Who Should I Start? Juwan Johnson or Trey McBride

Thursday, December 25, 1:41 PM

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson saw an increased role in Week 16's 29-6 home win against the New York Jets, and figures to remain heavily involved moving forward after the loss of teammate Devaughn Vele (shoulder) for the remainder of the season. Johnson has been a strong producer for the Saints and fantasy managers alike in 2025. However, the emergence of Vele had capped the veteran's upside over the last month or so. Leading up to New Orleans' victory last Sunday, Vele was placed on injured reserve, paving the way for Johnson to operate as the second option behind wide receiver Chris Olave (back), and he delivered (8/89). With rookie Tyler Shough playing competently, Johnson is poised to carry high-end TE fantasy value for the campaign's remaining weeks. He'll get another excellent matchup in the hosting Tennessee Titans this Sunday.

Saturday, December 20, 4:02 PM

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride remains a top fantasy option despite a difficult matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. On paper, it may appear that the odds are stacked against McBride. Not only is he facing a Falcons defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025, but he could also face additional competition if Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel, questionable) returns from his two-game absence. However, McBride has consistently established himself as matchup-proof this year, so he should feast despite facing Atlanta. Furthermore, he could still lead the team in targets and catches, even if Harrison does return to the mix. In total this year, the 26-year-old has 105 catches, 1,071 yards, and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He is on track to finish this year as the overall TE1 in PPR leagues after finishing 2024 as the TE2. McBride has especially benefited from the presence of quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In full-PPR leagues, he averaged 12.5 fantasy points per game with Kyler Murray (foot) as the starter, and a whopping 23.3 fantasy points per game with Brissett as the starter. We should expect more otherworldly, video-game numbers from McBride this week. He's the undisputed TE1 in this week's fantasy rankings and should be a must-start as the fantasy playoffs continue.