NFL Player News

Tonyan was targeted three times and caught two passes for 10 yards in Sunday's 24-14 victory over the Bears.

Tonyan played at least 60 percent of the snaps for the fourth week in a row, but as was the case the previous three weeks he made only a cameo appearance in the box score. His 2020 campaign provides reason to believe he can get on track, but with totals of six receptions and 32 yards since his 52-yard, one-score showing in Week 2, there's not much else fueling optimism about Tonyan at the moment.

Tremble hauled in a two-point conversion but didn't catch either of his other two targets in Sunday's 34-28 overtime loss to the Vikings. He also rushed once for no yards.

Tremble helped force overtime by tying the score with his two-point conversion catch with under a minute remaining. The rookie did little else, but it's at least encouraging that Tremble played only two offensive snaps fewer than starting tight end Ian Thomas on Sunday.

Brown caught two of three targets for eight yards in Sunday's 31-3 loss to the Colts.

It was another workmanlike effort for Brown, who led Houston's tight ends in snaps while serving as the best blocker among the position group. He remains the snap count leader at tight end, but Jordan Akins is the target leader and a bigger threat when Houston's forced to throw.

Thomas caught one of two targets for 41 yards in Sunday's 34-28 overtime loss against the Vikings.

Thomas was responsible for Carolina's longest offensive play of the day, helping him finish second on the team in receiving yards. The tight end has now posted at least 40 yards in consecutive contests, but considering he's only hauled in more than one pass in two of six games played so far, Thomas isn't getting enough volume even after the Dan Arnold trade to make much of a fantasy impact.

Akins caught four of six targets for 41 yards in Sunday's 31-3 loss to the Colts.

This was Akins' most productive game of 2021 and he moved up the target list, tying David Johnson at 18 for the season, second on the Texans behind Brandin Cooks' 57. Akins and Pharaoh Brown have operated as co-starters at tight end, altering from week to week as a target leader for the position group, but Akins is considered the bigger receiving threat. Unfortunately, rookie quarterback Davis Mills is not helping either player's value.

Bryant was not targeted in Sunday's 37-14 loss to the Cardinals.

Bryant played 17 snaps for a 29 percent share, both season lows. It was the second straight week without a target and third time in the last four weeks without a catch for the second-year tight end. He and David Njoku continue to share the backup duties behind starter Austin Hooper, but Njoku has played 70 snaps more than Bryant, reversing a 2020 trend.

Njoku caught one of two targets for six yards in Sunday's 37-14 loss to Arizona.

Njoku experienced a steep drop in production after a breakout Week 5 in which he caught seven passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps the knee injury he nursed during Week 6 prep limited him. Njoku played a season-low 44 percent of the offensive snaps on a day in which the Browns aired it out after falling behind early. Those are typically the type of games Njoku thrives in.

Hooper caught one of three targets for four yards in Sunday's 37-14 loss to the Cardinals.

Hooper had another red-zone target, giving him a team-high six chances inside an opponent's 20-yard line, but he's been a non-factor since Week 3, managing just two catches on eight targets over the last three contests. He continues to play nearly 70 percent of the offensive snaps, so Hooper is positioned well on a team that typically uses its tight ends often. Unfortunately, the position group had just five targets in the loss to Arizona, totaling two catches for 10 yards.

Bates caught his only target for a seven-yard gain in Sunday's 31-13 loss to Kansas City, registering his first regular-season NFL reception.

The rookie fourth-round pick has seen just one target in two games since starting tight end Logan Thomas (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve. Ricky Seals-Jones has replaced Thomas in a three-down role, while Bates remains limited to blocking for the most part. He doesn't figure to see more than a target or two Week 7 at Green Bay.

Everett (reserve/COVID-19) returned to action Sunday, catching two passes (three targets) for 40 yards in a 23-20 loss to Pittsburgh.

Everett returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list and finished second in total receiving yards for Seattle on a night during which Geno Smith struggled to move the ball downfield. Will Dissly (two catches, eight yards and a touchdown) wound up getting the lone receiving touchdown for Seattle, which is unfortunate for those who deployed Everett. It may be a rough go of things for the Seahawks' passing attack until Russell Wilson (finger) returns from IR, so there may be better options than Everett in the meantime.