NFL Player News

Higgins gathered in one of his two targets for a 21-yard reception while playing 22 of the Cardinals' 68 snaps on offense in Sunday's 24-10 win over the Steelers.

After being inactive for the Cardinals' first six games of the season, Higgins has suited up for each of the subsequent seven games and is beginning to carve out a tertiary role in the Arizona passing attack. Though second-year tight end Trey McBride is the clear top option on the depth chart, Higgins may be threatening Geoff Swaim for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. Higgins has now drawn two targets in two consecutive games, and the 32-percent snap share he handled Sunday was a season-high rate.

Schoonmaker played 25 of the Cowboys' 89 snaps on offense and recorded one reception for 12 yards on one target in Thursday's 41-35 win over the Seahawks.

Schoonmaker drew a target for the sixth consecutive game and has cobbled together a 6-60-1 receiving line during that stretch. The rookie out of Michigan has been operating as the Cowboys' No. 2 tight end behind starter Jake Ferguson for most of the season, though Schoonmaker's standing on the depth chart could be affected by the return of Peyton Hendershot (ankle), who was activated from injured reserve Wednesday.

Schultz (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Schultz didn't practice last week and was inactive for Sunday's win over the Broncos. His return to the field Wednesday suggests he has a chance to make it back in action for a matchup with the Jets this Sunday.

The Cowboys will place McKeon on injured reserve Wednesday with an ankle injury, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

McKeon had suited up in each of the Cowboys' previous nine games, drawing two catchless targets across 94 snaps on offense while also contributing on the team's special-teams units. Though the 25-year-old wasn't reported to be dealing with an injury coming out of this past Thursday's win over the Seahawks, he'll now miss at least four games after landing on IR. The Cowboys activated fellow tight end Peyton Hendershot (ankle) from IR in a corresponding move.

Woerner played 12 of the 49ers' 59 snaps on offense and went without a target in Sunday's 42-19 win over the Eagles.

Though he's suited up for all 12 of the 49ers' games to date and has picked up double-digit snaps on offense in all but three of those contests, Woerner has just one target (for a nine-yard reception) to his name on the season. He's been deployed almost exclusively as a blocker whenever he's taken the field, running just 38 routes across 194 snaps on offense.

Hurst (concussion) is practicing Wednesday in a red non-contact jersey, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.

Hurst is progressing through the NFL's five-step concussion protocol but will likely need to take part in at least one full-contact practice Thursday or Friday to have a chance to play Sunday against the Saints. He has missed the last three games due to the concussion, and Carolina has gotten minimal production in Hurst's absence from its other tight ends (Tommy Tremble, Ian Thomas and Stephen Sullivan).

Hendershot (ankle) rejoined the active roster Wednesday, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Hendershot was designated to return from IR on Nov. 15, so his 21-day window to practice with the team was up. If he wasn't placed back on the 53-man roster Wednesday, he would have been forced back on injured reserve and missed the remainder of the season. However, the Indiana product has been logging full practices the last three weeks and should be good to go Sunday against the Eagles.

Williams went without a target while playing five of the Steelers' 61 snaps on offense in Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Cardinals.

Williams has been active for each of Pittsburgh's last eight games but hasn't played more than 12 snaps on offense in any contest. He'll likely be in store for only limited playing time while fellow tight ends Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward are available.

Washington played 34 of the Steelers' 61 snaps on offense and went without a target in Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Cardinals.

Washington has played more than half of the Steelers' snaps on offense in three of the past four contests, but the big-bodied rookie out of Georgia been deployed mainly as a blocking tight end. He's drawn just seven targets over his 12 appearances on the season and will likely see limited involvement as a pass catcher down the stretch, especially now that Pat Freiermuth is back in the fold after a recent stint on injured reserve.

Brown played 32 of the Patriots' 64 snaps on offense but went without a target in Sunday's 6-0 loss to the Chargers.

Brown made some splash plays over the Patriots' first eight games of the season with four of his seven receptions during that stretch going for 20-plus yards, but he's been relegated almost exclusively to a blocking role ever since. The 29-year-old has gone without a target in four straight contests, and fellow tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki should remain more involved in the passing game than Brown in the weeks to come.