Juwan Johnson
Juwan Johnson is New Orleans' clear No. 2 target earner behind Chris Olave, holding down a heavy-snap role (72-90%) with real red-zone equity after a career-high 103-target 2025 season. With rookie Jordan Tyson out roughly two months on a hamstring injury and Taysom Hill gone, Johnson's target share is uncontested for now, making him a low-end TE1/streaming option rather than a mere touchdown-dependent flex.
Coverage has been almost uniformly bullish for two straight weeks, with Fantasy Life and Yahoo's Matt Harmon flagging him as undervalued back on 9/3-9/5 due to Tyson's absence and Jordan Addison's own injury boosting his profile as a pairing piece. That optimism snowballed into Week 1: FantasyPros, Fantasy Focus Football, Late-Round, and RotoWire all pushed him ahead of Kyle Pitts and Tucker Kraft given a leaky Lions secondary and Tyler Shough rapport, while The Audible and Berry's Happy Hour named him the top Brock Bowers replacement on waivers. The only soft note is Fantasy Football Today's neutral framing, treating him as merely a solid alternative rather than a must-start, but no show has pushed back against the bullish target-share and matchup case.
The line: Start him as a confident low-end TE1 now and hold as your Tyson-injury bridge until targets get split.
▶ The Audible: Suggested as a short-term bench streamer if a manager needs a fill-in while waiting on Colston Loveland's breakout. listen ↗
▲ Yahoo Fantasy Forecast with Matt Harmon: Quietly playing like a top-3 fantasy TE (19 targets, 173 yards) with a premium red-zone role in a pass-heavy Saints offense led by Tyler Shough; hosts call him a locked-in weekly starter. listen ↗
▲ Fantasy Football Today: Hosts argue he should already be treated as a top-10 rest-of-season tight end given recent production. listen ↗
▲ Establish The Run Fantasy Football: Named as one of several downboard tight ends who've been viable this year given the weak state of the WR position. listen ↗
▲ Fantasy Focus Football: 7 catches, 53 yards, two touchdowns for 24.3 points; remains the leading tight end in that offense over Foster Moreau/others. listen ↗
▲ Harris Fantasy Football Podcast: Scored twice and outperformed his ranking, now looking like a weekly fantasy starter for the Saints. listen ↗
▲ Fantasy Football Today: Actually referenced as a TE with double-digit PPR points in each of first two games; expected to keep producing vs Raiders. listen ↗
▲ Yahoo Fantasy Forecast with Matt Harmon: Johnson is called a weekly starter because Shough favors him as a checkdown/red-zone option in a high-volume offense. listen ↗
▶ FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast: Solid, consistent producer with good chemistry with Tyler Shough; hosts recommend holding him as the Saints offense opens up. listen ↗
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