NFL Player News

Ferguson (knee) has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Ferguson at least has avoided a more severe knee injury, but an MCL sprain will still likely result in the starting tight end missing time. Packers QB Jordan Love also sustained an MCL sprain Week 1 and is expected to miss 3-to-6 weeks, but at this point Ferguson's specific recovery timeline remains undisclosed. Rapoport adds that Ferguson also is dealing with a bone bruise and is considered week-to-week. Luke Schoonmaker could step into the starting role Week 2 versus the Saints, but it was fullback Hunter Luepke who saw increased target volume Sunday against the Browns after Ferguson left the game.

Hooper logged 36 of 65 snaps on offense in the Patriots' 16-10 season-opening win over the Bengals on Sunday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

In the process, Hooper caught two of his four targets for 31 yards, while fellow TE Hunter Henry (54 snaps) caught two of his three targets for 18 yards. As long as Henry remains healthy, Hooper looks like a hit-or-miss fantasy option at best.

Wright caught his only target for two yards in Sunday's 26-20 overtime win over the Rams.

Wright played 30 of the team's 61 offensive snaps, operating as the team's primary blocking tight end. His one catch came in the second quarter, and Sam LaPorta garnered all the other targets for Detroit tight ends. Wright's value is much higher to the Lions than it is to fantasy managers.

Pruitt secured one of two targets for nine yards during Sunday's 18-10 win over the Falcons.

Pruitt was on the field for 59 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps Sunday, more than fellow reserve tight end Darnell Washington. Pruitt also had one more target than Washington, but both tight ends will likely have limited work in the passing game behind starter Pat Freiermuth this season. Pruitt secured nine of 12 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown while appearing in all 17 games with Atlanta last year, and he'll likely struggle to have a fantasy-relevant role once again in 2024.

Washington secured his lone target for five yards during Sunday's 18-10 win over the Falcons.

Although Washington was on the field for 54 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps Sunday, he didn't see much work in the passing game. Despite appearing in all 17 games during his rookie season in 2023, he didn't have more than one reception in any outing and could struggle to see many targets once again this year, especially if starting tight end Pat Freiermuth stays healthy.

Freiermuth secured all four of his targets for 27 yards during Sunday's 18-10 win over Atlanta.

Shortly after signing his four-year contract extension with the Steelers on Friday, Freiermuth was featured fairly prominently in the Steelers' Week 1 win, finishing second on the team in receptions and receiving yards. The 25-year-old was an inconsistent contributor during the 2023 campaign, posting single-digit yards in three of his first four appearances of the season. However, he could see more targets in 2024 now that Diontae Johnson, Allen Robinson and Miles Boykin are no longer with the team, and tight-end friendly coordinator Arthur Smith is calling plays.

Schultz caught all three of his targets for 16 yards in Sunday's 29-27 win over the Colts in Week 1.

As expected, Schultz was the snap and target leader at tight end, ahead of Brevin Jordan. Even so, Schultz may be hard pressed to repeat the 88 targets he had in 2023. The target distribution Sunday heavily skewed toward Houston's wideouts, who were targeted 22 times compared to five for the tight ends.

Akins caught three of four targets for 27 yards and saw 43 snaps, the most among Cleveland tight ends, in Sunday's 33-17 loss to Dallas.

The Browns had just two tight ends on the game-day roster and were down to one when starter David Njoku (ankle) was taken off the field in the third quarter. He'll undergo tests Monday to determine the severity of his injury, but Akins figures to step into a significant role if Njoku misses any further time. The Browns currently have two other tight ends on the practice squad, but neither Cameron Latu nor Blake Whiteheart have significant NFL experience.

Johnson gathered two of three targets for 26 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 47-10 victory versus the Panthers.

Johnson had one of the standout plays of the game when he made a toe-tapping 16-yard touchdown catch in the right corner of the end zone. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher actually wound up with fewer targets and receptions than fellow tight end Foster Moreau, who caught all four of his targets for 43 yards and a touchdown before exiting with a head injury. Johnson totaled 34 more targets despite playing two fewer games than Moreau last season, and the former was assumed to be the TE1 heading into the season opener. Meanwhile, versatile tight end/quarterback Taysom Hill worked more as a rushing threat out of the backfield Sunday, logging five carries and two targets. Moreau's status is also now up in the air for next Sunday's road game versus Dallas. When he is healthy again, it will be worth monitoring how Moreau, Johnson and Hill are deployed under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak moving forward.

Parkinson finished with four receptions on five targets for 47 yards in Sunday's narrow defeat to the Lions.

Parkinson signed with the Rams this past offseason to become the team's starting tight end after spending the first four years of his career with the Seahawks. The 25-year-old ceded just one target to backup Davis Allen while former starter Tyler Higbee (knee) remains on the active/PUP list with no current timetable for a potential return. Parkinson's current situation as the offensive-minded Rams' only experienced tight end puts him in a positive fantasy position for next Sunday's tilt against Arizona and potentially the first half of the regular season.