Giants place Daniel Fells on IR with staph infection

The New York Giants are down a tight end.

Seven-year veteran Daniel Fells was placed on injured reserve Monday after contracting a staph infection in his ankle.

The Giants were optimistic Fells would be able to play Sunday after missing practice Wednesday and Thursday, but both he and fellow tight end Jerome Cunningham were unable to make the trip to play the Buffalo Bills.

Instead, Fells spent the weekend in hospital with an infection that required multiple surgeries, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.

Fells joined the Giants in January 2014 after sitting out the 2013 season, and has emerged as valuable asset, particularly as a blocker. He was brought back on a one-year, $950,000 deal in March.