NFL Player News

Gesicki was not targeted during Sunday's 20-12 win over the Jets.

Gesicki remains behind fellow tight end A.J. Derby, who reeled in his only target for a touchdown. It was expected for Gesicki to have a limited role to begin the season, and it wouldn't be surprising if the 22-year-old were unable to achieve fantasy relevance in his rookie year given the length of time it generally takes to acclimate to the NFL at his position. Gesicki's usage should nonetheless increase as the season continues, and the rookie remains a key part of Miami's plans for the future.

Derby hauled in one of his two targets for a 19-yard touchdown reception Sunday in the Dolphins' 20-12 win over the Jets.

Derby and Mike Gesicki essentially split the playing time at tight end down the middle, with the former logging 34 offensive snaps to the rookie's 33. Despite the even distribution, it was Derby who was the more active pass catcher of the two, as Gesicki didn't draw a single target in the contest. Though Derby is listed as the top tight end on the Dolphins' unofficial depth chart, he'll probably need to take on a larger portion of the snaps and draw more targets before becoming an appealing option in most fantasy leagues.

Vannett caught three passes on five targets for 23 yards during Monday's 24-17 loss to the Bears.

Vannett matched the target count of rookie Will Dissly, who has scored in each of the first two games. The 25-year-old was still one of Russell Wilson's favorite targets Week 2, and his 6-foot-6 frame should grab his attention near the end zone soon. The Seahawks host the Cowboys in Week 3.

Dissly caught three of five targets for 42 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 24-17 loss to the Bears.

Dissly had a team-long reception of 34 yards, flashing big-play ability for the second straight week to start his career. Furthermore, like his NFL debut, the rookie fourth-rounder again found the end zone Monday. Although that came via a two-yard catch with 14 seconds left and the game's result already decided, Dissly's impact has been felt nonetheless. The local Washington product is one to continue to keep an eye on, particularly while Doug Baldwin's (knee) status remains murky.

Paulsen hauled in his lone target for a 10-yard gain as Atlanta defeated Carolina, 31-24, on Sunday.

The 31-year-old tight end has almost exclusively contributed as a run blocker throughout his career, eclipsing 20 targets in a year just twice across eight professional seasons. This week's matchup against New Orleans doesn't provide reason for optimism, as the Saints surrendered the fewest number of tight end receptions in the NFL last season with 43.

Firkser was waived by the Titans on Monday, Jim Wyatt of the team's official site reports.

Unfortunately for the Harvard product, a strong preseason campaign wasn't enough to keep Firkser around in Nashville. There's a good chance he'll wind up elsewhere given his impressive play leading up to the regular season.

Thomas caught two of three targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 31-24 loss to the Falcons.

Thomas played all but three offensive snaps in the wake of Greg Olsen (foot) going down Week 1. While that heightened involvement is really encouraging for Thomas, the rookie fourth-rounder's sparse utilization in the passing game shows he still has some way to go in establishing a trusted rapport with quarterback Cam Newton. Fortunately for him, he figures to continue to get the necessary playing time, making his development worthwhile to monitor in the coming weeks.

Everett recorded a 17-yard reception during Sunday's 34-0 win over Arizona.

After missing the majority of the preseason with a shoulder injury and playing just five offensive snaps Week 1, it was encouraging to see Everett haul in a lengthy reception Sunday. He's still firmly behind Tyler Higbee on the depth chart, as Everett played just eight offensive snaps compared to Higbee's 64. However, it wouldn't be shocking if the second-year tight end out of South Alabama became more involved in the passing attack as the season progresses. Everett was handpicked by the current regime in the second round of the 2017 draft, and he displayed his athleticism with 15.3 yards per reception as a rookie in 2017. Keep tabs on Everett in deep setups.

Higbee played 64 of 72 offensive snaps and caught a three-yard touchdown pass during Sunday's 34-0 win over Arizona.

The third-year tight end failed to secure his other target, so while it was great to see Higbee find the end zone Week 2, Sunday's touchdown stands as his only reception through the first two games of the season. He was still on the field for 64 offensive snaps compared to Gerald Everett's eight, so for the time being, Higbee's position atop the depth chart appears secure. Still, neither Los Angeles tight end profiles as a reliable fantasy option at this stage of the game.

Coach John Harbaugh said Hurst (foot) isn't expected to take part in practice this week.

When he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot on Aug. 24, Hurst was in line for a 3-4 week recovery, but he's already brushing up against the latter end of that timetable. The 2018 first-round pick is thus a better bet to make his pro debut Week 4 (or later) rather than Week 3. Look for the trio of Nick Boyle, Mark Andrews and Maxx Williams to continue holding down the fort at tight end for the Ravens.