NFL Player News

Thomas caught all four of his targets for 24 yards in Sunday's 29-21 loss to the Redskins.

He entered Sunday with a mere one catch on the season, but he saw his role expand after fellow tight end Greg Olsen was concussed during the third quarter. As a result, Thomas put together his best performance of the campaign, and he figures to keep working with Carolina's starters if Olsen is unavailable in Week 14 versus the Falcons. With the veteran TE injured last year, Thomas started six games as a rookie, totaling 24 catches for 220 yards and a touchdown in those appearances.

Hooper (knee) is expected to resume practicing Monday, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports.

Hooper was inactive for the past three games while recovering from an MCL sprain, missing each practice during that time. He did some running on a side field last week, and a return to practice Monday should give him a shot to make it back for Sunday's game against Carolina. Jaeden Graham has filled in capably as the Falcons' top pass-catching tight end, hauling in seven of eight targets for 117 yards and a touchdown over the past three weeks.

Carlson caught both his targets for 28 yards in Sunday's 20-13 loss to Pittsburgh in Week 13.

Carlson remains on the fringe of fantasy relevance for the Browns. Quarterback Baker Mayfield often looks to tight ends in the red zone, so Carlson -- who has one red-zone touchdown this season -- is in the mix. How long that holds true will depend on what the Browns do with David Njoku (wrist), who is designated to return from injured reserve and could be activated for Week 14 against the Bengals.

Kittle (knee/ankle) caught two passes on four targets for 17 yards and lost three yards on his lone carry in Sunday's 20-17 loss to Baltimore.

Kittle saw his usage drop drastically following a six-catch, 129-yard showing in Week 12. The superstar tight end was asked to stay back and block more than usual against a Ravens defense that rushes the passer more than any other team in the league (blitz packages on 48.1 percent of plays this season). There was no report of a flare-up with Kittle's lower-body injuries, so his lack of usage in the passing game appeared to have been matchup-based. Look for him to get more involved in a crucial NFC showdown with the Saints in Week 14.

Smith hauled in both of his targets but netted zero yards in the team's Week 13 win over the Colts.

Smith had little role in the team's offense and did even less with his limited opportunity. On his first reception, Smith was caught behind the line of scrimmage for a two-yard loss, which he followed one quarter later with a two-yard gain on a pass over the middle. Though Delanie Walker (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, Smith is not a worthwhile option due to his limited volume and lack of production.

Higbee hauled in seven of his eight targets for 107 yards and a touchdown in the team's Week 13 win over the Cardinals.

Higbee saw an increased role due to the absence of Gerald Everett (knee) and also took advantage of a positive matchup. The end result was a career-best performance in both yards and receptions, highlighted by a two-yard touchdown grab. However, he also displayed a consistent ability to work downfield, recording gains of 26, 25 and 21 yards. It remains unclear how long Everett will be absent, but Higbee could sustain an increased role against the Seahawks in Week 14.

Kelce caught five of nine targets for 90 yards in Sunday's 40-9 rout of the Raiders.

The Chiefs' passing game was surprisingly muted despite the final score, as windy conditions at Arrowhead Stadium prevented Patrick Mahomes from stretching the field as usual -- Kelce wound up leading the team in receiving yards thanks largely to a 47-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter. The tight end has topped 60 yards in five straight games, hauling in three TDs along the way, and he's now 77 yards shy of his fourth straight 1,000-yard campaign. Kelce could have a tough time reaching that milestone in Week 14 on the road against the Patriots' league-leading defense, however.

Vannett caught his only target for seven yards in Pittsburgh's 20-13 win over Cleveland on Sunday.

In seven games with Pittsburgh, Vannett has been targeted just nine times with six catches for 35 yards to show for it. As attractive as the Week 14 matchup against a non-existent Arizona pass defense is, there simply is no reason to even have Vannett on fantasy rosters.

Waller caught seven of nine targets for 100 yards in Sunday's 40-9 loss to the Chiefs.

The tight end led the Raiders in catches, targets and yards, en route to his third 100-yard performance of the season. Waller has struggled to reach the end zone -- he hasn't scored a TD since Week 8 and had to watch Derek Carrier haul in Oakland's only score Sunday -- but otherwise, he's having a remarkable breakout campaign. Waller will look to post big numbers again in Week 14 against a Titans defense that just let Jack Doyle go off for a 6-73-1 line.

Henry was shut down in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Broncos, recording just two receptions for 10 yards.

Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen accounted for nearly 90 percent of the team's total receiving yards, saddling Henry with easily his worst game of 2019. The dismal outing has to be disappointing for fantasy owners, but Henry has had just four games with 20 or less receiving yards since Week 4 of the 2017 season, so it's fair to assume the star tight end could be poised for a turnaround.