Who Should I Start? Russell Gage Jr. or Tyler Johnson

Saturday, September 6, 4:32 PM

The San Francisco 49ers have elevated veteran wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. from the practice squad, meaning he will see his first game action since 2022. Gage missed the past two seasons after suffering a torn patellar tendon, but was previously a reliable WR3 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Tom Brady. The 49ers' receiver room is in shambles, with Brandon Aiyuk, Jacob Cowing, and Demarcus Robinson all sidelined. Gage has a chance to see the field in Week 1 as he's expected to serve as the team's WR5 and play limited snaps if needed. While fantasy production isn't likely, simply seeing Gage back on the field after such a long recovery is a great story and an encouraging sign for San Francisco's depth moving forward.

Saturday, September 13, 11:28 AM

New York Jets wide receiver Tyler Johnson is slated to command an elevated workload in this Sunday's home matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Johnson - like many of New York's receiving options - picked up minimal work in last weekend's loss to the Steelers. He pulled in both looks for 31 yards, but was a distant third in snapshare (33) behind teammates Garrett Wilson (64) and Josh Reynolds (hamstring [62]). Reynolds will miss Week 2's meeting with Buffalo, meaning Johnson should see an uptick in snaps. Even with the projected increase in work, the University of Minnesota product could fall victim to his team's desire to establish the run. Quarterback Justin Fields attempted only 22 passes in Week 1, and the Baltimore Ravens put up 40 points on Buffalo while Lamar Jackson threw it just 19 times. Johnson is RotoBaller's PPR WR137 in this week's ranks.