Who Should I Start? Theo Johnson or Terrance Ferguson

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.

Saturday, January 24, 7:10 PM

Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson recorded a touchdown in each of his final two regular-season games. After missing two weeks with a hamstring injury, he returned for last week's Divisional Round win over the Bears and was targeted five times. Unfortunately, he was able to collect only one of those looks, finishing his first career playoff game with a single catch for 19 yards. With Los Angeles using a heavy deployment of jumbo packages down the stretch, Ferguson should see the field plenty against a Seahawks defense that has excelled against fantasy running backs and wide receivers while finishing in the middle of the pack against tight ends. Colby Parkinson is likely the safest bet out of the Rams' crowded tight end room, given his steady usage near the goal line, but Ferguson may be the most talented of the bunch, and he is RotoBaller's TE5 for Conference Championship Weekend.