NFL Player News

Mack secured his only target for three yards during Friday's preseason loss to Indianapolis.

Mack seemed like the favorite for the No. 3 role at tight end entering training camp, but he rotated in behind Brock Wright during Friday's preseason finale. At this point, he can probably only hope that the Lions carry four tight ends into the regular season.

Cager (leg) caught three of five targets for 21 yards and a touchdown in Friday's preseason finale against Philadelphia.

Cager battled a leg injury earlier in camp but has since recovered. He used his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame to create space and come down with a two-yard fade pass from Josh Johnson in the end zone to cap New York's opening drive. Cager's an intriguing red-zone target, but the second-year wideout out of Georgia hasn't made much of an impact thus far. He's likely headed for a practice squad spot at best once the Jets cut down their roster.

Yeboah caught four of five targets for 100 yards and two touchdowns in Friday's game against the Eagles.

The undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss caught a 21-yard TD pass midway through the fourth quarter before tying the game at the end of regulation with a 49-yard score on a Hail Mary (followed by a Josh Adams two-point conversion). It may not have been enough for Yeboah to earn a spot on the Week 1 roster, but he'll at least be in the conversation for the practice squad. He did find a good landing spot after the draft, as the Jets' tight ends are among the worst in the league, with Tyler Kroft, Chris Herndon and Ryan Griffin competing for snaps at the moment. A spot on the practice squad could lead to playing time in the not-too-distant future.

Tremble caught both his targets for 45 yards in Friday night's 34-9 preseason win over the Steelers.

Tremble, a rookie third-round pick, impressed with his pass catching during the preseason. After being praised most for his blocking capacity coming out of Notre Dame, Tremble hauled in seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in three preseason outings. That production seemingly now has Tremble poised to serve as Dan Arnold's backup at tight end going into his first regular season, which begins with a matchup against the Jets.

Arnold caught all three of his targets for 25 yards in Friday night's 34-9 preseason win over the Steelers.

Arnold's receptions all came from starting quarterback Sam Darnold during the first half, putting a bow on a promising first preseason with the Panthers. The veteran addition is now expected to serve as Carolina's starting tight end and is coming off a career-best campaign last term, making him one to watch going into the Week 1 matchup against the Jets.

Smith caught both his targets for 39 yards in Friday night's 28-25 preseason loss to the Chiefs.

Smith hauled in a 23-yarder from Kirk Cousins to begin his night, then put Minnesota in a first-and-goal situation with a 16-yard grab a few plays later. Heading into his third season, Smith seems poised for a larger role complementing wideouts Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, putting his stock on the rise in advance of Week 1's matchup against the Bengals.

Granson caught three of four targets for 23 yards in Friday's preseason win over the Lions.

The 23-year-old tied for second on the Colts in targets on the night, but his longest grab went for only 10 yards as he worked with Jacob Eason and the first-team offense. There's been speculation Granson could have a bigger role than expected in the passing game even if he's only third on the depth chart at tight end, as the team has a track record of finding targets for multiple players at the position; however, the 2021 fourth-round pick is still a long shot to have much fantasy value.

Engram (undisclosed) returned to practice Friday, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports.

Engram had worked on the side with the Giants' training staff during Thursday's joint practice with the Patriots, but the tight end's return to the field Friday suggests that he has a chance to see action in the team's preseason finale Sunday against New England. Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com previously noted that the Giants' healthy starters would play at least a half versus the Patriots, but it's possible that Engram could potentially be held out for precautionary reasons, given his recent on-field limitations.

Granson will be featured in the Colts passing game if training camp is any indication, Stephen Holder of The Athletic reports.

While this is an encouraging report, Granson hasn't been showcased in the preseason. He has two receptions on seven targets through two exhibitions while playing 42 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also behind both Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox on the depth chart. However, this report implies that Granson could be utilized in the Colts' passing game similar to how Trey Burton was deployed in 2020 when the Colts often utilized three tight ends, and he could therefore be a sleeper should Doyle or Alie-Cox miss time due to injury.

The Saints will kick off Week 1 against the Packers with Jameis Winston starting under center, leaving Hill to handle backup duties, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Coach Sean Payton took his time evaluating all options before officially naming a No. 1 quarterback. Although Hill threw for 138 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's preseason win over the Jaguars while operating with the second unit, Winston was able to lock up the top gig after compiling 123 yards and two touchdowns while working with the starters. Hill will kick off the regular season operating as Winston's primary backup, though he could also still take the field in his usual capacity as a gadget player. With Adam Trautman (anke) and Nick Vannett (knee) both nursing multi-week injuries, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, Hill could end up handling increased work at tight end.