Who Should I Start? Diontae Johnson or Treylon Burks

Wednesday, July 3, 6:35 PM

The Carolina Panthers made no move to extend wide receiver Diontae Johnson after trading for the former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout in March, as they prefer to see whether he emerges as the explosive, coverage-separating pass-catcher that quarterback Bryce Young and the offense lacked in 2023. If Johnson proves he's a difference-maker in his first year in Carolina and if he doesn't become a distraction when the ball doesn't come his way, he could be set to cash in next offseason in a receiver market that has exploded in recent years. The 27-year-old disappointed as Pittsburgh's top receiver last year, catching a career-low 51 passes for 717 yards and five touchdowns. Johnson will now be competing with veteran Adam Thielen for targets in what was the worst offense in the league last year. Most of Johnson's fantasy value will be tied to how much Young improves in Year 2. Consider Johnson a low-end WR3/high-WR4 target in fantasy drafts.

Tuesday, June 4, 3:56 PM

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks was working as a gunner on the punt team on Tuesday, and he might need to carve out a role on special teams to ensure he's on the team's active roster in 2024. When asked if Burks will have to contribute on special teams, head coach Brian Callahan said, "Absolutely, he's going to have to contribute. You only get so many hats on game day, and if he's one of those guys on game day, we're going to have to find a place for him." This is far from a great sign for dynasty fantasy managers holding Burks on rosters, and the report will likely drop his 2024 fantasy value even further. If he fails to make an impact on special teams, he could find himself as a healthy scratch during the regular season. On the flip side, the team being willing to put him on special teams indicates he's likely stuck in the WR4 role behind DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, and Tyler Boyd. Even if one of those players gets injured, his fantasy floor would be low, and his ceiling would be limited based on his production through his first 22 NFL games (665 yards).