NFL Player News

Hendershot caught one of two targets for seven yards in Saturday's preseason loss to the Seahawks.

The second-year tight end caught his first pass of the preseason late in the first quarter, contributing to Dallas' first TD drive of the night. Hendershot seems ensconced in the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker, especially with promising undrafted rookie John Stephens having suffered a season-ending ACL tear Saturday. In a similar role in 2022, Hendershot caught 11 of 16 targets for 103 yards and two TDs, while adding a third score on a two-yard carry -- his only rush of the season.

Wilcox (undisclosed) has been cleared to practice and has been removed from the active/PUP list .

Wilcox had been placed on the PUP list on July 24, and now that he's ready to resume practice, he'll look to secure a role in the Bengals tight end corps. Heading into the team's preseason finale, Irv Smith and Drew Sample profile as Cincinnati's top two options at the position, with Wilcox, Devin Asiasi, Tanner Hudson, Nick Bowers and Christian Trahan competing for depth slotting.

McKeon's chances of making the 53-man roster increased greatly with John Stephens having suffered a season-ending ACL tear Saturday, Nick Eatman of the Cowboys' website reports.

Stephens, an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana, was having an impressive camp and was pushing McKeon for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart at tight end. The rookie's injury doesn't guarantee McKeon a roster spot, as Dallas could elect to go with only three TEs to begin the year, but in all likelihood his job is secure. The 25-year-old has only six catches in 22 games over the last two seasons and would have a minimal receiving role behind Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker and Peyton Hendershot.

Parham failed to catch any of his three targets in Sunday's preseason loss to the Saints.

Getting the start with Gerald Everett and the Chargers' other first-teamers sitting out, Parham was the intended recipient of Easton Stick's first throw but couldn't haul it in, which ended up being the story of the night for the fourth-year tight end. Meanwhile, depth TE Stone Smartt caught four of his five targets from Stick for 32 yards. Parham's 6-foot-8 frame had made him an enticing red-zone sleeper even since he entered the league in 2020, but as yet it hasn't translated into any kind of consistent production.

Allen secured all eight of his targets for 53 yards during Saturday's 34-17 preseason loss to the Raiders.

The rookie fifth-round pick just returned to practice this week after suffering a hamstring injury that cost him the entirety of training camp, but he showed no rust in putting on a dominating performance against the Raiders. Allen made multiple contested catches, showcased his abilities as a blocker and functioned as Stetson Bennett's safety valve through much of the contest. Tyler Higbee is the only roster lock of the seven tight ends the Rams currently have on the roster, but Allen's big game may help move the needle towards keeping the Clemson product on the final 53-man roster.

Saints coach Dennis Allen said that Graham (illness) will not suit up for Sunday's preseason game against the Chargers but that he is still in a good spot while recovering from Friday's medical episode, according to team reporter Erin Summers.

Graham's recovery timeline is still unclear, as not all of the specifics of his medical episode Friday have been made publicly available. However, he was apparently doing well enough to travel with the team to SoFi Stadium and watch Sunday's preseason tilt from the locker room, according to Jeff Duncan of The Athletic. Graham's final opportunity to suit up this preseason will come versus the Texans on Sunday, Aug. 27.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday that he expects Kittle (groin) will return to practice at some point during this coming week, Lindsey Pallares of the team's official site reports.

Kittle has been dealing with an adductor strain that left him sidelined for the 49ers' first two preseason contests, including Saturday's 21-20 win versus Denver. The 29-year-old caught 60 passes and a career-high 11 touchdown passes over 15 games last season, so there should be no reason to rush him back prematurely this preseason. Therefore, it's possible Kittle could still sit out Friday's preseason finale against the Chargers, even if he does return to practice ahead of the contest.

Bills coach Sean McDermott said that Knox (finger) is expected to participate in the team's walk-through Sunday, Ryan O'Halloran of The Buffalo News reports.

Knox did not suit up for Saturday's 27-15 preseason loss to the Steelers due to an injury to one of his pinkie fingers. The 26-year-old is currently considered day-to-day with this issue, and it's unclear if he'd be ready to participate in a full practice yet. The Bills' preseason finale will arrive this coming Saturday against the Bears, and Knox's potential absence could leave more opportunities for rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid, who just caught three passes for 45 yards against Pittsburgh.

Stephens is out for the season with a torn ACL, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Stephens injured his knee in the third quarter of Saturday's loss to Seattle and will now miss the entirety of the season. Signed as an undrafted free agent in May, the 23-year-old was making a strong push for a spot on the Week 1 roster, but he will now have to wait until next year to try to make his NFL debut.

Washington secured his lone target for six yards during Saturday's 27-15 preseason win over the Bills.

Washington has had a limited impact over the first two games of the preseason, as he's been limited to one reception in each matchup and has been held under 10 yards in both games. The Steelers haven't had multiple fantasy-relevant tight ends in recent seasons, but Washington should have a chance to compete with Zach Gentry and Connor Heyward for a role behind starter Pat Freiermuth to begin the 2023 campaign.