Who Should I Start? James Mitchell or Theo Johnson

Wednesday, September 24, 6:20 PM

Carolina Panthers tight end James Mitchell has an opportunity to make some noise with Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle) expected to miss multiple weeks with a high-ankle sprain, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Tommy Tremble will move to the top of the Panthers' TE depth chart with Sanders injured, but he's more of a blocker than a pass-catcher, so Mitchell might have a chance to make some noise going forward in his first year in Carolina. The 26-year-old former fifth-round selection (177th overall) by the Detroit Lions in 2022 out of Virginia Tech has caught all 13 of his targets for 141 yards and one touchdown in 30 games played (one start) in his three NFL seasons with the Lions before joining the Panthers on a reserve/futures contract back in January. Mitchell is only worth a look on the waiver wire in the deepest of fantasy leagues at the moment.

Saturday, October 18, 2:55 AM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson is a risky, touchdown-dependent TE2 for Week 7 due to an extremely difficult road matchup against the stout Denver Broncos defense. Johnson has been a red-zone weapon for rookie QB Jaxson Dart, accounting for all three of Dart's career passing touchdowns, but the Broncos are the 4th-ranked fantasy defense against tight ends, allowing a paltry 4.6 Fantasy Points Per Game. Denver's overall defense ranks 2nd in the NFL, giving up only 15.8 points per game, and they are especially brutal in the red zone, ranking 1st with a 28.6% Defense Red Zone TD Rate. With an average of only 7.4 yards per reception this season and coming off a mere 27-yard performance in Week 6, Johnson needs a fourth touchdown since Dart took over just to provide value.