Who Should I Start? Darren Waller or Diontae Johnson

Sunday, June 9, 5:18 PM

New York Giants tight end Darren Waller announced his retirement on Sunday. There was talk about this, so the news isn't surprising to many. The 2015 sixth-round pick spent his first two seasons in Baltimore before spending five seasons with Oakland/Las Vegas. It was with the Raiders where he made a name for himself, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns and becoming widely known as one of the NFL's top tight ends. Unfortunately, Waller battled injuries over the years, and he finished his final season in the league with the Giants by amassing only 552 yards and a touchdown off 52 catches. But with Waller now out of the equation, Daniel Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson are the favorites to fill the void at the position moving ahead, with both men likely battling throughout training camp for the right to sit atop the depth chart.

Wednesday, October 30, 6:54 PM

New Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson practiced on Wednesday after being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday. His participation suggests that he could be on track to playing in Week 9 when the Ravens host the Denver Broncos. According to recent reports, Johnson will slot in as the Ravens' No. 3 wide receiver behind Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers. After being traded to the Panthers this past offseason, Johnson now finds himself back on a contender. He has recorded 357 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2024 despite playing with subpar quarterback play. However, Johnson has excelled with quarterback Andy Dalton under center. Now that Johnson enters a situation with several quality weapons, his volume is sure to decrease. For fantasy purposes, the days of a relevant Johnson in 2024 may be behind us, at least in the short term. Johnson's talent may demand the Ravens to ensure he gets touches. However, the team seems to view Johnson as a missing chess piece for a potential Super Bowl run rather than a foundational player. Fantasy managers should monitor Johnson's snap share and targets over the next couple of weeks to determine how this trade will impact his outlook for the rest of the season.