Who Should I Start? Diontae Johnson or Michael Pittman Jr.

Tuesday, January 14, 2:07 PM

The Houston Texans are releasing veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson on Tuesday, according to the team's X account. Johnson has been traded twice and released twice in the last calendar year, so this is clearly not a good sign for his future fantasy football outlook. After logging 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games with Carolina this season, he accumulated just three receptions on nine targets for 18 yards in five games combined with the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. Johnson posted three seasons of at least 882 receiving yards earlier in his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but those days seem long gone after four WR-needy franchises have let him go. All that said, he could join one of the remaining playoff contenders ahead of Super Bowl 59.

Friday, January 10, 12:10 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) will not require surgery for the fractured back that he played through late in the 2024 season. "One tough dude. Example of what you want," Ballard said. It's a testament to Pittman's toughness that he missed just one game due to his back injury. But the 27-year-old's back issues and inconsistent play from the quarterback position in Indianapolis in 2024 led to Pittman posting only 808 receiving yards -- his fewest since his rookie season in 2020 -- to go with 69 receptions (also his lowest mark since 2020) and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Better health will give him a chance to rebound in 2025, but his overall upside might be dependent on quarterback Anthony Richardson's health and his ability to improve as a passer.