Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Theo Johnson

Thursday, October 9, 9:21 AM

The San Fransisco 49ers will spend at least one more week without star tight end George Kittle (hamstring), which opens the door for backup Jake Tonges to continue being a streaming option with his team set for a plus matchup against the Tampa Bay Bucs. The fourth-year man from Cal hasn't been an exact 1:1 replacement for Kittle's do-it-all skill set, but he's done well as a pass catcher, ranking in the top 10 among fantasy tight ends thanks to 19 receptions and three touchdowns in five weeks. Though Tonges' workload is going to decrease as soon as Kittle comes back, Tonges tied for the team lead in targets last week. He'll carry lineup appeal into Week 6, especially in formats that play more than one tight end.

Tuesday, October 7, 10:26 PM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson is a risky, touchdown-dependent stream for the Thursday night matchup, despite his emergence as a key red-zone weapon. Johnson, the TE16 in fantasy with 7.08 fantasy points per game, has found the end zone three times this year, a figure made remarkable by the fact that rookie QB Jaxson Dart's only career touchdown passes have all gone to the tight end. This connection is vital, as Johnson operates with a high 75.4% snap share on his 15 receptions and 22 targets, but the Philadelphia Eagles present a brutal challenge. They rank as the 4th toughest fantasy defense against tight ends, allowing just 7.82 points against per game. Furthermore, the Eagles' elite 3rd-ranked red zone defense, which boasts a 42.9% Defense Red Zone TD Rate, significantly lowers the odds of Johnson continuing his unsustainable touchdown pace, making him a desperation play.