NFL Player News
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Pat Freiermuth TE | PIT
Steelers' Pat Freiermuth: Leads team with six targets
Freiermuth recorded three receptions on six targets for 22 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-13 loss to the Eagles.
Freiermuth saw an increase in role with George Pickens (hamstring) sidelined for the second consecutive week, though the Steelers offense never got going. His stat line was modest as a result, with his primary contribution being a nine-yard touchdown reception just before halftime. Freiermuth has now found the end zone in three straight games while tallying at least three receptions in four straight contests.
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Hunter Henry TE | NE
Patriots' Hunter Henry: Gains 25 yards in loss
Henry brought in all four of his targets for 25 yards in Sunday's 30-17 loss to the Cardinals.
Henry finished first on the Patriots in receptions and second in targets Sunday, but he ranked fourth in receiving yards in a collective poor offensive showing by New England. The veteran tight end did set a new career high in receptions (64), and he is just 17 yards shy of his current best of 653 receiving yards set back in 2019. Henry's lack of touchdowns (one) holds him back from being a reliable option in fantasy ahead of next Sunday's tilt against Buffalo.
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Stone Smartt TE | LAC
Chargers' Stone Smartt: Nearly leads team in receving
Smartt pulled in five of six targets for 50 receiving yards while losing a fumble in Sunday's 40-17 loss to Tampa Bay.
Smartt continued to operate as the Chargers' top tight end sans veteran starter Will Dissly (shoulder). The third-year man fell just eight yards short of the team lead in receiving behind Ladd McConkey (5-58-1). Smartt did cough up the first fumble of his career in the lopsided loss, putting a damper on an otherwise fine fantasy showing. With Dissly expected to miss multiple weeks, Smartt could be a bargain at the tight end position in Week 16.
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Trey McBride TE | ARI
Cardinals' Trey McBride: Leading receiver on 10 targets
McBride corralled nine of 10 targets for 87 yards in Sunday's 30-17 win over the Patriots.
McBride continued his dominance in between the 20s with another big PPR effort that resulted in no touchdowns. The 24-year-old has shockingly recorded 89 receptions for 938 yards with zero trips to the end zone in 13 starts this season. It will be curious to see if the budding tight end will reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark or score his first touchdown of 2024 first. We could find out the answer when McBride and the Cardinals face the Panthers next Sunday.
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Sam LaPorta TE | DET
Lions' Sam LaPorta: Best performance of season
LaPorta recorded seven receptions on 10 targets for 111 yards in Sunday's 48-42 loss to the Bills.
Several of Detroit's primary pass catchers posted inflated stat lines as Jared Goff was forced to take to the air 59 times in negative game script. LaPorta delivered his best yardage total of the season as a result, highlighted by long gains of 31 and 22 yards to record the second 100-yard performance of his career. The Lions aren't likely to be down multiple scores often for the rest of the campaign, making this an outlier performance, though it was positive to see LaPorta finish second on the team in targets.
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Jordan Akins TE | CLE
Browns' Jordan Akins: Three catches sans Njoku
Akins secured three of four targets for 30 yards in the Browns' 21-7 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.
Akins was a distant second in receptions and receiving yards behind Jerry Jeudy on a day when the Browns were afflicted with mostly ineffective quarterback play. The veteran tight end did do a serviceable job while drawing the start in place of the absent David Njoku (hamstring), but Akins holds only modest fantasy value even if he remains in the top role for a Week 16 road matchup against the Bengals.
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Jake Ferguson TE | DAL
Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Quiet in easy win
Ferguson recorded two receptions on four targets for 23 yards in Sunday's 30-14 win over the Panthers.
Dallas was able to take its foot off the gas in the second half thanks to a multi-score lead, and Cooper Rush attempted nine passes in the final two quarters. That limited volume for all pass catchers with the exception of CeeDee Lamb, and Ferguson saw only four targets -- good for third on the team -- as a result. The game script should look different in a Week 16 showdown with Tampa Bay, giving Ferguson a better chance to produce.
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Dalton Kincaid TE | BUF
Bills' Dalton Kincaid: Four catches in return
Kincaid secured four of seven targets for 53 yards in the Bills' 48-42 win over the Lions on Sunday.
Making his return from a three-game absence due to a knee injury, Kincaid finished third in receptions and receiving yards while sharing the team lead in targets. Kincaid's yardage tally was actually a new season high, and he's posted a trio of four-reception efforts in his last four games dating back to Week 8.
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Juwan Johnson TE | NO
Saints' Juwan Johnson: Logs 12 yards in loss
Johnson gathered in two of three targets for 12 yards during Sunday's 20-19 loss against Washington.
Johnson caught two passes from quarterback Spencer Rattler in the second half. The rookie signal-caller took over from Jake Haener, who was benched after the Saints went scoreless in the first half. Johnson had a chance to secure a comeback win after fellow tight end Foster Moreau caught a one-yard touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter, but Johnson failed to connect with Rattler on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt. Johnson had caught a touchdown pass in two of the previous three games, but he and Moreau have continued to negate one another fantasy's relevance by splitting snaps and targets. This will likely remain the case during next week's road contest at Green Bay on Monday, Dec. 23.
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Travis Kelce TE | KC
Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Gets four catches in win
Kelce secured four of eight targets for 27 yards in the Chiefs' 21-7 win over the Browns on Sunday.
The star tight end had a quiet afternoon by his standards, but it came on an afternoon when Patrick Mahomes averaged just 4.2 yards per attempt overall. Kelce finished third on the team in receptions and receiving yards while also checking in second in targets, and he'll head into a Week 16 home matchup against the Texans on Saturday afternoon with at least Sunday's catch total in four consecutive contests.