Who Should I Start? Theo Johnson or Elijah Arroyo

Friday, January 2, 3:59 PM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (illness) has officially been ruled out for the team's Week 18 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys due to an illness. The 24-year-old also missed New York's Week 17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders due to illness, so he's apparently dealing with a relatively serious ailment. The 3-13 Giants also have little reason to push Johnson before he's fully healthy, which could be a factor in his absence as well. Across 16 games played in 2025, Johnson recorded 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets. Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger saw a significant increase in playing time in Johnson's absence in Week 17, lining up for 97% of New York's offensive snaps. However, Bellinger hauled in just two receptions for 11 yards on three targets and remains difficult for fantasy managers to trust in Week 18.

Wednesday, January 21, 8:51 PM

Seattle Seahawks rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo (knee), who remains on Injured Reserve, was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. Arroyo landed on IR after injuring his knee in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons, and he's missed each of the last five games. Now that he's practicing in full, though, he could be activated off IR and play in the NFC Championship tilt this Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. The 22-year-old second-rounder out of Miami wasn't a major factor during the regular season, so fantasy managers probably should avoid using him in playoff lineups if he returns this weekend. In 13 regular-season games, Arroyo had 15 receptions on 26 targets for 179 yards and only one touchdown. AJ Barner is still the TE to use in fantasy despite his donut in the Divisional Round win over the 49ers.