him among their top 12 tight ends. You wouldn't bench a reliable option for him, of course, but if you're hurting at the position, he's worth a look.

Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew was on crutches in the locker room Wednesday, two days after spraining his ankle in the loss to Baltimore, reports the Detroit Free Press. Pettigrew declined to comment on the injury.

Joseph Fauria and Dorin Dickerson were the only tight ends available as Detroit began preparing to host the Giants on Sunday. “We’ll just see where [Pettigrew] gets to over the course of the week,” coach Jim Schwartz told the paper. “We’ll have plans if he can play. We’ll have plays if he can’t.”

In two of the past three weeks, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz has produced TE1 numbers. He caught five passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns Week 13 vs. Arizona, and six catches for 57 yards and a score last week at Minnesota.

So why wouldn't you plug and play a tight end like that? For starters, Ertz continues to split snaps with Brent Celek. Week 15 was the first time Ertz got more time than Celek. Ertz's big games occurred with Nick Foles throwing an average of 41 times. Philly figures to attack Chicago on the ground, meaning fewer targets for Ertz.

Ertz is just as likely to put up a dud. He had zero catches Week 14 and Week 10. In four of his past seven games, Ertz caught two or fewer passes for no more than 31 yards. 

A 6-5, 250-pounder who's just 23, Ertz is an intriguing Dynasty prospect. Don't play him in Fantasy's championship week unless you're in a two-tight end league.

Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew hurt his ankle in the Monday night loss to Baltimore and will undergo tests Tuesday, reports the Detroit Free Press. He suffered the injury making an 18-yard catch in traffic, one of his two grabs.

A few Lions made small offensive contributions Week 15. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew caught both his targets for 23 yards, running back Theo Riddick had a 6-yard catch, and receiver Kris Durham caught a 5-yard pass. Durham was targeted four times, twice in the end zone.

They'll all face the Giants in Week 16. 

Lions tight end Joseph Fauria drew one target in the loss to the Ravens, but he made it count with a 14-yard touchdown. That gives Fauria seven touchdowns among his 12 catches this year.

Fauria went up over linebacker Daryl Smith to make the grab, which put Detroit on top with 2:21 remaining.

Fauria plays the Giants in Week 16.

Texans interim coach Wade Phillips said Monday tight end Garrett Graham, who sat out Week 15 with a hamstring injury, is still sore. Phillips added Graham is "iffy" to play Week 16 vs. Denver.

Rookie wideout Terrance Williams was the best of the pass-catchers making small contributions Sunday for the Cowboys. He had four catches for for 46 yards while Miles Austin continued his disappointing season with two receptions for 35 yards.

Cole Beasley added three snags for 19 yards while tight end Gavin Escobar caught one for 15 yards.

Packers tight end Andrew Quarless is growing into his job as the replacement for injured Jermichael Finley. He certainly showed his growth Sunday in Dallas.

Quarless played a huge role in the monumental comeback victory. He caught all six passes for a season-high 83 yards in the second half, including his second touchdown in two games, a 3-yarder midway through the third quarter that he helped set up with a 22-yard snag.

He now has 12 receptions for 149 yards in the last two games, which exceeds his total for the previous five games combined. Quarless will try to take his momentum and run with it when the Packers host Pittsburgh in Week 16.