NFL Player News

Lewis had two catches for 29 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's Week 7 win over the Colts.

Lewis was battling a minor shoulder issue earlier in the week, but he started in his usual No. 1 tight end role and was targeted three times by Blake Bortles. One of those targets went for a 24-yard reception, while the other produced a five-yard score, Lewis' fourth touchdown of the season. While Lewis trails only Zach Ertz (5) for the league lead among tight ends, it's important to note that three of Lewis' touchdowns came in the Jags' Week 3 blowout win over the Ravens. That game looks to be a major outlier, as Lewis has produced just three catches on five targets in his other six contests.

The 49ers waived Paulsen on Tuesday, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

It's the third time that Paulsen has been cut by San Francisco since the beginning of training camp, which illustrates his place on the periphery of the roster. Even if he re-signs with the 49ers and sticks along for a prolonged period, Paulsen will act mainly as a blocker and won't see much involvement in the passing game.

Ertz caught all five of his targets for 89 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 34-24 win over the Redskins.

Ertz led the Eagles in receptions and yards while also scoring for the third straight game. Clearly a favorite target of quarterback Carson Wentz, Ertz has now topped 80 yards four times this season. Overall, his 494 yards and five touchdowns lead all tight ends league-wide in both categories, evidencing his outstanding fantasy value.

The Ravens signed Escobar to a contract Monday, Ryan Mink of the Ravens' official site reports.

With four other tight ends on the active roster, Escobar might not have much longevity with the Ravens, but he'll at least boost the team's depth at the position in the short term while Maxx Williams contends with an ankle injury. A second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2013, Escobar largely failed to live up to his strong reputation as a receiver coming out of college during his four years in Dallas. Over 62 career games with the Cowboys, Escobar managed only 30 receptions for 333 yards and eight touchdowns.

Allen was on the field for 20 (of a possible 74) snaps on offense in Sunday's 23-7 win over the Falcons.

Allen has been a non-factor in the Patriots offense thus far and though we suppose he could be game-planned in down the road, he's not a viable fantasy option as long as Rob Gronkowski (71 snaps) remains healthy.

Thomas caught his only target for a 22-yard score in Buffalo's 30-27 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Thomas was out there for 43 percent of the offensive snaps as he and Nick O'Leary continue to get more time due to Charles Clay's knee injury. When Clay returns -- which probably isn't that far off -- Thomas will return to more of a special teams role. Still, it's a good sign that the converted quarterback has earned his way into a regular NFL role and his 6-6 size is certainly an asset if he ever works his way into a bigger opportunity.

Higbee caught all three of his targets for 13 yards during Sunday's 33-0 win over Arizona.

The sophomore tight end was on the field for 54 of 80 offensive snaps during the blowout win, which was significantly more than fellow tight ends Derrick Carrier (22) and Gerald Everett (18). While Higbee has clearly positioned himself atop the depth chart, it hasn't translated into fantasy success yet. His 14 receptions for 179 yards aren't tilting the scales in the majority of settings.

Engram hauled in six of his 12 passes for 60 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to Seattle.

The rookie tight end led the Giants in receptions and yards for the second straight week and had twice as many targets as his nearest competition. Engram's third touchdown of the season gave the Giants the lead early in the second quarter, but that would be all the scoring they'd do on the day. The first-round pick has established himself as Eli Manning's go-to guy now that Odell Beckham (ankle) and Brandon Marshall (ankle) are out for the year. The Giants are headed for a Week 8 bye, but Engram should continue to provide stable production Week 9 and beyond, even with the likely return of Sterling Shepard from an ankle injury.

Graham hauled in three of six targets for 51 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-7 defeat of the Giants.

It could have been an even bigger day for the athletic tight end as Graham dropped a fourth-and-goal pass that hit him right in the hands as the second quarter began. He dropped another ball in space later on, too. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old has seen at least six targets (including at least one look in the red zone) in every game this season outside of Week 2 and continues to rank in the upper tier at his position. Seattle takes on Houston at home Week 8.

Derby caught six of seven targets for 66 yards in Sunday's 21-0 loss to the Chargers.

Derby was utilized heavily, leading the team in targets, catches and yards en route to the second highest output of his career. He broke off a 23-yard gain at one point, making him the only Broncos offensive piece to make a play longer than 17 yards. Derby had just one catch a week ago, but this effort is promising on the heels of a big game in Week 4. He seems to be growing into his role in the offense and will look to build off this outing next week against the Chiefs.