Fantasy Football Injury Reports For TEs: Taysom Hill, Noah Fant, Dawson Knox, Irv Smith Jr., Juwan Johnson

We're onto the last week of fantasy football in leagues that extend to Week 18. For fantasy gamers in leagues that have already concluded, there are always DFS contests to get invested in. As always, tight ends are tricky to navigate, but are important to win fantasy matchups and take top prizes in DFS. The statuses of Taysom Hill, Noah Fant, Dawson Knox, Irv Smith Jr., and Juwan Johnson are up in the air. We have the latest Week 18 fantasy tight end injury updates as of Saturday, January 7th.

Being up-to-date on NFL injury news can give you an edge over your league mates in fantasy football.

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Taysom Hill and Juwan Johnson Injury Update

New Orleans Saints tight ends Taysom Hill (back) and Juwan Johnson (quadriceps) are both listed as questionable for the Week 18 regular season finale on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Hill was limited in practice all week, while Johnson was limited the last two days, so there's a good chance both will be able to play in a meaningless game this weekend.

Hill hasn't attempted more than four passes in a single game for the Saints this year, but he's been used more as a rusher in the last two games, carrying 23 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns. For his rushing prowess alone, Hill carries some low-end TE1 appeal to close out the year. Johnson will be looking to finish out a career year on a high note after posting career-highs in catches (41), targets (64), yards (487), and touchdowns (seven) through 17 weeks. He's on the radar as a touchdown-dependent TE2 streamer.

Noah Fant Injury Update

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (knee) was removed from the final injury report on Friday and will play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. Fant will be available for this must-win game, but fantasy managers considering using him as a touchdown-dependent TE2 shouldn't forget about Colby Parkinson's added usage as the team's top-targeted tight end in the Week 17 win over the New York Jets.

The 25-year-old Fant will continue to have a role, but he'll probably need to find the end zone in order to return value in DFS and single-year leagues. He enters the weekend as the TE17 in half-point PPR scoring with 46 receptions on 59 targets for 466 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games. Fant caught four passes for 42 yards and a TD in the first meeting against the Rams in Week 13.

Dawson Knox Injury Update

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (hip) was limited in practice Thursday before returning to a full practice Friday, and he carries no injury designation into the Week 18 game against the New England Patriots.

The Patriots are just a neutral matchup for tight ends, so Knox's outlook remains the same as all season. He's a boom-or-bust player with no real floor, but he has touchdown upside in one of the league's best offenses.

Irv Smith Jr. Injury Update

The Minnesota Vikings plan to activate tight end Irv Smith Jr. (ankle) from Injured Reserve, according to a source. Smith last played in Week 8 due to a high-ankle sprain, but he should be active for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears and will be a big boost for the offense as they head into the postseason. The 24-year-old caught 22 of his 33 targets for 168 yards and two touchdowns in seven games before getting injured.

Since Smith's injury, Minnesota traded for T.J. Hockenson, and Hockenson should remain the unquestioned top pass-catching tight end for the Vikings heading into the playoffs. Smith should be avoided in DFS and season-long leagues this weekend and throughout the postseason, but he could be a sneaky red-zone weapon for quarterback Kirk Cousins.

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