Who Should I Start? Juwan Johnson or Michael Mayer

Tuesday, August 5, 5:16 PM

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (groin) was wearing a jersey but wasn't in full pads for Tuesday's training camp practice as he continues to be limited, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. Johnson is dealing with a minor groin injury that he sustained last week in practice, but he might be held out of the team's first preseason game this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers as a precaution. It makes more sense for the Saints to be careful with the 28-year-old with both tight ends Taysom Hill (knee) and Foster Moreau (knee) unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. While Johnson does have a clear path to TE1 duties for the Saints this year, he should go undrafted in 12-team fantasy leagues with all the uncertainty surrounding who the team's quarterback will be.

Thursday, August 7, 3:53 PM

ESPN's Ryan McFadden reports that Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer has been a standout in training camp. The Notre Dame product flashed during his rookie campaign, but the addition of Brock Bowers in 2024 was a detriment to Mayer's playing time. While Bowers and new quarterback Geno Smith have quickly gotten on the same page, Mayer has had an excellent camp of his own. The 24-year-old has been an offensive standout since OTAs, per McFadden, who also notes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has "big plans" for him in 2025. There are undoubtedly targets up for grabs in the Raiders' offense, and Mayer may play a nice role for them. However, that translating to fantasy isn't a guarantee. Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers are worth rostering for now, but Mayer will have to impress in preseason action before he's worthy of fantasy managers' attention in drafts.