Who Should I Start? Noah Fant or Stephen Carlson

Wednesday, November 20, 8:20 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (groin) missed another practice on Wednesday as the club begins preparing for their Week 12 tilt against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. In addition, Brady Russell (foot) was a DNP. Fant suffered a groin injury the day before Halloween and missed games in Weeks 9 and 11 (Seattle had a bye in Week 10). Unless the 27-year-old is able to make progress in two practices to close out the week, he figures to be in line to miss a third straight game. If that happens, rookie AJ Barner will represent a low-end TE2 sleeper for the third straight week. The 22-year-old fourth-round selection out of Michigan earlier this year has caught six passes on 11 targets for 42 yards and no touchdowns the last two games with Fant sidelined. Barner's lone TD pass of his rookie season came back in the Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Saturday, September 28, 9:17 PM

The Chicago Bears placed tight end Stephen Carlson (collarbone) on injured reserve Saturday ahead of their Week 4 home matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Carlson, who was just signed from the team's practice squad this past Tuesday, suffered a serious collarbone injury during Thursday's practice and will now miss at least the next four contests. The earliest he is eligible to return will be Nov. 3 -- Chicago's Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. It's a crushing blow for the 27-year-old who was slated for his first NFL action since his time back in 2020 with the Cleveland Browns. The Bears will roll out their usual three-man tight-end rotation, with Cole Kmet set to take the majority of the snaps and Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis working in behind him.