NFL Player News

Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak labeled Bowers (knee) as day-to-day Monday, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.

After Bowers underwent a meniscus trim procedure last Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the star tight end expected to miss only "a game or two" before making his 2026 debut. Though a partial meniscectomy often entails a recovery period closer to one month, Bowers -- who sat out the Raiders' season-opening win over the Dolphins -- appears to be bouncing back well from his operation and looks like he could have a real chance of suiting up next Sunday against the Chargers. Per Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com, Kubiak said that he'll heed the advice of trainers in determining when Bowers will be ready to play, and the 23-year-old's activity in practices is also likely to be a factor in the decision. While Bowers was sidelined for Week 1, Michael Mayer stepped in as the Raiders' top tight end versus Miami and finished with six catches for 32 yards on seven targets.

Otton caught three of five targets for 26 yards in Tampa Bay's loss to the Bengals on Sunday.

Otton played 56 of 57 offensive snaps and ran 31 routes on Baker Mayfield's 36 dropbacks. His five targets were good for third on the team, trailing only Bucky Irving's seven and Emeka Egbuka's six. Otton plays virtually every snap, but he's a low-floor, low-upside fantasy option who caught just one touchdown last season.

Likely caught all eight of his targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 28-20 win over the Cowboys.

Likely showcased excellent chemistry with quarterback Jaxson Dart, as all of their attempted connections resulted in completions, including touchdowns of 15 yards in the second quarter and two yards in the third, which turned a 7-7 tie into a 21-7 Giants lead. Malik Nabers (knee) suited up and led the team with nine targets, but no other teammate exceeded four targets or 27 receiving yards. Likely looks like an integral piece of the Giants' passing game heading into a Week 2 road game against the Rams on Monday Night Football.

Mayer brought in six of seven targets for 32 yards in the Raiders' 27-13 win over the Dolphins on Sunday.

Filling the No. 1 tight end role due to Brock Bowers (knee) being sidelined, Mayer set the pace for the Raiders in targets while also tying for the team lead in receptions. Mayer gained 14 of his yards on one catch, so he was mired in an extreme short-area role for the majority of the afternoon. Nevertheless, he's proven capable of offering useful production as Bowers' fill-in on multiple occasions, although Mayer could revert to his usual reserve role in light of reports that Bowers could be ready for his season debut as early as next Sunday's Week 2 road matchup against the Chargers.

Hockenson caught four of five targets for 36 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings' 39-22 win over the Packers on Sunday.

Justin Jefferson easily paced the Vikings with nine targets on 24 total pass attempts, but Hockenson was second on the team with his five looks. His 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter pulled Minnesota within five points to make it 22-17 in favor of Green Bay. Hockenson averaged a career-low 29.2 yards per game last season, but improved quarterback play and being another year removed from ACL surgery has the veteran tight end potentially undervalued in fantasy this season.

Schultz caught four of eight targets for 35 yards in Sunday's 36-31 loss to the Bills.

Schultz's eight targets were second on the team to Nico Collins' 10 on 38 pass attempts by C.J. Stroud. Schultz doesn't offer much big-play ability at 30 years old, but he's a reliable target in the middle of the field and saw his floor raise when Jayden Higgins went down with a season-ending torn ACL over the summer. The veteran tight end will be a borderline TE1/2 next Sunday against the Bengals.

Waller secured both of his targets for 28 yards in the Panthers' 59-37 loss to the Bears on Sunday.

Waller actually had a one-yard touchdown called back on a penalty on the Panthers' opening drive. Carolina used all three of Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans and Waller pretty heavily against Chicago, and both Tremble and Waller each ran 18 routes. Waller isn't going to be a full-time player, but it's clear he's going to be featured in the scoring area. He's a touchdown-or-bust fantasy bet most weeks and gets a road date with the Falcons next Sunday.

Strange caught two of three targets for 23 yards and a touchdown Sunday in a 34-10 victory versus Cleveland.

Strange had a relatively quiet day in terms of targets and yardage, but he finished with a fine fantasy total on the strength of a 14-yard connection with Trevor Lawrence in the second quarter. Strange seems to have carried over the red-zone chemistry with Lawrence that developed late last year, when all three of his scores came over the Jaguars' final six regular-season games. The 2023 second-round draft pick logged a career-best 540 receiving yards last season and is positioned to be Jacksonville's top tight end again in 2026.

Helm caught four of five targets for 28 yards in the Titans' 23-10 loss to the Jets on Sunday.

Helm's five targets trailed both Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson, as the duo drew six targets apiece to lead the team in Week 1. Even more importantly for Helm's fantasy prospects, he ran 22 routes to Daniel Bellinger's five, suggesting he's well ahead of Bellinger on the depth chart as a pass catcher. Helm will be a lower-end TE2 next Sunday against the Eagles.

McBride brought in nine of 12 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals' 26-14 win over the Chargers on Sunday.

McBride was in the familiar position of leading the Cardinals across the board in receptions, receiving yards and targets while also being on the receiving end of Jacoby Brissett's one touchdown pass. McBride recorded his three-yard scoring grab early in the fourth quarter, a critical touchdown considering it extended what had been a narrow 16-14 lead for Arizona. The talented tight end's performance was all the more impressive considering the presence of All-Pro safety Derwin James on the other side, and McBride will look to carry over his significant season-opening momentum into a Week 2 divisional home clash with the defending champion Seahawks next Sunday.