Who Should I Start? Theo Johnson or Noah Gray

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, December 31, 12:49 AM

After a career year in 2024, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray hasn't played a major role in the offense in 2025. Gray has totalled 18 catches (32 targets) for 148 yards in 15 games this season and has yet to find the end zone after scoring five times last year. The 26-year-old's lowest snap share in a game this season was 32.3% in Week 12, so the veteran was still a part of the Chiefs offense, but he has only been targeted on 13% of his routes, down from 16% last year. The Chiefs' pass-catching situation was much more dire in 2024 than in 2025, with Rashee Rice back in the mix for most of the season, which in part led to the dip in production for Gray. However, with plenty of rumors surrounding the possibility of legendary tight end Travis Kelce retiring at the end of the season, Gray could be stepping into a starting role in 2026, which would be a big boost to his fantasy value.