NFL Player News

Oliver (ankle/wrist) was a full practice participant Wednesday.

Oliver wasn't able to practice in any capacity the past two weeks while missing both of the Vikings' games due to a sprained ankle and a wrist injury, but the tight end's ability to handle every rep Wednesday in his return to the field indicates he's more or less back to 100 percent. Prior to the recent absence, he recorded multiple catches in four straight contests on his way to a cumulative 14-174-2 line on 16 targets during that stretch. That said, with T.J. Hockenson slowly but surely increasing his snap share since completing his recovery from a torn ACL and making his season debut Week 9, Oliver may see his role decrease in this Sunday's game against the Falcons.

FitzPatrick (back) has no injury designation ahead of Thursday night's matchup against the Lions, Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers' official site reports.

FitzPatrick was estimated as a full practice participant Tuesday and Wednesday, suggesting he's recovered from his back injury in time to face Detroit on Thursday night. The Georgia product is expected to see minimal offensive work and serve as the Packers' No. 3 tight end in Week 14, playing behind Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims.

Oliver (ankle/wrist) was on the field for practice Wednesday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

Oliver will take part in his first practice since injuring his ankle Nov. 17. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that he expected Oliver to be available for Sunday's game against the Falcons, but the Vikings will wait and see how Oliver fares during the week of practice before deciding on his status. In Oliver's absence the past two games, T.J. Hockenson has seen an enhanced role, playing 68 and 64 percent of the offensive snaps in those two contests while logging a 10-142-0 receiving line on 15 targets. Oliver's return would likely be a negative development for Hockenson.

Moreau (shoulder) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

With Taysom Hill (knee) out for the season due to a torn ACL, Moreau and Juwan Johnson (foot) are in line to handle most of the reps at tight end for New Orleans moving forward. However, both players have kicked off Week 14 prep with a cap on their practice reps. Sessions on Thursday and Friday likely will determine whether one or both of the two enters the weekend with designations ahead of Sunday's contest at the Giants.

Johnson practiced in a limited fashion Wednesday due to a foot injury, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

In the wake of Taysom Hill's (knee) season-ending ACL tear, Johnson and Foster Moreau (shoulder) are expected to handle the bulk of the reps at tight end for the Saints moving forward. Having said that, both players began Week 14 prep with a cap on their practice reps. The pair will have two more opportunities Thursday and Friday before the team potentially tags them with designations ahead of Sunday's game at the Giants.

Morris (shoulder/groin) was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice estimation.

Morris played 38 total snaps (23 offensive and 15 on special teams) and caught his only target for 14 yards in the Bills' Week 13 win over the 49ers. However, he's dealing with shoulder and groin issues following Sunday's game. The 25-year-old could be in jeopardy of missing Buffalo's Week 14 matchup against the Rams if he's unable to upgrade to full practice Thursday or Friday.

Goedert (knee) is not participating in Wednesday's practice, Andrew DiCecco of InsideTheBirds.com reports.

Goedert's absence from practice Wednesday comes as little surprise, given that he was labeled week-to-week after suffering a knee injury during Philadelphia's 24-19 win over the Ravens this past Sunday. The tight end could be a candidate for injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. While the Eagles haven't officially ruled Goedert out for Sunday's game against the Panthers yet, the expectation is that Grant Calcaterra will step in as the Eagles' starting tight end this weekend.

Sanders (neck) was a limited practice participant Wednesday while wearing a red non-contact jersey, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.

Head coach Dave Canales said Monday that he's hopeful Sanders -- who hasn't played since injuring his neck Week 12 -- will be able to return Sunday versus the Eagles. The rookie fourth-round pick didn't practice last week, so it's encouraging to see him back on the field Wednesday, but he'll need to resume handling full-contact reps in short order for a chance at returning to the field Week 14. Tommy Tremble served as Carolina's top tight end and racked up a season-high 77 yards on five catches (eight targets) in the Week 13 overtime loss to the Buccaneers while Sanders was sidelined.

Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that Johnson (foot) underwent surgery Tuesday to address a Lisfranc injury, Patricia Traina of SI.com reports.

New York placed Johnson on injured reserve Monday, but the extent of his foot injury wasn't known. With surgery deemed necessary, Johnson can officially be ruled out for the rest of the season, but the 23-year-old could be ready to go for the start of the Giants' offseason program in the spring. After Darren Waller retired over the summer, the rookie fourth-round selection took over as the Giants' No. 1 tight end and finished his season with 29 catches on 43 targets for 331 yards and one touchdown.

Head coach Sean McDermott said that Kincaid (knee) will be listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's walk-through session, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.

Kincaid, who last saw game action Week 10, didn't practice last week, so his limited listing is a step in the right direction. The tight end will have two more opportunities to upgrade to full practice participation ahead of Sunday's game against the Rams. If Kincaid remains out for a third straight game, however, Dawson Knox would be in line to see added opportunities as the Bills' top tight end.