NFL Player News

Likely is expected to serve as the Ravens' No. 1 tight end Sunday against the Texans with Mark Andrews (quadricep) listed as questionable for the contest but considered unlikely to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

With the Ravens expected to err on the side of caution with Andrews for Week 1, Likely should be in store for an extended role on offense and becomes an intriguing streaming option for tight-end-needy fantasy squads. He started two games as a rookie last season when Andrews was sidelined and recorded nine catches for 127 yards and one touchdown between those contests.

Andrews (quadriceps) is not expected to play in Sunday's season opening tilt against the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Andrews practiced in limited fashion during the week before ultimately drawing a questionable designation for Week 1. It originally seemed as though he was on the track toward availability, which makes his likely absence somewhat surprising. Should that be the case, Isaiah Likely would be the team's No. 1 tight end against Houston, while Charlie Kolar provides depth.

The Falcons have elevated Hesse to their active roster ahead of Sunday's Week 1 clash against the Panthers.

Hesse re-joined the Falcons on their practice squad Aug. 30 after being cut by the team at the end of the preseason. He'll provide added depth at tight end behind Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, MyCole Pruitt and John FitzPatrick.

Long (thigh) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

Long had already been ruled out ahead of Sunday's contest against the Seahawks, and he'll now miss at least the four weeks due to a thigh injury. The only other player included in the Jalen Ramsey trade this offseason, Long's absence will now cede more playing time to Brycen Hopkins and Davis Allen behind starter Tyler Higbee.

The Bears have elevated Carlson from the practice squad to their active roster ahead of Sunday's Week 1 showdown against the Packers, Chris Emma of 670TheScore.com reports.

Carlson's addition to Chicago's roster may be hinting at Robert Tonyan's (back) eventual status for Sunday's season opener. As of now, Carlson is one of four tight ends on the roster, so he will be providing depth at the position and presumably be a candidate to contribute on special teams.

Tonyan was added to the injury report Saturday with a back injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the Packers.

The Bears elevated Stephen Carlson from the practice squad signaling something was amiss with the tight end personnel. Tonyan, an offseason addition for the Bears, was expected to be a key contributor alongside newly re-signed starter Cole Kmet, although the exact playing time split for the two tight ends wasn't clear. Expect Marcedes Lewis to come in as a blocking specialist in the event Tonyan is unable to play.

The Eagles re-signed Russell to their practice squad Friday.

Russell was released from the Eagles' practice squad Thursday, but the 25-year-old will now rejoin the organization just a day later. Russell will look to make an impression with the team after signing as an undrafted free agent in May.

Bushman reverted to Kansas City's practice squad Friday, per the NFL's transaction log.

Bushman played seven of the team's 65 offensive snaps during Thursday night's loss against Detroit, failing to record any stats. The 27-year-old was elevated to give Kansas City some tight end depth, as superstar Travis Kelce missed Thursday's game with a knee injury.

Bellinger could have an elevated role in the Giants offense Sunday against the Cowboys after Darren Waller (hamstring) was listed as questionable on the team's final Week 1 injury report, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports.

Waller didn't even make an appearance on the report until Friday, when he was limited at practice. A decision on his availability may not be made revealed until 90 minutes before Sunday's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff, and if Waller is sidelined Bellinger would be a decent enough option to pivot to with just two games remaining on the Week 1 slate. Bellinger started 11 of the 12 games in which he played as a rookie last season, accruing a 30-268-2 line on 35 targets. Lawrence Cager (ankle) is the other tight end on the Giants' active roster.

Andrews (quad) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Texans after being limited in practice this week.

With Andrews officially listed as questionable, the tight end's status will be worth tracking closely as Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff approaches. Look for added context regarding his Week 1 status to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday via national reporters such as Adam Schefter of ESPN and/or Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, but if Andrews is limited or out this weekend, Isaiah Likely would be in line for added snaps versus Houston.