NFL Player News
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Zach Ertz TE | WAS
Commanders' Zach Ertz: Limited in Wednesday's practice
Ertz was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to a rib injury.
On Washington's initial divisional-round injury report released Tuesday, Ertz was listed as a non-participant in practice due to both the rib issue and rest, but only the rib issue appears next to his name on Wednesday's report. Ertz is likely just getting some extra maintenance ahead of Saturday's game against the Lions, as Commanders head coach Dan Quinn hasn't suggested that the veteran tight end's status for the contest is in any jeopardy. In the Commanders' wild-card win over the Buccaneers this past Sunday, Ertz played 62 percent of the snaps on offense and finished with two catches for 23 yards on four targets.
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Darnell Washington TE | PIT
Steelers' Darnell Washington: Role grows in 2024
Washington secured 19 of 25 targets for 200 yards and a touchdown over 17 regular-season appearances with the Steelers in 2024.
Washington's production improved slightly in 2024 after he secured seven of 10 targets for 61 yards over 17 regular-season appearances as a rookie last year. However, the 23-year-old wasn't a reliable fantasy option, recording double-digit receiving yards in just six appearances and being held without a catch in four of the final five games of the regular season. Pat Freiermuth signed a four-year contract extension with the Steelers ahead of the 2024 season, and as long as he remains healthy next season, it seems unlikely that Washington will have much fantasy potential.
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Teagan Quitoriano TE | ATL
Texans' Teagan Quitoriano: Begins week with full practice
Quitoriano, who is on IR due to a calf injury, was a full practice participant Tuesday.
Quitoriano has been on injured reserve since Nov. 28 due to a knee injury. He was designated to return to practice last Tuesday and practiced in full all week but wasn't activated ahead of Houston's wild-card win over the Chargers last Saturday. There's a clearer path to Quitoriano being activated ahead of this Saturday's divisional-round clash against the Chiefs, however, as fellow tight end Cade Stover landed on IR on Tuesday due to a fractured collarbone.
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Colson Yankoff TE | WAS
Commanders' Colson Yankoff: Logs another full practice
Yankoff (hamstring) practiced in full Tuesday.
Yankoff was also a full practice participant all last week after being designated to return from injured reserve Wednesday. However, he wasn't activated off injured reserve ahead of Washington's wild-card win over the Buccaneers. It's unclear if Yankoff will be activated in time for this Saturday's divisional-round matchup against the Lions, but the chances of that happening would increase if fellow tight end Ben Sinnott (shoulder) isn't able to play.
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Ben Sinnott TE | WAS
Commanders' Ben Sinnott: Limited in practice to open week
Sinnott (shoulder) was a limited practice participant Tuesday.
Sinnott hurt his shoulder in the first half of Sunday's wild-card win against Tampa Bay, but he was able to return after halftime. The rookie tight end logged 10 percent of Washington's offensive snaps in the victory -- which is in line with his usual snap share in recent weeks -- and didn't get any touches or targets. Sinnott's practice participation level Wednesday and Thursday should determine whether he is tagged with an injury designation heading into the weekend.
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Dalton Schultz TE | HOU
Texans' Dalton Schultz: Limited with shoulder issue
Schultz (shoulder) was a limited participant in Tuesday's practice.
The veteran tight end has been relatively healthy this season, and it's the first time he's been listed as limited on a practice report since September. Schultz played 73 percent of the offensive snaps in last Saturday's wild-card win over the Chargers, securing two of his four targets for 23 yards. Rookie TE Cade Stover (undisclosed), was placed on injured reserve earlier Tuesday, which could lead to a little more volume for Schultz in the divisional round against Kansas City.
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Cade Stover TE | HOU
Texans' Cade Stover: Needs surgery, out for playoffs
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed Tuesday that Stover sustained a fractured collarbone in Saturday's 32-12 win over the Chargers and will require season-ending surgery, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Teagan Quitoriano (calf) could be reinstated from IR later this week to give the Texans a third option at tight end behind Dalton Schultz and Irv Smith for Saturday's divisional-round game against Kansas City. Stover recorded four catches for 28 yards on four targets in the win over the Chargers and finished the regular season with a 15-133-1 receiving line on 22 targets over 15 appearances.
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Colby Parkinson TE | LAR
Rams' Colby Parkinson: Makes pair of catches
Parkinson secured both of his targets for 13 yards during Monday's 27-9 wild-card win over the Vikings.
Tyler Higbee (chest) looked primed to have a career game early, with five catches for 58 yards on 12 snaps, but his night was cut short by a chest injury. The trio of Rams' tight ends behind Higbee on the depth chart each recorded exactly 13 receiving yards, with Davis Allen catching a touchdown in the second quarter. Parkinson's 33 snaps on offense were more than Allen (19) and Hunter Long (22) and he was the only one of the three to catch more than one pass, but with Higbee not expected to miss any additional time, Parkinson will likely revert to his role as a backup against the Eagles in the divisional round.
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Tanner Taula TE | TB
Buccaneers' Tanner Taula: Back with Tampa Bay
The Bucs signed Taula to a reserve/future contract Tuesday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
Taula spent the entirety of the 2024 season on Tampa Bay's practice squad. Still looking to make his regular-season NFL debut, Taula will compete for a roster spot with the Bucs next offseason.
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Tyler Higbee TE | LAR
Rams' Tyler Higbee: Likely to play in divisional round
Head coach Sean McVay said that Higbee (chest) has been discharged from an Arizona hospital and is expected to play Sunday in the Rams' divisional-round matchup with the Eagles, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
With five catches for 58 yards on five targets in Monday's 27-9 win over the Vikings in the wild-card round, Higbee finished as the Rams' leading receiver, despite being forced out of the game before the end of the first half due to a chest injury. According to McVay, Higbee was "coughing up a little bit of blood" and was sent to the hospital as a result, but the tight end has seemingly avoided a serious injury. The Rams could still limit Higbee in practice to some extent this week, but the expectation is that he'll be ready to go for Sunday's game with few restrictions, if any.