NFL Player News

Smith brought in 10 of 11 targets for 113 yards in the Dolphins' 30-17 loss to the Packers on Thursday. He also committed a fumble but Miami kept possession.

Smith finished with team-high totals in receptions, receiving yards and targets with figures that either set or tied season highs. The veteran tight end's emergence in the Dolphins offense has been a sight to behold, as he's now posted a 25-301-3 line on 30 targets in the last three games. Thanks to Thursday's production, Smith will carry new career highs in receptions (58) and receiving yards (648) into a Week 14 home matchup against the Jets on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Schoonmaker recorded five receptions on six targets for 33 yards in Thursday's 27-20 win over the Giants.

Schoonmaker looked to be in for a massive game in the absence of Jake Ferguson (concussion), as he caught all five of his passes within Dallas' first two offensive possessions. However, the Cowboys were able to play from ahead for most of the contest, limiting the passing volume of Cooper Rush. Ferguson has 11 days to progress through concussion protocol, but Schoonmaker has the chance to remain a decent streaming option heading into a Week 14 matchup against the Bengals.

Russell (foot) was listed as a DNP on Thursday's injury report, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

Russell has been sidelined for the Seahawks' last two regular-season games due to a foot injury. He returned to practice Wednesday in a limited capacity, but he wasn't able to participate in Thursday's session. He'll have to practice Friday in order to have a chance at playing Sunday against the Jets.

Kmet recorded three catches (on three targets) for 26 yards during Thursday's 23-20 loss at Detroit.

Four days removed from earning 10 targets during a defeat to the Vikings, Kmet fell back to what he more or less has received most weeks this season (26 targets in the nine games in which he didn't see double-digit looks). Elsewhere in the Bears' skill ranks Thursday, DJ Moore led the way by a large margin with an 8-97-1 line on 16 targets, Keenan Allen scored twice among his five catches for 73 yards on eight targets, and Rome Odunze (2-25-0 on six targets) and D'Andre Swift (2-35-0 on three targets) also got in the act. With that knowledge, Kmet likely will resume his modest role in Chicago's offense in his next game Sunday, Dec. 8 in San Francisco.

FitzPatrick (back) is active for Thursday's game against the Dolphins, Mike Spofford of the Packers' official site reports.

FitzPatrick was in danger of missing Thursday's game after logging consecutive DNPs to open the week, but he will be active after participating in Wednesday's walkthrough in a limited capacity. FitzPatrick will serve as the Packers' No. 3 tight end behind Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims.

Woerner (concussion) was listed as a full participant on Thursday's injury report, Daniel Flick of SI.com reports.

Woerner's full practice Thursday indicates that he is progressing through the league's five-step concussion protocols. He will need to be cleared by an independent neurologist in order to play against the Chargers on Sunday. The fifth-year tight end has mostly been utilized as a blocker this season and has logged two catches (on four targets) for 17 yards across 10 regular-season games.

Moreau (shoulder) was listed as limited on Thursday's estimated injury report.

Moreau would have maintained his activity level from Wednesday if the Saints had held practice, but his listing Thursday indicates that he's still bothered by the shoulder injury that he sustained in the team's last game Nov. 17 against the Browns. Friday's practice report will unveil whether or not he goes into the weekend with a designation for Sunday's contest versus the Rams.

The Texans placed Quitoriano (knee) on injured reserve Thursday.

Quitoriano may have picked up the injury during the Texans' Week 12 loss to the Titans this past Sunday. By being placed on injured reserve, Quitoriano will be forced to miss at least the next four regular-season games, making Week 18 against Tennessee on Sunday, Jan. 5 the earliest he could be activated off IR. Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover are the two healthy tight ends on the 53-man roster, so the Texans could elevate Irv Smith from the practice squad for Sunday's game against the Jaguars.

LaPorta caught three of six targets for six yards and two touchdowns in Thursday's 23-20 win over the Bears.

LaPorta caught a three-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and added a one-yard score in the third. Despite his modest yardage total in this game, LaPorta's usage has trended up recently; he's drawn at least six targets in four of his past five appearances after falling short of that mark in each of his first six games this season. The second-year tight end has scored five touchdowns in his last seven games, showcasing the red-zone proficiency that helped him rack up 10 regular-season TDs as a rookie in 2023. He'll look to build on his recent momentum Week 14 against the Packers, which will be another Thursday game.

Swaim (concussion) was listed as a DNP on Thursday's injury report, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

Swaim was sidelined for the Browns' Week 12 win over the Steelers due to a concussion. The veteran tight end will need to clear the league's five-step concussion protocols in order to play against the Broncos on Monday. A return to practice Friday and Saturday -- even in a limited capacity -- would indicate that Swaim is progressing through concussion protocols.