NFL Player News

Hockenson (hand) won't practice Wednesday, Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

Hockenson couldn't suit up for Detroit's Week 14 loss to Denver, and though head coach Dan Campbell said he's "hopeful" the tight end will return for Week 15, Burke theorizes that Hockenson is trending in the wrong direction. In any case, Hockenson will almost certainly need to return to practice in at least a limited fashion by Friday to have a shot at suiting up in Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

Conklin caught both his targets for 20 yards during Thursday's 36-28 win over the Steelers.

Conklin appeared poised for a larger role in the passing game with Adam Thielen (ankle) sidelined, but Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn were targeted on 24 of Kirk Cousins' 31 pass attempts instead. The two targets were a season low for Conklin, though it's the sixth time this year he's finished below 30 receiving yards.

Bowers (neck) was designated to return from injured reserve Tuesday.

The tight end has been on IR since Oct. 23, but the team will now have 21 days to either activate him or leave him inactive for the rest of the season. When active, Bowers operates mainly as a special teams option, and has failed to record a target on six offensives snaps in two games this year.

Parham (knee) was limited on Tuesday's estimated practice report.

Like top tight end Jared Cook (quadriceps), Parham improved upon his listing of DNP on Monday, fitting in some reps at a walkthrough Tuesday. Ultimately, Wednesday's injury report will reveal whether the players emerge from Week 15 prep with or without designations for Thursday's game against the Chiefs.

Hopkins was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday due to a positive test of the virus.

The tight end will enter the league's COVID-19 protocols, but since he's vaccinated, he'll be able to play Sunday against the Seahawks if he's asymptomatic for 48 hours and is able to produce two consecutive negative COVID-19 tests. Hopkins has appeared in three straight games for the Rams, logging 33 offensive snaps without a target.

Moreau (abdomen) was listed as limited on Tuesday's practice estimate, Rachel Gossen of the Raiders' official site reports.

Interim coach Rich Bisaccia called Moreau "day-to-day " on Monday due to an undisclosed strained muscle, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, which has now been revealed to be an abdominal strain. Moreau still appears to be in better shape than No. 1 tight end Darren Waller (knee/back), who hasn't practiced in any capacity since he was forced out of the Raiders' Week 12 win in Dallas. If Waller again is sidelined Saturday at Cleveland, Moreau would be in line for another large workload, assuming he's active.

Waller (knee/back) was listed as a non-participant on Tuesday's estimated practice report, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.

Waller hasn't practiced since straining his knee back on Thanksgiving Day in Dallas. Per Gutierrez, interim coach Rich Bisaccia called Waller "questionable" for Week 15 action, but he may begin to trend in the wrong direction again as long as he stays away from the field. Ultimately, Waller likely will have to mix into one of the Raiders' remaining sessions Wednesday or Thursday to put himself on a path to play for the first time since Week 12. Fellow TE Foster Moreau (abdomen) was limited at Tuesday's walkthrough, leaving Daniel Helm as the only healthy player at the position on the active roster.

The Panthers waived Thompson on Tuesday, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Thompson made 10 appearances for the Panthers this season, but he saw just one target and didn't record a catch. Alexander reports that the decision to move on from Thompson was done to make room on the active roster for Trent Scott to be activated from the COVID-19 list.

Sample caught his only target for 14 yards during Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the 49ers.

Sample was on the field for 18 of the Bengals' 67 offensive snaps, while starting tight end C.J. Uzomah played 58 snaps. The 25-year-old has just seven catches on the season and typically serves as a blocker when he is on the field. Sample offers little fantasy value as a No. 2 tight end on a team with numerous pass-catching options.

Uzomah caught four of six targets for 56 yards during Sunday's 26-23 loss to the 49ers.

Uzomah had his best outing since his 91-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Ravens in Week 7. In an offense with several talented pass catchers and a solid rushing attack, Uzomah has found difficulties providing constant fantasy value, but the upside is certainly there. With four games remaining, the 28-year-old tight end needs just six more receptions and 32 more yards to break the career highs he set in 2018.