Who Should I Start? Xavier Gipson or Tez Johnson

Tuesday, August 26, 8:55 PM

New York Jets wide receiver Xavier Gipson (shoulder) is expected to make the team's initial 53-man roster, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Gipson missed New York's final preseason game with a shoulder injury and is questionable for Week 1. The 24-year-old's primary utility through his first two NFL seasons has been on special teams, as he has 27 career catches in 34 games played. New York is looking for wide receivers to step up behind top wideouts Garrett Wilson and Josh Reynolds, so Gipson could theoretically earn some playing time in the slot once he's able to get back on the field. Still, he should remain off the radar of fantasy managers.

Monday, September 1, 11:54 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson could carve out a role on offense as early as Week 1 this season. The rookie out of Oregon could see opportunities to contribute right away with Chris Godwin (ankle) and Jalen McMillan (neck) temporarily sidelined. We saw Tampa Bay support three fantasy-relevant receivers at times last year, so it's safe to assume that could happen again in 2025. Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka are essentially locks to produce right away, leaving Johnson and Ryan Miller vying for the No. 3 role. The early advantage may go to Miller, who started three games (and played in 11 total) last year, so he is familiar with the system. Plus, he led the team in receiving yards during the 2025 preseason. However, Johnson has a promising outlook, too, as he totaled 2,080 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns through two seasons at Oregon. Meanwhile, he had the most targets and second-most receiving yards among all Buccaneers players this preseason. Tampa Bay is no stranger to getting its depth receivers involved, so don't be surprised if Johnson contributes right away. He should be stashed in all dynasty leagues, and he could even have some appeal in deeper redraft formats.