NFL Player News

Johnson gathered in all three targets for 40 yards during Sunday's 48-17 win versus the Falcons.

Johnson led the Saints' tight ends in receiving yards for the third week in a row, and he finished with 15 catches (on 22 targets) for 178 yards and two touchdowns over that span. This marks an encourgaing ending to a rather up-and-down campaign for the 27-year-old tight end. Across 13 games this season, Johnson tallied 37 receptions (on 59 targets) for 368 yards and four touchdowns, marking a slight downtick from his career-best 2022 season.

Mitchell caught his only target for 24 yards during Sunday's 30-20 win over the Vikings.

Mitchell logged more than a quarter of the offensive snaps for a third straight game and has now caught a pass in two in a row. With Sam LaPorta (knee) possibly set to miss time and Brock Wright (hip) having yet to return to practice, Mitchell could be next up as the starting tight end ahead of the wild-card round and a matchup with the Rams, who allowed the second-most touchdowns (eight) and the fourth-most receiving yards (987) to tight ends in 2023. While Mitchell has just 13 catches in 28 games over the past two years, the 2022 fifth-round pick was a versatile athlete at Virginia Tech, where Mitchell averaged 16.1 yards per reception and notched five rushing touchdowns on his seven collegiate carries.

Kmet (forearm) didn't return to Sunday's 17-9 loss at Green Bay, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports.

Kmet took a big hit on a 27-yard catch in the fourth quarter, and while quarterback Justin Fields threw an incompletion his way three plays later, the tight end was ruled out before the end of the contest. With three catches (on four targets) for 41 yards Week 18, Kmet ended the 2023 campaign with a serviceable 73-719-6 line on 90 targets in 17 games. As the 2020 second-round pick heads into the first year of his four-year, $50 million extension that he signed back in July, his status as an iron man remains intact, as he's played in 67 of a possible 67 games to start his career.

Kmet left Sunday's game in Green Bay due to a forearm injury.

Kmet was on the receiving end of a big hit at the end of a 27-yard catch near the start of the fourth quarter. He was targeted by quarterback Justin Fields three plays later but was deemed questionable to return on the Bears' next possession. If Kmet is unable to come back into the contest, he'll end Week 18 with three catches (on four targets) for 41 yards. Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis are the healthy TEs on the active roster.

Engram recorded 10 receptions on 13 targets for 79 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-20 loss to the Titans.

Engram led the team in targets and receptions, marking the third time he's been targeted at least 10 times in his last five games. He didn't post a particularly impressive yardage total with the opportunity, though he did manage his fourth touchdown of the season on a 14-yard catch early in the final quarter. Engram ends the season with an impressive 114 receptions and is penciled into a key role with the Jaguars again in 2024.

Adkins will not return to Sunday's matchup with the Raiders due to a hamstring injury, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.

It is not clear how severe Adkins knee injury is at this point in time. While he is sidelined, Lucas Krull will be the only depth option at tight end behind Adam Trautman.

LaPorta is believed to have sustained a hyperextension and a bone bruise in his left knee during Sunday's 30-20 win versus the Vikings, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

In a postgame media session, coach Dan Campbell told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that the Lions will have more info regarding LaPorta's diagnosis Monday, but the likely injuries have since been revealed. Ultimately, it's not as serious as it could have been, per Campbell, but there's a decent chance LaPorta misses time as a result.

Fant (hand) won't return to Sunday's game in Arizona, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

Fant left the contest late in the first quarter and has being tended to by team trainers on the bench before Seattle ruled him out. In Fant's stead, Will Dissly should serve as the top tight end, with Colby Parkinson and Brady Russell also chipping at the position. Coach Pete Carroll said after the game that Fant cracked a bone in his hand, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.

Fant exited Sunday's game at Arizona due to a hand injury.

Prior to his departure in the first quarter, Fant hadn't made an impact in the box score. Colby Parkinson, Will Dissly and Brady Russell will man tight end for the Seahawks for as long as Fant is sidelined.

Coach Dan Campbell said after Sunday's 30-20 win against the Vikings that the Lions will have more information regarding the knee injury that forced LaPorta out of the contest on Monday, Tim Twentyman of the team's official site reports.

LaPorta appeared to hyperextend his knee on a five-yard catch in the second quarter, forcing him to the sideline tent and eventually requiring a cart to get to the locker room. Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Campbell added, "It's not as bad as it looked, but it's not good news." That may mean LaPorta is in danger of missing the wild-card round, at the very least, but with win-or-go home games from here on out, any sort of absence could mean his season is over.