Who Should I Start? Mason Tipton or Tez Johnson

Sunday, August 17, 5:27 PM

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Mason Tipton continues to impress in the preseason, recording six receptions for 100 yards in Sunday's 17-17 tie against the Jaguars, including a 45-yard reception downfield on a great ball from second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler. Tipton's speed also drew a 45-yard pass interference penalty, setting up a Saints field goal to start the third quarter. He has shown that his quickness could play a key role for New Orleans this season, as he also caught a 54-yard touchdown in the first preseason game against the Chargers off a pass from Tyler Shough. With veterans Brandin Cooks, Cedrick Wilson Jr., and Dante Pettis on the roster, it remains to be seen how significant Tipton's role will be behind solidified starters Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Still, he is a player to monitor if his usage expands in the regular season.

Monday, September 1, 11:54 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson could carve out a role on offense as early as Week 1 this season. The rookie out of Oregon could see opportunities to contribute right away with Chris Godwin (ankle) and Jalen McMillan (neck) temporarily sidelined. We saw Tampa Bay support three fantasy-relevant receivers at times last year, so it's safe to assume that could happen again in 2025. Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka are essentially locks to produce right away, leaving Johnson and Ryan Miller vying for the No. 3 role. The early advantage may go to Miller, who started three games (and played in 11 total) last year, so he is familiar with the system. Plus, he led the team in receiving yards during the 2025 preseason. However, Johnson has a promising outlook, too, as he totaled 2,080 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns through two seasons at Oregon. Meanwhile, he had the most targets and second-most receiving yards among all Buccaneers players this preseason. Tampa Bay is no stranger to getting its depth receivers involved, so don't be surprised if Johnson contributes right away. He should be stashed in all dynasty leagues, and he could even have some appeal in deeper redraft formats.