Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Theo Johnson

Wednesday, December 10, 9:49 AM

NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported that tight end Zach Ertz (knee) has officially been placed on the Injured Reserve on Wednesday with a knee injury. Ertz will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an ACL tear during Washington's 31-0 loss to the Vikings in Week 14. The hit looked brutal, and emotions were high as the Commanders saw him get carted off the field. At 35 years old, we will see what the future holds for the 2018 Super Bowl Winner and three-time Pro Bowler, Ertz. On the season, he had 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns (72 targets) across 13 regular-season appearances. Second-year player out of Kansas State, Ben Sinnott, is likely to step into a larger role with Ertz being done for the season, and should be on the fantasy radar in deeper formats.

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.