NFL Player News
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Sam LaPorta TE | DET
Lions' Sam LaPorta: Leads Detroit pass catchers
LaPorta recorded six receptions on nine targets for 79 yards in Sunday's 27-13 loss to the Packers.
LaPorta was the bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming offensive performance from Detroit, as he led the team in yards and finished second in targets. He also accounted for the team's longest play from scrimmage on a 32-yard catch and run to begin the second half. LaPorta isn't likely to consistently see nine targets as he shares looks with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, but he will be a key part of Detroit's offense -- particularly in the red zone.
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Dalton Kincaid TE | BUF
Bills' Dalton Kincaid: Gets scoring started in wild win
Kincaid caught all four of his targets for 48 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 41-40 win over the Ravens.
Kincaid scored a 15-yard touchdown on the opening drive but was relatively quiet the rest of the way, especially considering Josh Allen ultimately threw for 394 yards. This was nonetheless an encouraging performance from Kincaid, who had only two regular-season touchdowns apiece in the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. Dawson Knox had two catches for 20 yards and rookie fifth-round pick Jackson Hawes also had a 29-yard catch, but Kincaid clearly looks like the top receiving option among Buffalo's tight ends heading into Week 2 against the Jets.
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Dalton Schultz TE | HOU
Texans' Dalton Schultz: Leads team with five targets
Schultz brought in three of five targets for 28 yards in Sunday's 14-9 loss to the Rams.
Schultz led the Texans in targets on a low-volume passing day, but the end result was still lackluster from a fantasy perspective. The good news for the veteran tight end is that he remained the No. 1 tight end option for QB C.J. Stroud despite posting mediocre numbers in 2024. Schultz should be considered a low-ceiling fantasy option heading into next Monday's tilt against Tampa Bay.
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Jeremy Ruckert TE | NYJ
Jets' Jeremy Ruckert: Two catches to Taylor's one
Ruckert caught both of his targets for 16 yards in Sunday's 34-32 loss to the Steelers.
Ruckert had one more target than Mason Taylor, though the rookie second-round pick turned his only look into a 20-yard catch. Ruckert looks like he'll have some involvement on offense, but the 2022 third-round draft pick hasn't scored a touchdown through 42 NFL games.
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Mason Taylor TE | NYJ
Jets' Mason Taylor: One catch in debut
Taylor caught his only target for 20 yards in Sunday's 34-32 loss to the Steelers.
Taylor wasn't significantly involved as a pass catcher in his NFL debut, as Garrett Wilson was the only player to exceed 38 receiving yards for the Jets. Among the team's tight ends, Jeremy Ruckert had two catches for 16 yards. Taylor has substantial long-term upside, but the rookie second-round pick could face a learning curve out of the gate.
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Harold Fannin Jr. TE | CLE
Browns' Harold Fannin: Encouraging debut
Fannin caught seven of nine targets for 63 yards in Sunday's 17-16 loss to Cincinnati in Week 1. He also had one carry for three yards.
Fannin had a drop in the fourth quarter that factored into a drive that stalled on the Bengals' side of the field, but other than that, the rookie tight end built off a strong preseason. The 2025 third-round draft pick had one catch for more than 20 yards and led all Cleveland pass-catchers in targets, including the player starting ahead of him at tight end, David Njoku (six targets). The Browns lack quality target depth, which may prompt defenses to focus on Njoku and Jerry Jeudy. That could lead to Fannin producing more games like Sunday's and becoming a relevant fantasy option.
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David Njoku TE | CLE
Browns' David Njoku: Overshadowed by Fannin
Njoku recorded three receptions on six targets for 37 yards in Sunday's 17-16 loss to the Bengals.
Njoku was projected to be Joe Flacco's second target behind Jerry Jeudy, but he was overshadowed by several Browns' pass catchers. The most notable was rookie tight end Harold Fannin, who drew rave reviews during the preseason and carried that into the regular season with nine targets. It's likely that Njoku retakes a larger role in the offense moving forward, but Flacco's distribution of targets in Week 1 was concerning.
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Michael Mayer TE | LV
Raiders' Michael Mayer: Four catches in Week 1 win
Mayer secured all four targets for 38 yards in the Raiders' 20-13 win over the Patriots on Sunday.
Mayer enjoyed a slightly bigger role than expected in the second half following Brock Bowers' exit with a knee injury. Bowers ultimately downplayed the issue after the game and said he was pushing to get back into the contest, so Mayer, who entered the day as the clear-cut No. 2 pass-catching option at tight end, is expected to revert to that role in a Week 2 home matchup against the Chargers on Monday night, Sept. 15.
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Cade Otton TE | TB
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Blanked in Week 1 win
Otton failed to bring in any of his three targets in the Buccaneers' 23-20 win over the Falcons on Sunday.
After managing to head into the weekend without an injury designation following weeks of dealing with leg and groin issues, Otton wasn't able to get on the stat sheet for the first time since Week 2 of last season. Despite the blanking Sunday, Otton will naturally make a much bigger impact on the stat sheet in the majority of games this season, potentially beginning with a Week 2 road showdown against the Texans on Monday night, Sept. 15.
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Zach Ertz TE | WAS
Commanders' Zach Ertz: Picks up where he left off with TD
Ertz caught three of five targets for 26 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
After scoring six touchdowns in the last seven games of the 2024 regular season, Ertz picked up where he left off with a seven-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. The 34-year-old tight end remains a reliable red-zone target for Jayden Daniels in an explosive Commanders offense. Ertz will try to continue his scoring binge Thursday in Green Bay.