NFL Player News

Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew was limited in practice Thursday because of a sore hamstring, according to MLive.com. The Lions host the Cowboys Week 8.

Saints coach Sean Payton said Thursday tight end Jimmy Graham (foot) is day to day as the team prepares for Week 8 vs. Buffalo. Payton said Friday will be an important day for Graham, according to The Times-Picayune.

Graham did not practice for a second straight day Thursday.

With Packers tight end Jermichael Finley sidelined indefinitely by a neck injury, tight end Andrew Quarless is expected to see a bigger role on offense.

"I didn't want it like this. That's real. But it is what it is. You have to step up like a professional," Quarless said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I'm going to be ready, I'm going to be ready. At the end of the day, I have to be. All I can do is pray for him. The preparation and approach doesn't change."

Quarless is setting the bar high and hoping to make as big of an impact as Finley had on offense for Green Bay.

"He was definitely a big threat lost," Quarless said. "But I can only match the way he was playing with that intensity. But maybe as the game progresses, I can get to that level where they start doubling me, they start thinking about me. Right now, they might not be thinking about No. 81 too much.

"It's not a bad thing. I'll be able to sneak up on them and catch a couple passes."

The Chiefs have released tight end Tony Moeaki with an injury settlement from injured reserve Wednesday, according to the National Football Post.

Moeaki was placed on injured reserve in late August after suffering a fractured scapula (shouder). It was the second time he was placed on IR in the past four seasons. Moeaki missed all of the 2011 season with a knee injury.

Lions dancing tight end Joseph Fauria leads all NFL rookies with five touchdowns as he enters Week 8 at home against Dallas. Fantasy owners hope he keeps dancing on Sunday.

His matchup against the Cowboys suggests he can. Fauria, who has needed just four games to reach five TDs and didn't score last week against Cincinnati with just one catch for 15 yards, is facing a team allowing the fourth-most Fantasy points per game to opposing TEs on the year.

The Cowboys have allowed 47 receptions to the tight end position, second-most in the league behind only Chicago. Denver's Julius Thomas went for nine grabs for 122 yards and two scores against them back in Week 5. That said, Dallas has been tougher on TEs in recent weeks.

We can't promise Fauria will go for a lot of yardage on Sunday, but you can expect a few red zone targets at the least. He's a low-end No. 1 or high-end No. 2 Fantasy TE for Week 8.

Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew has taken a back seat to rookie Joseph Fauria and his crazy dances for quarterback Matthew Stafford recently, especially in the end zone. 

That said, Pettigrew scored his first touchdown of the season last week against Cincinnati. Of course, he still went for three grabs for just 7 yards. 

Pettigrew and the Lions host the Cowboys Week 8. Dallas has allowed 47 receptions to the tight end position, second-most in the league behind only Chicago. Denver's Julius Thomas went for nine grabs for 122 yards and two scores against them back in Week 5. That said, Dallas has been tougher on TEs in recent weeks. 

Considering Pettigrew hasn't been a reliable option all season, we still consider Fauria the better start. Pettigrew is just a low-end No. 2 Fantasy TE for Week 8. We don't recommend starting him outside very deep leagues.

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham did not practice Wednesday due to the foot injury he suffered in Week 6, reports the Buffalo News. "Each day we'll just take a peek on how he's progressing and be smart about it," coach Sean Payton said.

Graham leads all tight ends with 593 receiving yards on 37 catches, and is tied for second with six touchdowns. If Graham isn't ready for Sunday's game against Buffalo, Ben Watson would start.

The Giants have had their troubles with opposing tight ends in 2013, which means good news for Eagles tight ends Brent Celek and Zach Ertz heading into their Week 8 rematch with New York.

The duo combined for five catches for 85 yards and one touchdown Week 5 against the Giants. Celek had a 25-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of a 36-21 win.

Through seven games against New York, tight ends average 66.1 receiving yards and 10 Fantasy points per week, which is the sixth-highest average. Tight ends have also totaled five touchdowns.

While the matchup is favorable for the Eagles' tight ends Week 8, the duo have been cutting into each other's production, so Celek and Ertz aren't slam-dunk options. Both players are no better than No. 2 Fantasy tight ends Week 8.

Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis has spoken optimistically despite catching just one pass for 31 yards in the loss Sunday to San Diego, the Florida Times-Union is reporting. Lewis said his confidence in his ailing calf is high after playing extended reps in the game. He was targeted three times after missing nearly the entire season with the injury.

Buccaneers tight end Timothy Wright followed up his would-be breakout Week 6 performance with a bit of a dud against the Falcons in Week 7, catching two passes for 15 yards on three targets. 

Week 8 doesn't bring much hope for a rebound, as the Bucs take on the Panthers, who have allowed six Fantasy points per week to opposing tight ends. Just one tight end, in fact, has managed over 50 receiving yards against Carolina this season -- Kyle Rudolph's 97-yard performance in Week 6. 

With Wright failing to carry momentum forward, and the Panthers staring him down in Week 8, it's best to leave the 23-year-old Rutgers product on the bench (or just left on the waiver wire) for this Thursday night game.