Tight end is thin enough that a single absence reshapes the position, and Week 1 delivered one: the consensus TE1 had a knee procedure this week. Below that, most of the position’s August scares have cleared.

What changed since the weekend

Clubs filed their first official injury reports of the season on Wednesday, which replaces the guesswork of the preseason with real practice participation. Across the 33 tight ends on this board: 6 are new to the report, 7 improved, 0 got worse, and 8 cleared entirely and are no longer listed by their teams.

How to read this report

Week 1 spans six days, so teams are at different points in their reporting week and their designations do not mean the same thing:

• Seattle–New England played Wednesday, September 9. Those teams have final designations and published inactives.
• San Francisco–LA Rams play Thursday, September 10 in Melbourne — final or near-final.
• Everyone else plays Sunday, September 13 or Monday, September 14. Their Wednesday filing is practice participation only. Final Out/Doubtful/Questionable tags land Friday, September 11. A Wednesday “Full” is a strong signal, not a guarantee.

Anything on the reserve list — IR, PUP, Commissioner’s Exempt List — is an official roster transaction and is settled regardless of the day.

Ruled out or unavailable (12)

Official reserve-list designations and confirmed absences. Plan around these.

Tip Reiman — ARI (Not on the active roster — would be the TE2 blocking tight end behind Trey McBride)

• Wednesday practice: DNP
• Official status: (c) Official reserve-list designation — Reserve/PUP. Official team filing made at the Aug 26, 2026 cutdown to 53; nfl.com’s official roster confirms PUP today.
• Injury: Ankle, surgically repaired
• When it happened: 2026-06-15 (approximate — offseason surgery ahead of camp)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Surgically repaired ankles typically sideline an NFL player 3-5 months, with tight ends needing extra time to regain push-off strength for blocking.
• Expected back to full health: October to November 2026
• Week 1: OUT for Sunday, Sept 13 at the Chargers. On reserve/PUP he must miss the first four games and cannot be activated before Week 5.
• Weeks 1-4: Ineligible for all four games by rule. A blocking tight end with minimal receiving usage, so his return has little fantasy consequence either way.
• Who benefits if he sits: Elijah Higgins is the TE2 in his absence, with Hunter Long as the No. 3 behind Trey McBride
• Change since the weekend: unchanged

Fantasy takeaway: Irrelevant for fantasy — ineligible until Week 5 and a blocking specialist when he does return. His absence marginally helps Trey McBride’s route share.

Grant Calcaterra — PHI (Reserve/Injured (designated to return) – occupies no active depth-chart position. Would compete with Johnny Mundt for TE2 snaps on return. Verified reserve status on nfl.com roster.)

• Wednesday practice: DNP (on Reserve/Injured – not eligible to practice with the team until his return window opens)
• Official status: (c) OFFICIAL RESERVE-LIST DESIGNATION – Reserve/Injured, DESIGNATED TO RETURN, listed as such on the Eagles’ initial 53-man roster cycle and officially placed on IR 2026-09-01. He must miss a MINIMUM OF FOUR GAMES (through Week 4) before activation, and does not appear on the weekly practice report.
• Injury: Back injury per the Sept 6 baseline. NOTE ON SOURCING: the reporting confirming his 09/01/2026 IR placement explicitly states the injury was not disclosed by the club (‘It is unclear what injury he is dealing with’), so the ‘back’ characterization is carried forward from the baseline and is NOT independently confirmed by an official source. Treat the specific diagnosis as unverified; the IR placement itself is fully confirmed.
• When it happened: Late August 2026 (preseason; IR placement 2026-09-01)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Non-surgical lumbar back injury (disc irritation or facet/muscular strain) in a tight end: 4-8 weeks, occasionally longer if there is nerve involvement, and recurrence is common under blocking load. The four-game administrative minimum and a back injury’s typical timeline line up closely, so a Week 5-7 return is the realistic band.
• Expected back to full health: October 2026 – earliest activation is Week 5, with Weeks 5-7 the realistic return band
• Week 1: OUT for Sunday, Sept 13 (4:25 PM ET vs. Washington) – ineligible on Reserve/Injured
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: OUT for all four, mandatory. Earliest return Week 5, and he would come back into a TE room where Goedert holds the receiving work and Mundt has the No. 2 snaps.
• Who benefits if he sits: Already replaced – Johnny Mundt (TE, ACT) is TE2, with rookie Eli Stowers (TE, ACT) as TE3 and E.J. Jenkins (TE, ACT) as TE4
• Change since the weekend: unchanged

Fantasy takeaway: Drop in redraft – a mandatory four-game absence with an undisclosed back injury and no clear role waiting for him.

Luke Musgrave — GB (Would be the TE3/TE4 in a room already fronted by Tucker Kraft and Jonnu Smith; currently off the active depth chart.)

• Wednesday practice: Not applicable – Reserve/PUP players cannot practice until their Week 5 window opens.
• Official status: (c) OFFICIAL RESERVE-LIST DESIGNATION – Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform. Verified as status code ‘PUP’ on nfl.com/teams/green-bay-packers/roster/ and by the club’s Aug. 30 transaction. Reserve/PUP mandates a minimum four-game absence and is outside the weekly game-status process.
• Injury: Neck injury sustained during June 2026 minicamp. He did not practice at any point in training camp or the preseason. GM Brian Gutekunst said he is ‘really hopeful’ Musgrave plays at some point in 2026 but set no timeline, and the team’s signing of Jonnu Smith as insurance signals he is far from a lock to be activated when first eligible.
• When it happened: June 2026 (minicamp); placed on Reserve/PUP Aug. 30, 2026.
• Typical recovery for this injury: Highly variable by pathology and the single least predictable class of injury in football. A cervical strain or stinger costs 1-4 weeks; a disc issue requiring surgery costs 3-6 months plus a clearance process; a structural cervical finding can end a season or a career. The team’s refusal to give a timeline after three-plus months is the tell.
• Expected back to full health: Genuinely unknown. First eligible to be activated in Week 5, but no medical clearance has been reported and the front office language is hopeful rather than definite.
• Week 1: OUT for Sunday, Sept. 13 at Minnesota, and ineligible through at least Week 4 by rule.
• Weeks 1-4: Out for all four by rule. Even after Week 5 eligibility, activation is speculative – a neck case with no timeline this deep into the calendar frequently extends much further.
• Who benefits if he sits: Josh Whyle is the TE3 in his absence, behind Kraft and Jonnu Smith; Mark Redman is fourth.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged – still Reserve/PUP with no reported change in status or timeline.

Fantasy takeaway: Not rosterable – he is buried behind two established tight ends even at full health, and the neck situation has no timeline.

Ben Yurosek — MIN (Was the TE3 on the Sept 6 baseline chart behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver; now off the active depth chart entirely, which promotes Gavin Bartholomew to TE3.)

• Wednesday practice: Not applicable – players on Reserve/Injured cannot practice.
• Official status: (c) OFFICIAL RESERVE-LIST DESIGNATION – Reserve/Injured. Verified as status code ‘RES’ on nfl.com/teams/minnesota-vikings/roster/ and by the club’s own transaction announcement (vikings.com, Sept. 8, 2026, 6:00 PM), which placed him on IR to clear a roster spot for the signing of S Harrison Smith. He does not appear on Minnesota’s three-man Week 1 injury report because IR players are outside that process.
• Injury: Undisclosed. Minnesota did not specify the injury in its transaction announcement. Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling reported the injury ‘isn’t expected to be a long-term issue’ and that Yurosek ‘should be back this season,’ which suggests a placement driven partly by roster mechanics rather than a severe injury.
• When it happened: Placed on Reserve/Injured Sept. 8, 2026; injury date not disclosed.
• Typical recovery for this injury: Cannot be pinned down without a disclosed pathology. The ‘not long-term, back this season’ framing is most consistent with a soft-tissue or minor joint injury in the 4-8 week band, which is also the practical minimum for a standard IR stint plus activation.
• Expected back to full health: Reported as expected back at some point in the 2026 season, with no specific date. A standard IR placement requires activation to a roster spot before he can play.
• Week 1: OUT for Sunday, Sept. 13 vs. Green Bay – on Reserve/Injured and ineligible.
• Weeks 1-4: Out for the near term with no published return date. Even a favorable recovery has him competing for the No. 3 tight end job behind Hockenson and Oliver.
• Who benefits if he sits: Gavin Bartholomew (No. 86) is now the TE3 behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver on the vikings.com official Week 1 depth chart.
• Change since the weekend: NEW – Yurosek was on the Sept 6 baseline depth chart as an active TE3 with no injury entry; he was placed on Reserve/Injured on Sept 8, 2026.

Fantasy takeaway: No fantasy impact of his own – the only thing worth noting is that Minnesota’s tight end depth behind Hockenson is now thinner, which marginally raises Josh Oliver’s contingency value.

Moliki Matavao — NO (Was competing for TE3 snaps; currently off the active roster.)

• Wednesday practice: not yet reported – on the reserve list.
• Official status: (c) Official reserve-list designation – NFL.com lists him RES (Reserve/Injured) with no return designation, so he is out for the season.
• Injury: Knee.
• When it happened: Logged Aug 25, 2026.
• Typical recovery for this injury: N/A for 2026 – a straight Reserve/Injured placement ends the season. A knee injury serious enough for season-ending IR typically implies a 6-12 month rehab.
• Expected back to full health: Targeting the 2027 offseason.
• Week 1: Out for Sunday, Sept 13 at Detroit – and for the season.
• Weeks 1-4: Out for all of Weeks 1-4 and the balance of 2026.
• Who benefits if he sits: Oscar Delp holds the TE3 job in his place, behind Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged – already on IR as of Sept 6.

Fantasy takeaway: Ignore in all formats – he is on season-ending reserve.

Joe Royer — CLE (TE4 (on reserve; not on the active depth chart))

• Wednesday practice: not applicable – on the reserve list, ineligible to practice
• Official status: (a) FINAL OFFICIAL ROSTER-STATUS DESIGNATION: Reserve/Non-Football Injury list (nfl.com roster code RSN), filed Aug 30, 2026. NOTE – the Sept 6 baseline described this as ‘Reserve/NFI – personal.’ The ‘personal’ characterization is NOT supported by any source I could verify; report it as Reserve/NFI only.
• Injury: Non-football injury; the nature was not disclosed by the club. By definition it was sustained away from team activities.
• When it happened: Prior to Aug 30, 2026 (the date of the NFI placement).
• Typical recovery for this injury: Not estimable without a disclosed injury. Reserve/NFI placed before the season requires the player to miss at least the first four games; the club then has a window to activate him.
• Expected back to full health: Unknown – insufficient public information. Earliest possible return is Week 5.
• Week 1: OUT – ineligible for Week 1 at Jacksonville, Sunday, Sept 13, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET.
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: OUT for all four, by rule.
• Who benefits if he sits: Already covered – Harold Fannin Jr. is TE1, Blake Whiteheart TE2, Carsen Ryan TE3.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged

Fantasy takeaway: Irrelevant in all formats – he was TE4 before the injury.

Will Mallory — IND (Was the TE4. On IR-designated-to-return; Andrew Ogletree currently occupies the TE3 role.)

• Wednesday practice: not applicable — ineligible to practice until the Week 5 window at the earliest
• Official status: (a-equivalent) OFFICIAL ROSTER DESIGNATION: Reserve/Injured, DESIGNATED TO RETURN. Confirmed by his ‘RSR’ status code on the official nfl.com Colts roster. Must miss a minimum of four games (Weeks 1-4).
• Injury: Thumb
• When it happened: Late August 2026; the Colts placed him on IR-designated-to-return when setting the initial 53-man roster on Aug 30, 2026.
• Typical recovery for this injury: Thumb fractures or UCL tears requiring surgical fixation typically cost 6-8 weeks; non-surgical thumb sprains run 2-4 weeks. His four-game IR placement implies the surgical/longer end.
• Expected back to full health: Mid-to-late October 2026 (Weeks 6-8) for a full return to football activity.
• Week 1: OUT — Week 1 vs. Baltimore. Ineligible.
• Weeks 1-4: OUT for Weeks 1-4 (vs BAL, @ KC, vs HOU, vs WAS in London). Eligible for the return designation only after Week 4.
• Who benefits if he sits: Already accounted for — Tyler Warren is the every-down TE1, Mo Alie-Cox the TE2, Andrew Ogletree the TE3.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged — same official IR-designated-to-return status as the Sept 6 report.

Fantasy takeaway: No redraft relevance — he is a TE4 who cannot play until Week 5 at the earliest and would not have a role even then.

Jaren Kanak — TEN (Was a developmental TE5/special-teamer. On season-ending reserve; the active room is Helm, Bellinger, Martin-Robinson and Granson.)

• Wednesday practice: not applicable — on season-ending IR
• Official status: (a-equivalent) OFFICIAL ROSTER DESIGNATION: Reserve/Injured (IR) — out for the 2026 season. Confirmed by his ‘RES’ status code on the official nfl.com Titans roster, and by the Titans’ own transaction announcement placing him and DE Jaylen Harrell on IR.
• Injury: Pectoral (torn pec)
• When it happened: August 2026, during training camp / preseason.
• Typical recovery for this injury: Torn pectoral requiring surgical repair: 4-6 months, which is why these are routinely season-ending when they occur in August.
• Expected back to full health: Roughly December 2026 to February 2027 — i.e., the 2027 offseason.
• Week 1: OUT — Week 1 vs. the Jets and all of 2026.
• Weeks 1-4: Out for the season.
• Who benefits if he sits: Already accounted for — Gunnar Helm is the TE1, Daniel Bellinger the TE2, with David Martin-Robinson and Kylen Granson co-listed third.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged — same official season-ending IR designation as the Sept 6 report.

Fantasy takeaway: No fantasy relevance in any format.

DJ Rogers — DAL (Reserve/Injured – no active depth-chart position. Was a depth tight end. Verified RES status on nfl.com roster (#49).)

• Wednesday practice: DNP (on Reserve/Injured – not eligible to practice with the team)
• Official status: (c) OFFICIAL RESERVE-LIST DESIGNATION – Reserve/Injured (IR), official club transaction. Does not appear on the weekly practice report.
• Injury: Knee injury (specific structure not disclosed by the club)
• When it happened: August 2026 (training camp / preseason; IR placement in the roster-cutdown cycle)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Undisclosed knee injuries span a wide range: meniscus or MCL, 4-8 weeks; ACL or multi-ligament, 9-14 months. With no designated-to-return notation reported and no club-disclosed timeline, the conservative read is that he is unlikely to contribute in 2026.
• Expected back to full health: Indeterminate – no club-disclosed timeline
• Week 1: OUT for Sunday, Sept 13 (8:20 PM ET vs. New York Giants) – ineligible on Reserve/Injured
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: OUT for all four. Even on a return he would be the fourth or fifth tight end with no fantasy-relevant role.
• Who benefits if he sits: Already replaced – Brevyn Spann-Ford (TE, ACT) and Luke Schoonmaker (TE, ACT) hold the backup roles behind Jake Ferguson
• Change since the weekend: unchanged

Fantasy takeaway: Drop in all formats – on IR with an undisclosed knee injury and no path to snaps behind Jake Ferguson.

Princeton Fant — DAL (Reserve/Injured – no active depth-chart position. Was a backup/blocking tight end. Verified RES status on nfl.com roster (#85).)

• Wednesday practice: DNP (on Reserve/Injured – not eligible to practice with the team)
• Official status: (c) OFFICIAL RESERVE-LIST DESIGNATION – Reserve/Injured (IR), official club transaction, season-ending. Not eligible to return in 2026 and does not appear on the weekly practice report.
• Injury: Torn ACL plus MCL damage in the knee (multi-ligament injury)
• When it happened: August 2026 (training camp / preseason)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Combined ACL/MCL reconstruction: 10-14 months, meaningfully longer than an isolated ACL because the medial-side repair must be protected before rotational loading begins. Return-to-play rates for multi-ligament knee injuries are lower than for isolated ACL tears. An August 2026 injury projects to roughly mid-to-late 2027.
• Expected back to full health: Mid-to-late 2027 – no 2026 availability whatsoever
• Week 1: OUT for Sunday, Sept 13 (8:20 PM ET vs. New York Giants) and every remaining 2026 game – season-ending IR
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: OUT, and out for the entire 2026 season. Zero fantasy relevance.
• Who benefits if he sits: Already replaced – Brevyn Spann-Ford (TE, ACT) is TE2 and Luke Schoonmaker (TE, ACT) TE3; James Mitchell and Michael Trigg are practice-squad depth
• Change since the weekend: unchanged

Fantasy takeaway: Drop in all formats – season-ending multi-ligament knee reconstruction with no 2026 return path.

Carson Towt — IND (Depth/blocking tight end, no active depth-chart role. On season-ending reserve.)

• Wednesday practice: not applicable — on IR
• Official status: (a-equivalent) OFFICIAL ROSTER DESIGNATION: Reserve/Injured (IR). Confirmed by his ‘RES’ status code on the official nfl.com Colts roster. No designated-to-return tag has been reported.
• Injury: Undisclosed. The Colts have not specified the injury and no credible reporting has filled the gap — flagged here rather than guessed at.
• When it happened: Not disclosed; the IR placement dates to the initial 53-man roster construction in late August 2026.
• Typical recovery for this injury: Cannot be estimated — the injury has not been disclosed. Any range given here would be invention.
• Expected back to full health: Unknown. Without a designated-to-return tag reported, the working assumption is he is out for 2026.
• Week 1: OUT — Week 1 vs. Baltimore.
• Weeks 1-4: OUT for Weeks 1-4; assume out for the season absent a return designation.
• Who benefits if he sits: No impact — Warren, Alie-Cox and Ogletree handle the tight end room, with Pharaoh Brown and Kenny Fletcher Jr. on the practice squad.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged — same official IR designation as the Sept 6 report.

Fantasy takeaway: No fantasy relevance in any format.

Cole Turner — MIA (TE depth — not in the Week 1 rotation)

• Wednesday practice: Not applicable — on the reserve list, does not appear on the weekly practice report.
• Official status: (a) FINAL official roster designation — Reserve/Injured (status code RES on the nfl.com official roster).
• Injury: Undisclosed
• When it happened: Late August 2026 (placed on IR on or about Aug 27, 2026)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Undisclosed, but an in-season IR placement carries a mandatory minimum four-game absence.
• Expected back to full health: Not before Week 5, and only if designated to return.
• Week 1: OUT — on Reserve/Injured, ineligible for Week 1.
• Weeks 1-4: Ineligible Weeks 1-4.
• Who benefits if he sits: Justin Joly holds the TE4 spot on the active roster.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged — already on IR in the Sept 6 baseline.

Fantasy takeaway: Ignore — no fantasy relevance in any format this season.

Did not practice Wednesday (3)

A Wednesday DNP four days out is the clearest warning sign on the report. Have a replacement ready and check Friday.

Brock Bowers — LV (TE1 — verified No. 1 tight end on nfl.com roster (ACT) and Ourlads (Sept 8); the featured pass-catcher in Klint Kubiak’s offense)

• Wednesday practice: DNP
• Official status: (b) OFFICIAL PRACTICE-REPORT ENTRY, NO FINAL GAME STATUS YET. Bowers appears on the Raiders’ first official injury report of 2026, filed Wednesday Sept 9, as a non-participant with a knee injury. A final Out/Doubtful/Questionable tag is not due until Friday Sept 11, 4:00 PM ET. He is NOT on injured reserve — he remains ACT on the nfl.com roster. Reporting universally expects him to be ruled Out for Sunday.
• Injury: Knee — meniscus tear, treated with an arthroscopic meniscus trim (partial meniscectomy) performed by Dr. Daniel Cooper in Dallas. This is the shorter-recovery option; a meniscus repair would have been a months-long absence. Second straight season of knee trouble: a PCL injury and bone bruise limited him to 12 games in 2025.
• When it happened: Aggravated during training camp and diagnosed the week of Aug 31–Sept 4, 2026; surgery Tuesday, Sept 8, 2026
• Typical recovery for this injury: Arthroscopic meniscus trim: 2–6 weeks to return to play for an NFL skill player (commonly 1–3 missed games); a meniscus repair, by contrast, is 4–6 months
• Expected back to full health: Late September 2026 — realistically Week 3–4 for a full, unrestricted snap share, given the Raiders’ stated intent to protect a knee that has now been an issue two years running
• Week 1: Expected OUT vs Miami, Sunday Sept 13, 4:25 PM ET. Treat as out pending Friday’s official designation.
• Weeks 1-4: Reported as ‘a game or two.’ Base case: misses Week 1, coin-flip for Week 2, back but possibly snap-limited Week 3, near-normal by Week 4. Downside case is a third missed game if the knee swells — the club has openly said Bowers is prioritizing durability over playing through it this year, which cuts against an aggressive return.
• Who benefits if he sits: Michael Mayer (verified TE2) takes the bulk of the snaps, with Ian Thomas (verified TE3) as the No. 2. Practice-squad TE Chris Myarick could be elevated for blocking snaps.
• Change since the weekend: NEW

Fantasy takeaway: Sit Bowers in Week 1 and stream a replacement TE now; Michael Mayer is the priority waiver add in every format and a usable TE1 streamer against Miami.

Tyler Higbee — LAR (TE2 — second tight end behind Colby Parkinson)

• Wednesday practice: DNP
• Official status: (b) Official practice-report entry with no final game status — listed as DID NOT PARTICIPATE on the Rams’ official Week 1 report, but flagged as a veteran REST day (not injury related), alongside Alaric Jackson and Byron Young. No game-status designation.
• Injury: None — ‘not injury related, resting player’ (scheduled veteran rest day)
• When it happened: not applicable — no injury
• Typical recovery for this injury: Not applicable — a veteran rest day carries no recovery timeline
• Expected back to full health: Already at full health — he is not injured
• Week 1: Expected to PLAY Thursday, Sept 10 in Melbourne — a non-injury rest DNP does not threaten availability
• Weeks 1-4: Available for all four. His fantasy problem is competition, not health: the Rams carry five active tight ends and Colby Parkinson is ahead of him.
• Who benefits if he sits: Terrance Ferguson and Davis Allen are the next tight ends up behind Colby Parkinson
• Change since the weekend: NEW

Fantasy takeaway: Do not read the DNP as an injury — it was veteran rest, but a five-deep TE room still makes him a touchdown-dependent streamer at best.

Oscar Delp — NO (TE3 behind Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant; 2026 third-round rookie.)

• Wednesday practice: DNP
• Official status: (b) Official practice-report entry without a final game status – Did Not Participate on the Saints’ Wednesday, Sept 9 report. Final designation comes Friday, Sept 11.
• Injury: Hamstring.
• When it happened: Sustained in August 2026; he has been carrying it since before the Sept 6 checkpoint.
• Typical recovery for this injury: 1-2 weeks for a Grade 1 hamstring strain, 3-6 weeks for Grade 2. A DNP this deep into the injury suggests it is lingering rather than resolving.
• Expected back to full health: Uncertain – a Wednesday DNP roughly three weeks in points to a Grade 2 and a return around mid-to-late September.
• Week 1: Not yet determined, trending poorly. Sunday, Sept 13 at Detroit – Wednesday was practice participation only; Friday’s Sept 11 report sets his official status.
• Weeks 1-4: Wk1 at DET, Wk2 at BAL, Wk3 vs LV, Wk4 vs ATL. Even healthy he is the TE3 in a room with Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant – minimal standalone value across the stretch.
• Who benefits if he sits: Noah Fant is the TE2 and would take the extra snaps; Treyton Welch and Stone Smartt are practice-squad options.
• Change since the weekend: unchanged – still sidelined with the same hamstring, now confirmed by an official DNP rather than an aggregator projection.

Fantasy takeaway: Not startable – a TE3 who did not practice Wednesday has no viable Week 1 path to targets.

Limited Wednesday (4)

Limited on Wednesday usually means trending toward playing, but it is exactly the group whose Friday designation decides your lineup.

George Kittle — SF (TE1 — starting tight end)

• Wednesday practice: Limited
• Official status: (b) Official practice-report entry with no final game status. Kittle appeared on San Francisco’s official Week 1 practice reports as LIMITED on BOTH Sept 8 and Sept 9 with an Achilles designation. No final game-status designation (Out/Doubtful/Questionable) for the Melbourne game could be verified from any official source as of this filing. Aggregators listing him ‘questionable’ are unofficial; see excluded_and_why for the 2024 Week 3 stories that falsely surface as current.
• Injury: Right Achilles tear (surgically repaired); currently managed as workload/soreness, not a new injury — Kyle Shanahan clarified that ‘taken a step back’ referred to reps, not a setback
• When it happened: 2026-01-15 (approximate — original Achilles tear in January 2026; activated off active/PUP Aug 23, 2026)
• Typical recovery for this injury: A full Achilles tendon repair typically sidelines an NFL player 9-12 months, and skill players often need a further 4-8 weeks of in-season ramp-up before they carry a normal workload.
• Expected back to full health: October 2026 for an unrestricted snap count; he is functional but rep-managed right now
• Week 1: Expected to PLAY on Thursday, Sept 10 in Melbourne, but on a managed snap count. Shanahan: ‘We got to be smart with that. They both look great and stuff, but we also definitely have to be smart with that.’ OC Klay Kubiak: ‘Kittle looks good… he’s practicing full speed, he’s getting a ton of reps.’ Treat as a game-time snap-share question, not an availability question.
• Weeks 1-4: Should play in all four but with the 49ers deliberately throttling reps early. Expect his snap share and route volume to climb week over week, approaching normal by late September/early October. Elevated soft-tissue re-aggravation risk on a short turnaround into Week 2.
• Who benefits if he sits: Jake Tonges (TE2); Luke Farrell is the blocking TE, and the 49ers signed Brayden Willis to the practice squad Sept 6 specifically as Kittle insurance
• Change since the weekend: NEW

Fantasy takeaway: Startable but shade your projection down 20-30% for Week 1 — he is playing on a leash in Melbourne, so pair him with a safe floor elsewhere in your lineup.

Will Kacmarek — MIA (TE2 on the official club depth chart, but he is Miami’s only true blocking tight end and is expected to play a heavy in-line role in 12-personnel and run-game packages)

• Wednesday practice: Limited (Wednesday Sept 9)
• Official status: (b) Official practice-report entry, no final game status yet. Miami plays Sunday Sept 13, so designations are not due until Friday Sept 11.
• Injury: Undisclosed (the club has not specified). He was absent from practice from Aug 22 through roughly Sept 6, missed the preseason finale, and was doing individual work with a trainer as recently as Sept 7.
• When it happened: On or about Aug 22, 2026
• Typical recovery for this injury: Without a named injury, the honest read is the timeline itself: a roughly two-and-a-half-week absence followed by a Limited return most often reflects a moderate soft-tissue strain or a joint sprain, which typically runs 2-4 weeks total.
• Expected back to full health: Best estimate for 100%: Week 1-2. He returned to team practice Sept 7 and is already up to Limited, which is a healthy trajectory.
• Week 1: Likely to play Sunday Sept 13 at Las Vegas, most plausibly with a Questionable tag on Friday. If he progresses to Full by Thursday or Friday, expect no designation at all.
• Weeks 1-4: Week 1: expected to play in a blocking-first role. Weeks 2-4: full participation, with the Dolphins leaning on him to stabilize a run game that has no other in-line blocker.
• Who benefits if he sits: Seydou Traore slides into the TE2 role, with Justin Joly as TE3 — but neither blocks at Kacmarek’s level, so Miami would likely shift to more 11-personnel rather than replace him one-for-one.
• Change since the weekend: UPGRADED — on Sept 6 he had not practiced at all since Aug 22; he has now returned and logged a Limited Wednesday.

Fantasy takeaway: Not a startable fantasy TE — his value is indirect: his health props up De’Von Achane’s rushing efficiency, so track him as an Achane input rather than a roster add.

Andrew ‘Drew’ Ogletree — IND (TE3, behind Tyler Warren and Mo Alie-Cox (verified on the Colts’ official Sept 8 depth chart))

• Wednesday practice: Limited
• Official status: (b) OFFICIAL PRACTICE-REPORT ENTRY, no final game status yet. Listed as a limited participant on the official NFL Week 1 injury report. No Out/Doubtful/Questionable tag filed; Colts play Sunday.
• Injury: Neck. The Colts have not disclosed a mechanism or severity beyond the ‘neck’ designation on the report.
• When it happened: Not disclosed. He was not on the Sept 6 tracking, so the issue most likely arose in the final days of camp prep or at Wednesday’s practice itself.
• Typical recovery for this injury: Extremely wide range by class. A neck strain / ‘stinger’ type issue is commonly 3-10 days. A cervical disc or structural injury runs 4-8+ weeks and can be season-altering. With no disclosed mechanism, the limited-not-DNP participation is the single best signal that this is at the mild end.
• Expected back to full health: If this is a strain/stinger — as the Limited participation suggests — expect full health within 1-2 weeks (by Week 2, Sept 20). Unknowable with confidence until the Colts disclose more or the Thursday/Friday participation trend appears.
• Week 1: Likely available Sunday, Sept 13 vs. Baltimore, but with genuine uncertainty. Watch the Thursday and Friday reports — a move to DNP would be a significant downgrade for a neck issue.
• Weeks 1-4: Even fully healthy he is the TE3 in a room fronted by Tyler Warren, who is the clear focal point. Ogletree’s Weeks 1-4 fantasy value is negligible in all but the deepest tight-end-premium formats regardless of how this resolves.
• Who benefits if he sits: No practical change — Tyler Warren and Mo Alie-Cox already absorb essentially all meaningful tight end usage. Practice-squad TEs Pharaoh Brown and Kenny Fletcher Jr. would be elevation candidates for blocking snaps.
• Change since the weekend: NEW — not on the Sept 6 report.

Fantasy takeaway: Ignore for fantasy purposes; the only reason to track this is the small chance a Warren injury later promotes the TE2/TE3 chain, and neck injuries are worth monitoring for their own sake.

Eli Stowers — PHI (TE3 behind Dallas Goedert and Johnny Mundt, verified ACT on nfl.com roster and Ourlads 09/08/2026. Rookie, 54th overall pick in the 2026 draft out of Vanderbilt.)

• Wednesday practice: Limited
• Official status: (b) OFFICIAL PRACTICE-REPORT ENTRY WITHOUT FINAL GAME STATUS. Filed on the Eagles’ Wednesday, Sept 9 report as ‘hamstring – Limited Participation’. No Out/Doubtful/Questionable tag until Friday, Sept 11.
• Injury: Hamstring strain, sustained late in the preseason. He missed practice with it on 2026-08-25. Beat reporter Jeff McLane noted Wednesday that Stowers and other players ‘who got dinged up late in the preseason are dressed to practice in some capacity.’
• When it happened: Approximately 2026-08-24 (late preseason; first reported missing practice 2026-08-25)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Grade 1 hamstring strain in a tight end: 1-3 weeks. Grade 2: 3-6 weeks. Grade 3: 8-12 weeks. Highest recurrence rate of any NFL soft-tissue injury, roughly 1 in 3 within the same season, so clubs routinely hold rookies to Limited work longer than veterans. Two-plus weeks out and practicing Limited is consistent with a Grade 1 nearing resolution.
• Expected back to full health: Mid-to-late September 2026 (Weeks 2-3) for unrestricted work; likely available but not fully unrestricted for Week 1
• Week 1: LIKELY TO PLAY Sunday, Sept 13 (4:25 PM ET vs. Philadelphia’s opponent Washington), but NOT official. A Limited Wednesday four days out most often resolves to a Full Friday and no designation, or a ‘Questionable’ tag with a light snap count. Watch the Thursday and Friday reports.
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: expected to be available for most or all four in a rotational TE3 role. Reporting notes he still needs development as a blocker, so his snap share should stay low regardless of health. Hamstring recurrence is the main absence risk.
• Who benefits if he sits: E.J. Jenkins (TE, ACT) is TE4 and would absorb the rotational snaps. Grant Calcaterra (TE) is on IR-designated-to-return and unavailable for a minimum of four games.
• Change since the weekend: UPGRADED

Fantasy takeaway: Not startable in Week 1 as the third tight end behind a healthy Dallas Goedert – a dynasty stash only, and one whose hamstring warrants patience.

Practiced in full (on the report, trending to play) (5)

On the report but practicing fully — typically maintenance or the tail of something that has resolved. Start them, but note the injury is on file.

Theo Johnson — NYG (TE2 behind Isaiah Likely per Ourlads 09/08/2026, though Empire Sports (09/01) describes him as the nominal every-down starter with Likely featured as the pass-catching weapon – treat as a genuine committee. Verified ACT on nfl.com roster.)

• Wednesday practice: Full
• Official status: (b) OFFICIAL PRACTICE-REPORT ENTRY WITHOUT FINAL GAME STATUS. Filed Wednesday, Sept 9 as ‘shoulder – Full Participation’. No Out/Doubtful/Questionable tag until Friday, Sept 11.
• Injury: Shoulder injury (AC-joint-type contusion/sprain; no structural damage reported). Sustained in a training-camp collision with teammate Kayvon Thibodeaux; he missed two subsequent practices. Head coach John Harbaugh: ‘He’s going to be fine. He’s going to be good. He’ll be ready.’ Harbaugh also explicitly corrected reports of him limping – the issue is the shoulder, not a lower-body problem.
• When it happened: Approximately 2026-08-20 (training-camp collision; first publicly reported 2026-08-27)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Grade 1-2 AC joint sprain / shoulder contusion in a tight end: 1-3 weeks to full participation, and players frequently play through it once they can absorb contact and extend the arm overhead. Grade 3 separations run 4-8 weeks. His full-contact Wednesday practice ~3 weeks out places this firmly at the mild end.
• Expected back to full health: Effectively full health now – practicing without restriction as of Wednesday, Sept 9, 2026.
• Week 1: EXPECTED TO PLAY Sunday, Sept 13 (8:20 PM ET vs. Dallas). Not yet official; Friday, Sept 11 brings the final designation. A Full practice with no restriction makes a game-status tag unlikely.
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: expected to play all four with no absence risk from this injury. His fantasy ceiling is capped by the Likely acquisition rather than by the shoulder.
• Who benefits if he sits: Isaiah Likely (TE, ACT) – already the featured receiving tight end and would absorb virtually all pass-catching work; Chris Manhertz (TE, ACT) would take the blocking snaps.
• Change since the weekend: UPGRADED

Fantasy takeaway: Shoulder is a non-issue after a Full Wednesday, but the Likely signing – not the injury – is the reason to leave Johnson on your bench in Week 1.

AJ Barner — SEA (TE1 — starting tight end)

• Wednesday practice: Full
• Official status: (b) Official practice-report entry with no final game status — listed with an oblique injury on Seattle’s official Week 1 report but practiced FULL both reported days and received NO game-status designation. He is active tonight.
• Injury: Oblique
• When it happened: 2026-09-05 (approximate — surfaced during the Week 1 practice week)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Oblique/abdominal strains typically cost an NFL player 1-3 weeks; minor ones that allow full practice resolve inside a week. Full participation on consecutive days indicates the minor end.
• Expected back to full health: Already effectively full health — no restriction reported
• Week 1: ACTIVE and expected to start tonight (Wednesday, Sept 9)
• Weeks 1-4: Should hold the starting job through the next four games. The real risk to his fantasy value is Elijah Arroyo’s snap share, not the oblique.
• Who benefits if he sits: Elijah Arroyo (Eric Saubert is the No. 3; Nick Kallerup is inactive tonight)
• Change since the weekend: NEW

Fantasy takeaway: Start him as normal in TE-premium formats — the oblique never limited him in practice and he is active tonight.

Kenyon Sadiq — NYJ (TE2 behind Mason Taylor — a first-round rookie whose health opens up the Jets’ 12-personnel packages)

• Wednesday practice: Full (Wednesday Sept 9, estimated)
• Official status: (b) Official practice-report entry, no final game status yet. Jets play Sunday Sept 13; Wednesday levels are estimated.
• Injury: Groin, following core-muscle (sports hernia) surgery
• When it happened: Surgery in the offseason/early camp, summer 2026; the residual groin issue limited him through August
• Typical recovery for this injury: Core-muscle/sports-hernia repair: 6-10 weeks to return to football activity, and commonly 12+ weeks before full explosiveness. Residual groin soreness after such a repair typically resolves over an additional 2-4 weeks.
• Expected back to full health: Best estimate for 100%: Weeks 1-2. He has cleared the groin issue and reached Full participation, which is the milestone that matters after this class of surgery.
• Week 1: Expected to play Sunday Sept 13 at Tennessee with no designation.
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: available, with a snap share that should climb as the Jets add two-TE packages. His usage curve, not his health, is the variable.
• Who benefits if he sits: Jeremy Ruckert is the blocking TE and would take those snaps; Jelani Woods is TE4.
• Change since the weekend: UPGRADED — the post-surgical groin was an open question on Sept 6; he is now a Full participant and the Jets expect him to play.

Fantasy takeaway: STASH in dynasty and deeper redraft leagues — a healthy first-round rookie TE with a rising snap share is exactly the profile that pays off in the second half of a season, but do not start him in Week 1.

Seydou Traore — MIA (TE3 — receiving-oriented depth behind Greg Dulcich and Will Kacmarek)

• Wednesday practice: Full (Wednesday Sept 9)
• Official status: (b) Official practice-report entry, no final game status yet. Miami plays Sunday Sept 13.
• Injury: Undisclosed minor issue that limited his availability in the final week of the preseason
• When it happened: Late August 2026
• Typical recovery for this injury: Minor undisclosed soft-tissue issues of this type generally resolve in under two weeks.
• Expected back to full health: Already effectively at 100% — a Full Wednesday participation is the clearest signal available.
• Week 1: Expected to play Sunday Sept 13 at Las Vegas with no designation.
• Weeks 1-4: Healthy and available Weeks 1-4; role is limited by the depth chart, not by the injury.
• Who benefits if he sits: Justin Joly is the next tight end up.
• Change since the weekend: UPGRADED — carried a minor availability question on Sept 6, now a Full participant and appears on the report only as a cleared entry.

Fantasy takeaway: Waiver-wire irrelevant in redraft; only worth a deep-dynasty stash if Dulcich gets hurt.

Ben Sinnott — WAS (TE3 behind Chig Okonkwo and John Bates, verified ACT on nfl.com roster and Ourlads 09/09/2026)

• Wednesday practice: Full
• Official status: (b) OFFICIAL PRACTICE-REPORT ENTRY WITHOUT FINAL GAME STATUS. Filed Wednesday, Sept 9 as ‘oblique – Full Participation’. No game-status tag until Friday, Sept 11.
• Injury: Oblique strain
• When it happened: August 2026 (training camp)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Oblique/abdominal strain in a tight end: 2-4 weeks for a mild strain, 4-8 weeks for a moderate one. Obliques are notoriously slow to settle because trunk rotation is unavoidable in blocking and route-running, and recurrence is common if a player is rushed. A Full practice indicates a mild strain that has fully resolved.
• Expected back to full health: Effectively full health now – unrestricted Full participation as of Wednesday, Sept 9, 2026
• Week 1: EXPECTED TO PLAY Sunday, Sept 13 (4:25 PM ET vs. Philadelphia). Not yet official; Full Wednesday makes a Friday designation unlikely.
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: expected to be available for all four in a rotational TE3 role. With Okonkwo and Bates both healthy, his target volume should be minimal.
• Who benefits if he sits: Colson Yankoff (TE, ACT) is TE4; Jack Westover (TE) is on the practice squad. NOTE: Quentin Moore, listed as a Commanders TE in the Sept 6 baseline, was WAIVED FROM IR on 09/09/2026 and is no longer on the roster.
• Change since the weekend: UPGRADED

Fantasy takeaway: Healthy but boxed in as the third tight end – no startable value in Week 1 absent an injury ahead of him.

No official designation yet (unconfirmed) (1)

Either the team’s reporting week is shifted (the Monday-night clubs file a day later) or the situation is beat-reported without an official entry. Real, but unconfirmed — verify before you rely on it.

Adam Trautman — DEN (TE2 — verified ACT on nfl.com and listed second behind Evan Engram on Denver’s Week 1 unofficial depth chart (Sept 9); the team’s primary blocking tight end)

• Wednesday practice: not yet reported (participant at Monday Sept 7 practice)
• Official status: (c) STILL UNOFFICIAL — no filing exists; Denver’s first official report is due Thursday Sept 10. He returned to practice Monday Sept 7 alongside Mims Jr. and OLB Que Robinson.
• Injury: Undisclosed — the club did not specify the ailment that cost him practice time in late August/early September
• When it happened: Late August 2026 (exact date not disclosed)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Not determinable without a disclosed diagnosis; the practice absence was short enough that it never threatened his Week 1 availability
• Expected back to full health: Already there — back at practice a week before the opener
• Week 1: Expected to PLAY at Kansas City, Monday Sept 14, 8:15 PM ET
• Weeks 1-4: Available throughout, in a blocking-first role. Minimal receiving upside behind Engram in all four weeks.
• Who benefits if he sits: Nate Adkins (verified TE3), then Dallen Bentley (TE4)
• Change since the weekend: UPGRADED

Fantasy takeaway: Irrelevant for fantasy purposes — he matters only as the reason Evan Engram isn’t asked to block, which protects Engram’s route volume.

Cleared since the weekend — off the report entirely (8)

The good news. These players carried an injury question into the weekend and are no longer listed by their teams at all.

Sam LaPorta — DET (TE1 – confirmed as the starter on both nfl.com (ACT, No. 87) and the Ourlads 09/08 chart, ahead of Brock Wright and Tyler Conklin.)

• Wednesday practice: Full – not listed on the Wednesday report; the club’s estimated report names Full participants explicitly and he is not among the injured group at all.
• Official status: Resolved – off the injury report. Verified absent from Detroit’s official Wednesday Sept 9, 2026 Week 1 injury report – checked on nfl.com/injuries/league/2026/reg1 (which lists eight Lions, ALL defensive: Abney, Harper, Izien, Derrick Moore, Nowaske, Rakestraw, Rolder, Wingo) and cross-checked against Sept 9 club-sourced reporting from Athlon and Crescent City Sports, both of which state LaPorta was REMOVED from the report. He is ACT on nfl.com. With no practice entry there is nothing for Friday Sept 11 to designate.
• Injury: Resolved. Two separate items have now both cleared: back surgery in November 2025, and a hip injury from a hit taken in an Aug. 17, 2026 training-camp practice. Beat reporting describes him as ‘ready to go for Week 1’ and ‘fully healthy now,’ and Detroit is characterized as entering Week 1 with a clean bill of health on offense.
• When it happened: Hip: Aug. 17, 2026 (training camp). Prior back surgery: November 2025.
• Typical recovery for this injury: Hip contusion or mild hip-flexor strain in an NFL player: 1-3 weeks, with a labral or deeper joint injury running 6 weeks to surgical. LaPorta is roughly 3.5 weeks from the hip incident and unrestricted, consistent with the benign end. Post-operative recovery from a lumbar procedure typically runs 3-6 months, and he is ~10 months out.
• Expected back to full health: Fully healthy as of Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, with both the hip and the 2025 back surgery behind him.
• Week 1: Expected to PLAY, no designation, Sunday, Sept. 13 vs. New Orleans at Ford Field.
• Weeks 1-4: Every-week starter across all four with no restrictions reported. Detroit’s offense is fully intact around him at the skill positions, which supports his target floor.
• Who benefits if he sits: Brock Wright (No. 89) would step in as the primary tight end, with Tyler Conklin next.
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED – now off the injury report. The Sept 6 baseline carried an aggregator-projected ‘Questionable’ on the hip; Detroit’s own Week 1 filing removed him entirely.

Fantasy takeaway: Start him as a top-tier tight end – clearing the first official report of the year with no entry closes out both the hip and the 2025 back surgery, and the earlier aggregator ‘Questionable’ is obsolete.

Tucker Kraft — GB (TE1 – confirmed as the top tight end on both nfl.com (ACT) and the Ourlads 09/08 chart, ahead of Jonnu Smith.)

• Wednesday practice: Full – not listed on the Wednesday report, which for Green Bay means unrestricted participation.
• Official status: (a)/RESOLVED – Resolved – off the injury report. Kraft does NOT appear on Green Bay’s official eight-man Wednesday Sept 9 Week 1 injury report (verified against both nfl.com/injuries/league/2026/reg1 and the club-published Packers-Vikings report), and he is ACT on the roster. Because he carries no practice-report entry at all, there is nothing for Friday Sept 11 to convert into a game status – he is on track to be fully available with no designation.
• Injury: Torn ACL suffered in Week 9 of the 2025 season (vs. Carolina). He opened 2026 rehabbing, took part in full-contact work in the joint practice with Arizona, and sat out the preseason finale purely as Week 1 preparation. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported he was expected to be ‘full go’ for the opener, and he cleared Week 1 practice without an injury-report entry.
• When it happened: ACL tear: Week 9 of the 2025 season (early November 2025).
• Typical recovery for this injury: ACL reconstruction in an NFL player: 9-12 months to return to play, with 12+ months usually needed to regain pre-injury explosiveness. Kraft is roughly 10 months post-injury at Week 1.
• Expected back to full health: Cleared and unrestricted as of Wednesday Sept 9, 2026. Expect the final 10-15 percent of explosiveness and route separation to arrive over the first month as he passes the 12-month mark.
• Week 1: Expected to PLAY, no designation, Sunday, Sept. 13 at Minnesota. Note this is a Wednesday-practice-based read; the official final status is not filed until Friday, Sept. 11 – but with no practice entry there is no realistic path to a Questionable tag.
• Weeks 1-4: Full every-week starter. The only caveat is snap-count management in the opening weeks as the staff eases a 10-month ACL return into a full workload, plus real target competition from Jonnu Smith, so the volume may build rather than start at a ceiling.
• Who benefits if he sits: Jonnu Smith (No. 18) would take over as the primary receiving tight end, with Josh Whyle third.
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED – now off the report. The Sept 6 baseline carried him as ‘Questionable’ from a CBS Sports aggregator page; the club’s own official Week 1 filing lists him nowhere. This is the clearest upgrade of the week.

Fantasy takeaway: Start him with confidence – clearing the first official injury report of the year with no entry is the strongest possible signal for a 10-month ACL return, and the earlier ‘Questionable’ floating around aggregators is now dead.

Tyler Warren — IND (TE1 and the focal point of the Colts’ tight end usage)

• Wednesday practice: Full — the Colts reported that ALL 53 players practiced Wednesday and that only four were limited (Haulcy, Ogletree, Pierce, Van Pran-Granger). Warren was not among them.
• Official status: Resolved — off the injury report
• Injury: Groin/adductor strain — cleared
• When it happened: Late August 2026
• Typical recovery for this injury: Grade 1 groin/adductor strains: 1-3 weeks; grade 2: 3-6 weeks. His clean Week 1 participation indicates the mild end.
• Expected back to full health: Now — full participant with no designation.
• Week 1: Available, no designation, Sunday Sept 13 vs. Baltimore.
• Weeks 1-4: Healthy and unrestricted for Weeks 1-4 (vs BAL, @ KC, vs HOU, vs WAS in London). Groin strains do carry some recurrence risk, so a future Wednesday ‘Limited’ would not be shocking, but nothing suggests it now.
• Who benefits if he sits: Mo Alie-Cox would be the primary replacement, with Andrew Ogletree next — not applicable, Warren is healthy.
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED — now off the report. On Sept 6 he carried an unofficial ‘Questionable’ for a groin/adductor strain, amplified by a widely circulated social post; he practiced fully Wednesday and is not on the official report.

Fantasy takeaway: This is the most valuable resolution on the board — start him as a locked-in TE1 with zero health discount, because a groin issue that was clouding him three days ago is now completely gone from the report.

John Bates — WAS (TE2 / co-starter with Chig Okonkwo per Yahoo’s Week 1 depth chart (09/09); TE2 per Ourlads 09/09/2026. Verified ACT on nfl.com roster.)

• Wednesday practice: Full (practiced Wednesday; not listed on the injury report, so no participation level was formally filed for him)
• Official status: Resolved – off the injury report. He does NOT appear on the Commanders’ official Wednesday, Sept 9 injury report.
• Injury: Hamstring strain. ESPN’s John Keim reported at the time that he would ‘miss a couple weeks’; head coach Dan Quinn confirmed a multi-week absence. That window closed in mid-August and he has now cleared the report entirely.
• When it happened: 2026-07-30 (training-camp practice; reported 2026-08-01)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Grade 1-2 hamstring strain in a tight end: 2-4 weeks, consistent with the ‘couple weeks’ timeline given. Recurrence risk stays elevated for roughly 4-6 weeks post-return. He is now about six weeks out from the injury, which is past the elevated-risk window.
• Expected back to full health: Already at full health – roughly six weeks post-injury and off the injury report as of Sept 9, 2026
• Week 1: WILL PLAY Sunday, Sept 13 (4:25 PM ET vs. Philadelphia) with no restriction. Off the report, so no Friday designation is expected.
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: expected to play all four in a blocking-first co-starter role alongside Okonkwo. Low target volume by design; his recovery matters more for Washington’s run blocking than for fantasy scoring.
• Who benefits if he sits: Ben Sinnott (TE, ACT) – who was the direct beneficiary of Bates’ camp absence – followed by Colson Yankoff (TE, ACT)
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED – now off the report

Fantasy takeaway: Fully recovered and off the report, which caps Ben Sinnott’s breakout path and leaves Chig Okonkwo as the only Commanders tight end worth a roster spot.

Erick All — CIN (TE3 on the verified active depth chart (up from TE4 in the baseline, because Tanner Hudson is on the practice squad))

• Wednesday practice: Full (by omission – he is not listed on the Wednesday report, which means unrestricted participation)
• Official status: Resolved – off the injury report. He carries NO designation of any kind. nfl.com lists him ACT with no PUP, IR or NFI code, and he did not appear on Cincinnati’s official Wednesday, Sept 9 participation report.
• Injury: None currently. He is two seasons removed from the torn ACL suffered in Week 9 of his 2024 rookie year, which cost him all of 2025 on the reserve/PUP list.
• When it happened: Original ACL tear: November 2024. Fully cleared for the 2026 season.
• Typical recovery for this injury: ACL reconstruction: 9-12 months to clearance, with performance typically normalizing in the second season back. All is now in that second season, which is when tight ends historically regain their pre-injury explosiveness.
• Expected back to full health: Already at 100%. He is practicing without restriction and holds an active roster spot.
• Week 1: AVAILABLE, no designation, vs. Tampa Bay, Sunday, Sept 13, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET.
• Weeks 1-4: Weeks 1-4: healthy and available, but buried behind Drew Sample and Mike Gesicki. Snap share, not health, is the constraint.
• Who benefits if he sits: Not applicable – he is the backup. Jack Endries is TE4.
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED – now off the injury report

Fantasy takeaway: Healthy but not startable behind Sample and Gesicki – a watchlist name only if one of them goes down.

Terrance Ferguson — LAR (TE3 — third tight end behind Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee)

• Wednesday practice: Full
• Official status: Resolved — off the injury report. Not listed on the Rams’ official Week 1 injury report. The Sept 6 baseline rested on an aggregator ‘Questionable’ tag with ‘general soreness’ and no body part disclosed by the team; no official designation ever issued.
• Injury: General soreness, no specific body part disclosed by the team — resolved
• When it happened: 2026-08-28 (approximate — late preseason)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Undiagnosed general soreness usually resolves in days and carries no meaningful absence risk.
• Expected back to full health: Already at full health as of Sept 8, 2026
• Week 1: ACTIVE, no designation, available Thursday, Sept 10 in Melbourne
• Weeks 1-4: Healthy for all four. As a developing tight end he could grow into snaps over the stretch, but Parkinson and Higbee are ahead of him now.
• Who benefits if he sits: Davis Allen and Max Klare are the tight ends behind him
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED — now off the report

Fantasy takeaway: Clean bill of health and a dynasty name to watch, but leave him on the wire in redraft this week.

Davis Allen — LAR (TE4 — fourth tight end behind Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and Terrance Ferguson)

• Wednesday practice: Full
• Official status: Resolved — off the injury report. Not listed on the Rams’ official Week 1 injury report. The Sept 6 baseline rested on an aggregator ‘Questionable’ tag; no official designation ever issued.
• Injury: Quad strain (soft-tissue) — resolved
• When it happened: 2026-08-24 (approximate — late training camp)
• Typical recovery for this injury: Mild quad strains typically sideline an NFL player 1-3 weeks; he cleared the report inside that window.
• Expected back to full health: Already at full health as of Sept 8, 2026
• Week 1: ACTIVE, no designation, available Thursday, Sept 10 in Melbourne
• Weeks 1-4: Healthy for all four but fourth in a five-man tight end room. No projectable fantasy role.
• Who benefits if he sits: Max Klare is the next tight end up; Dan Villari is the practice-squad depth
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED — now off the report

Fantasy takeaway: Off the report but unrosterable — he is the No. 4 tight end on a team that spreads TE targets four ways.

Brevin Jordan — HOU (TE5, behind Schultz, Moreau, Klein and Stover)

• Wednesday practice: Full (not listed on the Texans’ Wednesday Sept 9 report)
• Official status: Resolved — off the injury report
• Injury: Knee — cleared
• When it happened: August 2026
• Typical recovery for this injury: Minor knee sprains/contusions: 1-3 weeks.
• Expected back to full health: Now — no designation entering Week 1.
• Week 1: Available, no designation, Sunday Sept 13 vs. Buffalo.
• Weeks 1-4: Healthy, but buried at TE5 in a five-deep room. No meaningful role projected for Weeks 1-4.
• Who benefits if he sits: Not applicable — he is healthy and is himself the last man in the tight end room.
• Change since the weekend: RESOLVED — now off the report. Was an unofficial ‘Questionable’ (knee) on Sept 6.

Fantasy takeaway: Not rosterable — Dalton Schultz remains the only Texans tight end worth a lineup slot.

Waiver wire: who gains if these names sit

• Elijah Higgins is the TE2 in his absence, with Hunter Long as the No. 3 behind Trey McBride — if Tip Reiman (ARI) can’t go.
• Already replaced – Johnny Mundt (TE, ACT) is TE2, with rookie Eli Stowers (TE, ACT) as TE3 and E.J. Jenkins (TE, ACT) as TE4 — if Grant Calcaterra (PHI) can’t go.
• Josh Whyle is the TE3 in his absence, behind Kraft and Jonnu Smith; Mark Redman is fourth. — if Luke Musgrave (GB) can’t go.
• Gavin Bartholomew (No. 86) is now the TE3 behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver on the vikings.com official Week 1 depth chart. — if Ben Yurosek (MIN) can’t go.
• Oscar Delp holds the TE3 job in his place, behind Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant. — if Moliki Matavao (NO) can’t go.
• Already covered – Harold Fannin Jr. is TE1, Blake Whiteheart TE2, Carsen Ryan TE3. — if Joe Royer (CLE) can’t go.
• Already accounted for — Tyler Warren is the every-down TE1, Mo Alie-Cox the TE2, Andrew Ogletree the TE3. — if Will Mallory (IND) can’t go.
• Already accounted for — Gunnar Helm is the TE1, Daniel Bellinger the TE2, with David Martin-Robinson and Kylen Granson co-listed third. — if Jaren Kanak (TEN) can’t go.
• Already replaced – Brevyn Spann-Ford (TE, ACT) and Luke Schoonmaker (TE, ACT) hold the backup roles behind Jake Ferguson — if DJ Rogers (DAL) can’t go.
• Already replaced – Brevyn Spann-Ford (TE, ACT) is TE2 and Luke Schoonmaker (TE, ACT) TE3; James Mitchell and Michael Trigg are practice-squad depth — if Princeton Fant (DAL) can’t go.
• No impact — Warren, Alie-Cox and Ogletree handle the tight end room, with Pharaoh Brown and Kenny Fletcher Jr. on the practice squad. — if Carson Towt (IND) can’t go.
• Justin Joly holds the TE4 spot on the active roster. — if Cole Turner (MIA) can’t go.
• Michael Mayer (verified TE2) takes the bulk of the snaps, with Ian Thomas (verified TE3) as the No. 2. Practice-squad TE Chris Myarick could be elevated for blocking snaps. — if Brock Bowers (LV) can’t go.
• Terrance Ferguson and Davis Allen are the next tight ends up behind Colby Parkinson — if Tyler Higbee (LAR) can’t go.
• Noah Fant is the TE2 and would take the extra snaps; Treyton Welch and Stone Smartt are practice-squad options. — if Oscar Delp (NO) can’t go.
• Jake Tonges (TE2); Luke Farrell is the blocking TE, and the 49ers signed Brayden Willis to the practice squad Sept 6 specifically as Kittle insurance — if George Kittle (SF) can’t go.
• Seydou Traore slides into the TE2 role, with Justin Joly as TE3 — but neither blocks at Kacmarek’s level, so Miami would likely shift to more 11-personnel rather than replace him one-for-one. — if Will Kacmarek (MIA) can’t go.
• No practical change — Tyler Warren and Mo Alie-Cox already absorb essentially all meaningful tight end usage. Practice-squad TEs Pharaoh Brown and Kenny Fletcher Jr. would be elevation candidates for blocking snaps. — if Andrew ‘Drew’ Ogletree (IND) can’t go.
• E.J. Jenkins (TE, ACT) is TE4 and would absorb the rotational snaps. Grant Calcaterra (TE) is on IR-designated-to-return and unavailable for a minimum of four games. — if Eli Stowers (PHI) can’t go.

Bottom line at tight end

12 of the 33 tight ends here are unavailable, 3 did not practice Wednesday, and 4 were limited. 8 cleared since the weekend. The Friday reports settle the middle two groups — that is where Week 1 lineups get decided.

Rosters and depth charts for all 32 teams were verified against official league roster pages before this report was compiled, and every player listed was confirmed to be on the roster shown. Designations come from official club and league injury reports filed Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Recovery timelines describe how long a class of injury typically sidelines an NFL player and are not a prediction for any individual.

NFL Week 1 Fantasy Football Injury Report Wednesday TE first appeared on Game On Media.