Who Should I Start? Theo Johnson or Ja'Tavion Sanders


Week 1 Projections

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0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Theo Johnson News

Theo Johnson Trending Down in Crowded Offense?

Friday, April 3, 5:25 AM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson had a breakout campaign in 2025, catching 45 passes for 528 yards and five touchdowns. He finished Year 2 in the NFL as the overall TE18 in fantasy football (PPR), and he firmly established himself not only as the Giants' top tight end but also as one of Jaxson Dart's favorite targets. The bad news for Johnson is that he probably won't be Dart's top target in 2026. Malik Nabers (knee) is returning from a torn ACL, giving Dart a superstar receiver worthy of 175 targets. We also expect newcomers Calvin Austin III and Darnell Mooney to have decent roles in the passing game. Meanwhile, running backs Cam Skattebo (ankle) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. will handle their fair share of volume. Finally, Johnson faces competition within his own position group after tight end Isaiah Likely followed head coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York. With so many mouths to feed, it's hard to imagine that Johnson will be able to fetch another 70+ targets and 40+ receptions in 2026. He is immensely talented, but the state of the offense will likely drop him to the low-end TE2 or high-end TE3 tier next year. He's a hold in most dynasty leagues, or a potential sell if you can find someone who still believes in his fantasy outlook long-term. Johnson has fallen to #34 among tight ends in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Ja'Tavion Sanders News

Can Ja'Tavion Sanders Break Through in the Panthers' Offense?

Thursday, April 9, 6:47 PM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders has struggled to emerge as a relevant fantasy option through his first two seasons in the NFL. He showed some upside near the end of his rookie campaign in 2024, but he has yet to finish higher than TE36 in PPR leagues. It's not for a lack of talent, as Sanders was an early fourth-round pick and has flashed impressive receiving skills. However, Carolina's offense doesn't seem to prioritize getting the ball to its tight ends. In fact, we haven't really seen the Panthers have a legitimate fantasy threat at tight end since Greg Olsen in 2016. It's unlikely that will change next season, but there is hope. Head coach Dave Canales recently turned offensive play-calling duties over to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, so perhaps that will lead to more tight end targets for Sanders. Still, we wouldn't bet on an immediate breakout for the 23-year-old. Rostering Sanders will require patience, and he's more of a hold than a buy or sell in dynasty leagues at the moment.


Theo Johnson vs. Ja'Tavion Sanders

Still trying to decide between Johnson and Sanders? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Theo Johnson is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Ja'Tavion Sanders is projected to score 0.0 points.