Who Should I Start? Theo Johnson or Rome Odunze

Saturday, November 1, 3:13 AM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson enters Week 9 as the TE16, with his fantasy viability heavily reliant on scoring after accumulating four receiving touchdowns on just 23 catches this season. Johnson maintains a significant role with a 78.7% snap share and 37 targets through eight games, but the upcoming matchup presents a challenge against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers defense is tough against tight ends, ranking as the 10th-ranked fantasy defense and limiting the position to an average of only 11.95 points per game. Although the 49ers' pass rush ranks 31st in the NFL with nine sacks, allowing quarterback Jaxson Dart time, San Francisco's solid Red Zone Defense ranks 7th, making Johnson's primary source of fantasy value--touchdowns--more difficult to come by. Therefore, Johnson remains a low-floor, touchdown-dependent TE2 for Week 9.

Saturday, November 1, 9:51 AM

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has enjoyed a breakout sophomore season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, recording 31 receptions for 473 yards and five touchdowns on 56 targets in seven games. The 23-year-old leads the team with a 25.5% target share and has built a solid rapport with fellow second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Odunze is coming off his best game since Week 3 against the Cowboys, catching seven of 10 targets for 114 yards in Week 8 at Baltimore, the fourth 100-yard game of his career. The 2024 first-rounder is again set up to reward fantasy managers with a beautiful matchup on deck against Cincinnati. Odunze ranks as RotoBaller's WR9 in PPR formats for Week 9.