NFL Player News

Njoku won't practice Wednesday due to ankle and knee injuries, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

In his return from a two-game absence due to an ankle sprain this past Sunday against the Bills, Njoku logged 28 of a possible 75 snaps on offense en route to catching two of his three targets for 17 yards. The Browns haven't indicated whether the tight end's absence Wednesday is maintenance-related or indicative of a setback, but his practice activity Thursday should shed more light on his status for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that Pitts will require surgery to address his right knee injury, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Smith said that a recovery timetable for Pitts, who was placed on injured reserve Monday, won't be known until after surgery is completed. The Falcons haven't offered details on the extent of Pitts' injury, but multiple reports have suggested that the 2021 first-round pick is dealing with a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Pitts will need to miss a minimum of four games due to his placement on IR, but pending an update from Atlanta after his procedure, it remains to be seen whether the tight end will be able to return this season.

Likely caught one of three targets for one yard in Sunday's 13-3 win over the Panthers.

Likely reverted to his backup tight end duties Sunday, with Mark Andrews returning from a one game absence due to shoulder and knee injuries. The rookie played 22 of the Ravens' 69 offensive snaps while Andrews played 64 snaps. Barring another injury to Andrews, Likely seems unlikely to see enough usage to be a consistent fantasy asset. The 22-year-old can be left out of most lineups when the Ravens visit the Jaguars in Week 12.

The Giants signed Cager off their practice squad Tuesday, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.

The Giants have used the maximum allotment of three elevations from the practice squad on Cager, meaning a move to the active roster was required for him to be available moving forward. With Daniel Bellinger (eye) sidelined, Cager has been New York's primary tight end the last two contests, earning at least 66 percent of the snaps per game and combined for a 4-29-1 line on five targets. Expect Cager to continue getting most of the TE snaps between him, Tanner Hudson and Chris Myarick on Thursday at Dallas.

Pitts likely has a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Pitts picked up the injury during this past Sunday's win against the Bears. Considering the Falcons placed him on IR one day later, a Grade 2 diagnosis makes sense because it's typically accompanied by a two-to-four week recovery timeline. Pitts will miss at least the next four games as a result of that transaction, although surgery could potentially cost him the rest of the season. While the second-year pro is sidelined, Parker Hesse, MyCole Pruitt and Anthony Firkser are candidates to fill in at tight end.

Blanton was cut from the Rams' practice squad Tuesday.

Blanton has bounced around this season after being waived by the Rams during training camp. However, the 27-year-old ultimately ended up back with the team when he was signed off the Chiefs' practice squad Sept. 22. He'll now work to find a new opportunity elsewhere if the Rams don't come calling again.

Firkser may be among the players asked to have a larger role in the absence of Kyle Pitts (knee), Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Firkser appeared in the team's first five games, totaling three receptions on four targets for 39 yards. However, he hasn't seen the field since, logging healthy scratches each week. With Pitts on IR, Atlanta will likely take a committee approach to replacing the talented pass catcher, which may include Firkser getting back in the mix. The fifth-year tight end recorded over 200 receiving yards in each of his first four NFL campaigns with Tennessee and finished with 73 receptions on 96 targets for 678 yards and three scores across the 2020 and 2021 campaigns. If he's able to garner a similar role with Pitts sidelined, he could emerge as a viable streaming option in deeper leagues. However, he's still currently behind Parker Hesse and MyCole Pruitt on the depth chart.

Pruitt will be among the group of players who are asked to step up in the absence of Kyle Pitts (knee), Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Pruitt saw an increased role after Pitts went down in Week 11 and finished with a season-high 30 offensive snaps, securing his lone target for 17 yards. With Pitts on IR, Atlanta will likely use a committee approach to replace the talented pass catcher. Parker Hesse, who's expected to operate as the No. 1 tight end in Pitts' absence, is mostly known as a blocker, so Pruitt, who's caught eight touchdowns over the past five seasons, could step up as the primary pass-catching tight end. However, neither player projects to have as large of an impact in the passing game as Pitts did.

Hesse will be among the group of players who are asked to step up in the absence of Kyle Pitts (knee), Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Hesse has played over 60 percent of the team's offensive snaps eight times this season, second only to Pitts amongst Atlanta's tight ends. However, the former has caught just five of six targets for 50 yards across 11 appearances. Hesse figures to operate as the Falcons' No. 1 tight end in Pitts' absence, but he's unlikely to see a major change in his statistical output, as he mostly operates as a blocker when on the field.

Vannett signed with the Giants' practice squad Tuesday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

Vannett was waived by the Saints on Saturday and will now get a chance to make an impact in New York. The veteran tight end spent most the season as a healthy scratch and failed to carve out a consistent role in New Orleans. He did however find his way onto the active roster for four games, making two catches for 13 yards on two targets.