NFL Player News
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Michael Mayer TE | LV
Raiders' Michael Mayer: Targeted three times in loss
Mayer caught two of three targets for three yards in Sunday's 22-10 loss to the Chargers.
Mayer averaged just one yard per target in the Raiders' season opener, while rookie tight end Brock Bowers paced the team in receptions with six grabs for 58 yards on eight looks from quarterback Gardner Minshew. Despite being the No. 2 TE option in Las Vegas, Mayer played only seven fewer snaps than Bowers' 41, but the former's fantasy output could remain touchdown dependent, whereas Bowers can clearly get there on volume if he's already earning eight targets in his NFL debut.
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Ko Kieft TE | TB
Buccaneers' Ko Kieft: Barely sees action Sunday
Kieft did not see any targets in the Buccaneers' 37-20 win over the Commanders on Sunday.
Kieft wasn't even deployed as a blocker as much as he typically was in former coordinator Dave Canales' offense, with all but two of his 18 total snaps Sunday coming on special teams. Even if he does end up seeing an uptick in playing time on offense in coming weeks, Kieft is expected to remain a distant third pass-catching option at tight end behind Cade Otton and Payne Durham.
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Payne Durham TE | TB
Buccaneers' Payne Durham: Blanked on 17 snaps in win
Durham did not draw a target in the Buccaneers' 37-20 win over the Commanders on Sunday.
Durham saw a modest 17 snaps from scrimmage and wasn't afforded any opportunities to touch the ball. However, it was a down game for the Buccaneers' tight ends in general, as Cade Otton saw only two targets in his own right despite playing 52 snaps. Given new offensive coordinator Liam Coen's scheme is expected to frequently deploy tight ends as pass-catching options, Week 1 might ultimately prove to be an outlier. However, Otton is the clear top target at the position, meaning Durham will still be difficult to trust on a game-to-game basis even when he does start getting more involved.
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Cade Otton TE | TB
Buccaneers' Cade Otton: Quiet start to season
Otton secured one of two targets for five yards in the Buccaneers' 37-20 win over the Commanders on Sunday.
Most of the Buccaneers' incumbent skill-position assets enjoyed productive days in their first game operating in new coordinator Liam Coen's offense, but Otton was a notable exception. The third-year tight end's modest target count over 52 snaps from scrimmage was particularly disappointing, but given Coen's typically heavy use of two-tight-end sets, Otton's downturn could quickly end in a Week 2 road showdown against the Lions.
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George Kittle TE | SF
49ers' George Kittle: Nabs four receptions in MNF win
Kittle corralled four of five targets for 40 yards in Monday's 32-19 win over the Jets.
Kittle finished as San Francisco's third leading receiver on a night where the passing attack was only needed for 225 yards and no touchdowns. All things considered, the star tight end had a solid game given the opportunities present. The rushing attack shined against the Jets on Monday, producing 180 yards and two touchdowns on 38 attempts. Kittle and the 49ers' passing attack will look to get into the scoring action themselves in a Week 2 matchup against the Vikings.
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Tyler Conklin TE | NYJ
Jets' Tyler Conklin: Just one catch on MNF
Conklin caught one of two targets for six yards in Monday's 32-19 loss to the 49ers.
Conklin came up empty on his lone target from Aaron Rodgers, but he caught a pass from backup Tyrod Taylor on the Jets' final possession after Rodgers went to the bench with the game out of reach. No other Jets tight end drew a target, so at least Conklin's safely atop the depth chart, but his lack of targets from Rodgers was disappointing considering Conklin had at least three catches in all but four games last season. Conklin will look to bounce back Week 2 against the Titans.
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Elijah Higgins TE | ARI
Cardinals' Elijah Higgins: Makes two catches Sunday
Higgins gathered in both of his targets for 12 yards during Sunday's 34-28 loss in Buffalo.
Higgins took a clear back seat to starting tight end Trey McBride in terms of targets (9-2) and offensive snaps (52-25), while rookie third-round pick Tip Reiman (zero targets on 20 such plays) also got in the mix at the position. Higgins' role as the No. 2 TE thus is clear, especially in the passing game, as Reiman likely will be almost exclusively a blocking specialist to begin his career. In any case, Higgins now has a streak of five multi-catch games going back to last season and should remain a small part of the Cardinals offense moving forward.
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Josh Whyle TE | TEN
Titans' Josh Whyle: Stuck in limited role
Whyle was not targeted in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Bears.
Whyle got moderate hype during training camp as he attempted to unseat Chigoziem Okonkwo as the top tight end in Tennessee. His usage in Week 1 made clear that didn't occur, as he saw only 18 offensive snaps (28 percent) while Nick Vannett earned 16. Whyle remains primarily a special teams contributor.
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Chigoziem Okonkwo TE | TEN
Titans' Chigoziem Okonkwo: Still has starting role
Okonkwo recorded two receptions (on two targets) for 15 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Bears.
Okonkwo's role was reportedly in danger due to a challenge from Josh Whyle throughout training camp, though he was on the field for 38 offensive snaps (59 percent). Okonkwo also accounted for one of the Titans touchdowns on an impressive 17-yard leaping grab in the back of the end zone. He still isn't likely to see a significant number of targets on a regular basis, but he remains Tennessee's top tight end and could be a favorite target in the red zone.
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Noah Fant TE | SEA
Seahawks' Noah Fant: Totals 11 yards against former team
Fant caught two of four targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 26-20 win over the Broncos.
While it was a difficult outing for Fant individually, the Seahawks struggled in the air overall, totaling just 171 yards. He's the clear No. 1 tight end, but he's probably fourth in the pecking order when it comes to targets, sitting behind WRs DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Fant will look to bounce back Week 2 against the Patriots.