Who Should I Start? Theo Johnson or Mason Taylor

Tuesday, October 7, 10:26 PM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson is a risky, touchdown-dependent stream for the Thursday night matchup, despite his emergence as a key red-zone weapon. Johnson, the TE16 in fantasy with 7.08 fantasy points per game, has found the end zone three times this year, a figure made remarkable by the fact that rookie QB Jaxson Dart's only career touchdown passes have all gone to the tight end. This connection is vital, as Johnson operates with a high 75.4% snap share on his 15 receptions and 22 targets, but the Philadelphia Eagles present a brutal challenge. They rank as the 4th toughest fantasy defense against tight ends, allowing just 7.82 points against per game. Furthermore, the Eagles' elite 3rd-ranked red zone defense, which boasts a 42.9% Defense Red Zone TD Rate, significantly lowers the odds of Johnson continuing his unsustainable touchdown pace, making him a desperation play.

Tuesday, October 7, 10:42 AM

New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor has quickly become a main part of the team's passing game, and the rookie tight end is worth a look in almost all fantasy formats due to the volume he has been getting. The second-round pick out of LSU has been the team's top pass-catching tight end all season, but he had just two catches on three targets in his first two games. Since then, though, he has 18 catches on 25 targets over three weeks for a total of 150 yards. Taylor set career-highs with nine catches on 12 targets for 67 yards against the Cowboys in Week 5, pacing the team in catches and targets as the team tried to scramble back against Dallas. The 0-5 Jets have had to play from behind a lot this year, and they'll take on the Broncos in the morning game from London in Week 6. Taylor can definitely be a strong TE1 option for as long as he keeps getting so much volume.