It's been three seasons since Fant has averaged at least eight PPR points per game. That's not good. It's also not good that he'll battle for playing time with second-year tight end A.J. Barner and rookie Elijah Arroyo. The days of thinking about picking up Fant off waivers appear to be over unless he changes teams and finds a better opportunity than what appears to be in front of him with the Seahawks.
Fant didn't get any targets in Monday's preseason win over Washington.
Fant was part of a TE rotation for the first-string offense, mostly playing alongside Drew Sample in two-TE sets, while Tanner Hudson filled in for Mike Gesicki (hamstring) and got a lot of the work in passing situations with three wide receivers. None of the bunch is likely to have an every-down role in the regular season, nor anything close to it.
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Bengals' Noah Fant: Preseason debut on top
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Fant will make his preseason debut with the Bengals during Monday's game against the Commanders, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
Fant inked with Cincinnati on July 31 and hadn't picked up enough of the playbook to suit up for the team's preseason opener against Philadelphia on Aug. 5, but he's now acclimated enough to take on exhibition reps. With Mike Gesicki (hamstring) ruled out for Monday's matchup, Fant could get the start at tight end while all of Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, Tanner McLachlan and Cam Grandy work in behind him.
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Bengals' Noah Fant: Won't play Thursday
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Fant is still learning the playbook and won't play in Thursday's preseason game against the Eagles, SI.com's James Rapien reports.
Mike Gesicki's hamstring injury may help Fant get more first-team reps in practice, but that apparently won't carry over to the first preseason game just one week after Fant signed with Cincinnati. The Bengals will instead rely on Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, Tanner McLachlan and Cam Grandy at tight end Thursday night.
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Bengals' Noah Fant: Officially signs with Bengals
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The Bengals officially signed Fant on Thursday.
Fant, who recorded a 48-500-1 receiving line in 14 regular-season games with the Seahawks in 2024, bolsters a Bengals tight end corps that also includes Mike Gesicki, who caught 65 passes for Cincinnati last season. With star wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins also around to command plenty of targets, Fant may not initially have a path to steady volume, but the 2019 first-rounder would quickly find himself on the fantasy lineup radar if Gesicki were forced to the sideline at any point this season.
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Noah Fant: In line to join Bengals
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Fant is expected to sign with the Bengals after both sides came to terms Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Fant's first visit as a free agent after being released by Seattle was to Cincinnati, and though he subsequently met with New Orleans and Miami, the 2019 first-round pick now appears set to join Mike Gesicki atop the Bengals' tight end depth chart. The fit is somewhat intriguing, as Fant boasts receiving chops and now joins a prolific passing game, but he faces a murky role and may have to settle for a definitive depth gig behind Gesicki, whom Cincinnati inked to a three-year, $25.5 million extension this offseason.
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Noah Fant: Meeting with Miami
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Fant will meet with the Dolphins on Monday, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
The Seahawks released Fant last week, freeing up cap space while allowing AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo to compete for a starting job. This is Fant's third reported visit in a five-day stretch, after he met with the Bengals and Saints late last week.
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Noah Fant: Visiting Saints next
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Fant is scheduled to visit the Saints after meeting with the Bengals on Thursday, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
The Seahawks released Fant on Sunday, freeing up cap space while allowing AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo to compete for a starting job. It hasn't taken long for Fant to drum up interest; he's already making his rounds with the NFL's TE-needy teams. The Bengals and Saints both have decent pass-catching tight ends, but with not much depth behind Mike Gesicki and Juwan Johnson, respectively.
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Noah Fant: Visit set with Bengals
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Fant has a visit scheduled with the Bengals on Thursday, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
Fant was released by the Seahawks on Sunday, but it may not take him much time to find a new home. His potential fit in Cincinnati would be interesting, as he'd join a prolific offense but also step into an uncertain role with Mike Gesicki also on the roster. Fant played a career-low 533 offensive snaps in 2024, and he may find a regular role difficult to earn regardless of where he lands.
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Noah Fant: Let go by Seattle
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Fant was released by the Seahawks on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Fant spent the past three seasons in Seattle after being acquired in the trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver in 2022. The 27-year-old tight end was the Broncos' first-round pick in 2019, but he logged three mediocre seasons as a pass catcher for the Seahawks. Fant never recorded more than 50 catches or 500 receiving yards over the past three years, and he totaled just five touchdowns while appearing in 48 regular-season games during that stretch, including just one score last year. His release will open up some cap space for the Seahawks, as he was due $8.5 million in non-guaranteed salary in 2025, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Fant's departure will also open up more opportunities for rookie second-round pick Elijah Arroyo, 2024 fourth-rounder AJ Barner and veteran Eric Saubert, who signed with the Seahawks this offseason.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Competition arrives via draft
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Fant could face competition for the starting job after the Seahawks selected Elijah Arroyo (knee) in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
A 2019 first-round pick, Fant's career has never truly taken off, as his best marks for receiving were in 2020 when he posted a 62-673-3 line, and he has scored just one touchdown over the past two seasons with the Seahawks. Thus, it's not surprising that the Seahawks addressed tight end early in the draft after also taking AJ Barner in the fourth round last year. Arroyo may take some time to develop, but he looks like the Seahawks' long-term plan at the position.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Scores first TD in Week 18
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Fant corralled five of six targets for 63 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-25 win over the Rams.
Fant saved his best for last in 2024 after scoring his first touchdown in the Seahawks' season finale. The veteran tight end finishes the season with a modest 53-563-1 receiving line in 14 starts for Seattle, with his lack of touchdowns being the biggest drawback. Fant remains under contract for the 2025 season, but he will have to fend off 2024 fourth-round pick AJ Barner for the starting job after the latter also hit pay dirt in Sunday's victory.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Full participant Tuesday
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Fant (knee) was listed as a full participant in Tuesday's walk-through practice, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.
Fant was a limited participant in Monday's walkthrough, but his increase in activity a day later suggests he'll be ready to play Thursday in Chicago. Since returning to action Week 13 after a three-game absence due to a groin injury, Fant has caught 12 of 21 targets for 109 yards over a stretch of four appearances.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Deemed limited Monday due to knee
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Seattle estimated Fant (knee) as a limited practice participant Monday, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.
The Seahawks didn't actually practice Monday, so Fant's status was an estimation of his level of participation had a practice been held. The veteran tight end dealt with a knee injury last week as well, so he's likely still working through the same issue. Fant was able to suit up Sunday versus Minnesota and logged 75 percent of Seattle's offensive snaps, and unless he's had a setback it's likely that he'll be able to take the field this Thursday against Chicago.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Gains 50 yards in Sunday's loss
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Fant (knee) brought in three of six targets for 50 yards in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Vikings.
Fant finished the contest with his third highest receiving total of the season after being limited in the practice week with a knee injury. The veteran tight end did suffer a theoretical loss when rookie backup AJ Barner (2-13-1) vultured a potential touchdown in Sunday's loss. Fant is still the preferred fantasy play in terms of Seattle's options at tight end, but the split in production limits his usage to deep formats in Thursday's tilt against Chicago.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Full practice Thursday
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Fant (knee) practiced in full Thursday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
This follows a limited showing at Wednesday's session for Fant. Since sitting out three games from Weeks 9-12 due to a groin injury, he's had only modest results in Seattle box scores, accounting for a 9-59-0 line on 15 targets over the last three contests.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Limited by knee injury
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Fant practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday due to a knee injury, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports.
Fant has exactly three catches in four straight contests, compiling a 12-81-0 line on 19 targets during that stretch. He's now enduring some practice restrictions to kick off Week 16 prep, but there's been no indication he's in danger of sitting out Sunday against the Vikings.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Three catches in return
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Fant caught three of four targets for 26 yards in Sunday's 26-21 win over the Jets.
Fant returned to the lineup after a three-game absence due to a groin injury. He was still the clear No. 1 tight end with a 68 percent snap share, but AJ Barner is gaining some ground with a 40 percent share. Fant is still seeking his first touchdown of the season, and he has yet to post more than 65 yards in a game.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Logs full practice Wednesday
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Fant (groin) practiced fully Wednesday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Going back to last week, Fant has put together two straight uncapped sessions, indicating he's past the groin injury that has sidelined him for the last three games. Prior to his absence, he regularly paced Seahawks tight ends en route to a 27-285-0 receiving line on 32 targets during the first eight contests of the campaign. Fant likely will settle back into the starting role Sunday at the Jets.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Officially inactive Sunday
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Fant (groin) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
Reports earlier Sunday indicated Fant's availability would likely come down to pregame warmups, and the veteran tight end evidently wasn't deemed healthy enough to suit up. With Fant missing his third straight game, rookie AJ Barner will once again helm Seattle's tight-end corps, while Fant will aim for a return to action in a Week 13 road matchup against the Jets.
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Seahawks' Noah Fant: Looks like close call for Sunday
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Fant (groin) remains listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, and a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that it will be a close call as to whether the tight end will be able to play.
Fant closed out Week 12 prep with a full practice, and while that's often a positive indicator that a player will suit up on game day, the tight end has missed the Seahawks' previous two games, which were sandwiched around a Week 10 bye. It's unclear if just one full practice will be enough for Fant to get the green light to play Sunday, and the Seahawks could be preparing for another absence after they elevated another tight end (Tyler Mabry) from the practice squad Saturday. Ultimately, a final word on Fant's status will come 90 minutes prior to the 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff, when Seattle posts its inactive list. AJ Barner would likely serve as the Seahawks' primary option at tight end Sunday if Fant is unable to go.
