89 Josh Hill TE

Hill won't return to Sunday's NFC Championship Game versus the Rams due to a concussion, Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate reports.

The diagnosis is the result of a legal hit to Hill's helmet at the conclusion of a 24-yard catch and run in the first quarter. With Hill joining Ben Watson (appendicitis) on the sideline, the Saints' tight end corps has been whittled down to Garrett Griffin and Dan Arnold.

Hill went to the locker room during Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Rams to be evaluated for a head injury, Jeff Duncan of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Hill took a legal hit to the helmet at the end of a 24-yard reception in the first quarter, looking dazed as he attempted to get to his feet. If he eventually is diagnosed with a concussion, the Saints will be down their top two tight ends with Ben Watson inactive due to appendicitis. Garrett Griffin and Dan Arnold are the team's remaining healthy options at the position.

With Ben Watson tending to appendicitis, Hill is slated to be the Saints' top tight end for Sunday's NFC Championship Game versus the Rams, Josh Katzenstein of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Per Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com, the Saints have ruled out Watson, who so far has avoided surgery but won't be well enough to play this weekend. Hill regularly logged more snaps on offense than Watson for much of the season, but the former may garner most, if not all, of them Sunday. Still, expect the 28-year-old Hill to yield some snaps to Garrett Griffin and possibly Dan Arnold as a means to keep the corps fresh.

Hill agreed Monday with the Saints on a three-year, $8.85 million contract extension, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

With top tight end Benjamin Watson headed for retirement at the conclusion of the Saints' playoff run, the organization elected to bring back Hill to ensure they would have an experienced option at the position heading into 2019. Since bursting on the scene in his second NFL campaign in 2014 with five touchdown receptions, it's taken the subsequent four seasons combined for Hill to match that scoring output. Even with the Saints resting Watson and most of their other core contributors in Sunday's 33-14 loss to the Panthers, Hill didn't gain much involvement in the passing game, as he failed to corral his lone target while playing 38 of the team's 52 offensive snaps. Though he'll tentatively top the Saints' depth chart heading into the upcoming season, Hill probably remains a less intriguing fantasy commodity than second-year tight end Dan Arnold, a converted college receiver who has flashed some big-play ability in his limited opportunities in 2018.

Hill caught two passes for 10 yards in Sunday's win against the Rams.

Hill again saw more snaps than Ben Watson -- 55 snaps compared to 33 snaps -- but the latter continues to be the preferred option in the passing game, as Watson caught three passes for 62 yards and a touchdown. As a result, Hill remains off the fantasy radar in most leagues.