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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! It’s a new season and hope springs eternal yet again. You get to wipe the slate clean on last year, whether good or bad, and everyone starts from 0-0. With a new season comes a new crop of rookies, the most volatile of fantasy assets. I’ll be here each week to help you parse through what to expect from the first-year players – Is their playing time trending up or down? Are there injuries ahead of them on the depth chart? Is their matchup good or bad? I’ll dig into that each week and give you my recommendations.

If you’re new here, each week I’ll group the rookies into five categories: Rookies you know you should start, borderline rookies I’d lean toward starting, borderline rookies I’d lean toward sitting, rookies you already know you should sit, and then I’ll throw in some deep league sleepers, stashes for the future, or cheap DFS options for the week. Keep in mind that different leagues have different scoring rules, different numbers of teams, and different roster setups. It’s important to read what’s written about each player and apply it to the context of your own league rules and scoring rather than just going off the header they’re grouped under. At the end of the day, it’s ultimately your decision who you start and sit, and you should make the best choice for your own specific circumstances. I’m just here to provide a little extra info to help you make those decisions.

Fair warning for week 1…it’s going to be a little boring. The smart approach with rookies in week 1 is to be conservative, so there aren’t many rookies I’d recommend starting this week. In week 1 of 2023, there was just 1 rookie QB who finished in the top-20 (Anthony Richardson), 2 rookie RBs in the top-30 (Bijan and Roschon Johnson), 4 rookie WRs in the top-40 (Puka, Jordan Addison, Rashee Rice, and Zay Flowers), and 2 rookie TEs in the top-20 (LaPorta and Luke Musgrave). That’s just 9 total rookies who posted useful week 1 fantasy performances. Your best bet with guys who aren’t clear starters is to take a wait-and-see approach before plugging them into lineups.

A couple of housekeeping notes for the players listed below – All players listed under the same header at the same position are listed in the order that I would play them this week. All usage rates (snap share, target rate, air yardage share, etc.) are from the MB Fantasy Life Utilization Tool from Dwain McFarland, and all references to fantasy points and points allowed rankings are based on half-PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.

Let’s get into week 1…

Rookies You Already Know You Should Start:

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., ARI (Wk. 1: @Buf.): You didn’t draft Marv in the 2^nd round to sit him on the bench in week 1. He’s an every-week starter until there’s a reason for him not to be. The matchup isn’t an easy one. The Bills did lose Tre’Davious White, Micah Hyde, and Jordan Poyer from their secondary last year, but the starting outside corners this year (Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas) were top-10 corners in PPF coverage grade in 2023 and should keep this a competitive group. Harrison should still see a huge target share as the clear WR1 and should be started with confidence even in this tough matchup.  

WR Malik Nabers, NYG (Wk. 1: vs. Min.): Just like Harrison, you likely didn’t draft Nabers to sit him. He’s going to be the Giants’ clear-cut WR1. Unlike Harrison, he’s saddled with Daniel Jones throwing him the ball. He does face a Viking defense that allowed the 6^th-most WR points per game last season, but the Vikes also brought in two new faces to start at corner – Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin. Gilmore is two weeks shy of 34 years old, and Griffin was cut by a playoff contender mid-season last year. It’s not a matchup to fear, and Nabers should see plenty of one-on-one opportunities against a Brian Flores defense that blitzed on a whopping 51.5% of opponent plays last year. Nabers should feast if Jones can stay upright long enough and be on target enough to find him.  Those are big ifs, but volume alone should make Nabers should be a solid WR2 option in week 1.

Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Towards Starting:

QB Jayden Daniels, WAS (Wk. 1: @TB): The simple explanation here with Daniels is that rushing production is valuable in fantasy football. Daniels is likely to run a lot, and basically every running QB who faced the Bucs last year found the end zone on the ground (Josh Allen, Desmond Ridder x2, Jalen Hurts, Justin Fields, and Gardner Minshew all hit paydirt). The Bucs also boast a blitz-happy defense that leaves them vulnerable on the back end. They ranked 3^rd in the NFL in blitz rate in 2023, and as a result they allowed the 2^nd-most 20+ yard completions in the league and the 4^th-most passing yards. Daniels’ mobility will buy him time to exploit those coverage lapses when the Bucs bring the blitz. The weapons are dicey after Terry McLaurin, but I still think Daniels finds his way to a top-12 fantasy finish in his NFL debut in a matchup that seems to play to his strengths.

WR Xavier Worthy, KC (Wk. 1: vs. Bal.): This is more of a gut call than anything, but I have a feeling the Chiefs manage to get Worthy lose for a deep ball in the opener. Patrick Mahomes felt handcuffed last season by defenses that played 2-deep shell coverages and forced him to try and pick them apart underneath. He had his worst season as a passer, and in the offseason said, “We didn’t really play football the way we wanted to play all year long…It wasn’t fun.” The team went out this offseason and brought in a couple of burners in Worthy and Hollywood Brown who should be able to take the top off those 2-deep shells and make football fun for Mahomes once again. Hollywood Brown is ruled out this week, so Worthy should be on the field enough to have a floor that won’t kill you if he doesn’t hit a big play, but I think the Chiefs are eager to show off their speedy new weapon and put fear back into opposing defenses that they haven’t felt since Tyreek Hill left for Miami. Worthy is a boom-or-bust WR3 for me this week.

WR Brian Thomas Jr., JAX (Wk. 1: @Mia.): Thomas is a very tempting option this week for fantasy lineups, especially since Jalen Ramsey is trending towards missing this game for the Dolphins, but there’s a lot of boom-or-bust in Thomas’ game. He specialized in vertical downfield routes, and unlike Xavier Worthy, his low-volume deep threat teammate, Gabe Davis, is going to play this week. I still think Thomas is worth the risk this week as a fringe WR3 against a Miami defense that allowed the 11^th-most WR points per game last year. This recommendation is a bet that BTJ is better at earning targets than Gabe Davis. The volume in this offense is still going to funnel to Christian Kirk and Evan Engram, but Thomas could post a usable week on just a few catches if things go his way.

TE Brock Bowers, LV (Wk. 1: @LAC): Bowers battled a foot injury throughout camp but looks to be good to go for week 1. The limited camp reps aren’t a great sign for rookie entering his first pro game, but the Raiders still list Bowers as a starter on their official depth chart, and I think he’s quickly going to become one of Gardner Minshew’s favorite targets. Bowers spent 3 years on a powerhouse Georgia team, playing alongside WR teammates like Ladd McConkey, Jermaine Burton, and Adonai Mitchell. Bowers led the Bulldogs in receptions and receiving yards in all 3 seasons he was there. Once you get past the top 7 or 8 tight ends, most of the remaining options are touchdown or bust choices. Bowers is one of the few outside the top-8 with the skills to pile up targets and provide value without finding the end zone. He’s not going to supplant Davante Adams as the top passing game target, but he could move up to #2 quickly. I wouldn’t be afraid to roll with Bowers in week 1 if you don’t have one of those top TE options, especially in PPR formats.

Borderline Rookies I’d Lean Towards Sitting:

QB Caleb Williams, CHI (Wk. 1: vs. Ten.): If you’re stuck starting Caleb in a 1-QB league, he probably won’t hurt you this week, I just think there are enough proven QBs with good matchups this week that I wouldn’t consider Caleb a top-12 option. I do think Williams is the real deal, and that the Bears have found their franchise QB, and I’d be happy to start him in superflex formats in week 1, but when you stack up his matchup side-by-side with guys like Jayden Daniels, Jared Goff, and Tua, I just prefer those guys over Caleb for this week. Caleb could certainly prove me wrong – the Titans ranked 24^th in pass defense DVOA last season. If you’re deciding between Williams and another fringy QB1 option this week, trust your gut.

QB Bo Nix, DEN (Wk. 1: @Sea.): I wouldn’t consider Nix in 1-QB formats, but he’s certainly on the radar in superflex leagues after earning the starting nod for week 1. A year ago, this would’ve been a great spot to trust a player like Nix as your QB2. At Oregon Nix specialized in stressing defenses horizontally rather than vertically. It’s a skillset that meshes well with the offenses Sean Payton ran for Drew Brees at the end of his career and would’ve been great against a bad Seattle defense that ranked 28^th in pass defense DVOA in 2023. Unfortunately for Nix, the Seahawks went out and hired Mike McDonald as head coach in the offseason. McDonald is known for his complex coverage disguises that should be a nightmare for a rookie QB to diagnose. 4 different rookies started at QB against the Ravens in the last 2 seasons (Kenny Pickett, CJ Stroud, Desmond Ridder, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson). None of them reached 11 fantasy points in those starts. Turnovers could also be a concern for Nix as McDonald and new defensive coordinator Alan Durde both come from teams with defenses that excelled at taking the ball away. McDonald’s Ravens led the NFL in takeaways last season, and the Cowboys (with Durde as D-line coach) led the league in takeaways in 2021 and 2022.  I’d look elsewhere for a QB2 this week if you have options.

WR Rome Odunze, CHI (Wk. 1: vs. Ten.): Odunze could very well prove me wrong and post a strong debut game, but I think early in the season Rome’s target share is going to take a backseat to proven vets DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, similar to how Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a backseat to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett a season ago with this same offensive coordinator (Shane Waldron). You could argue that Keenan Allen’s excellence in the short area of the field is a better fit for the role JSN played last year than Odunze’s skill set, but for at least week 1 I’d rather defer to the veterans. I’d treat Odunze as a WR4 with upside this week.

WR Ladd McConkey, LAC (Wk. 1: vs. LV): McConkey opens the year as the Chargers starting slot receiver, but this Raiders/Chargers tilt is tied for the lowest Vegas point total of the week, and the Chargers’ new coaching staff loves to take the air out of the football and pound it on the ground when they can. The Raiders were in the top-10 in the league last year in zone coverage rate, so McConkey should have plenty of chances to find soft spots in coverage. He ranked 2^nd among this year’s rookie WR class in yards per route run vs zone coverage last year (per Roto Underworld), so it’s a matchup that favors him. I just don’t think there will be enough passing volume or enough downfield targets for McConkey to give you much more than a 5-50 kind of stat line. He’s a viable WR4 option in PPR formats, but I wouldn’t hope for much more than that in week 1.

WR Keon Coleman, BUF (Wk. 1: vs. Ari.): The Buffalo Bills pass catching pecking order remains a bit of a mystery as we enter week 1. Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis are out, and Coleman, Curtis Samuel, and Mack Hollins are in alongside returnees Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid. Kincaid’s TE volume seems like it should be stable, but the WR room is a little more in flux. Coleman’s size and 1^st-round draft capital says he should emerge as the alpha WR of the group, but on the initial depth chart he’s been listed as 2^nd string behind Hollins. I still expect Coleman to be on the field a lot in week 1, but the fact that he may play less than a full complement of snaps has me erring on the side of not starting him this week, even in a good matchup with a bad Cardinals’ defense.

Rookies You Already Know You Should Sit:

QB Drake Maye, NE (Wk. 1: @Cin.): Unless you’ve been living under a rock throughout the preseason, you know that Jacoby Brissett is slated to start at QB for the Pats in week 1 despite Maye playing well in camp. With that said, Maye shouldn’t be floating around on the waiver wire in any superflex or 2-QB leagues. If he’s available in your league, or if the person who drafted him gets impatient and drops him early in the year while Brissett is starting, don’t be afraid to pick him up. He's at the top of a short list of backup QBs who can become a starter without an injury in front of them. The Pats’ offensive weapons are uninspiring, but Maye could provide enough value with his legs to make up for the lack of receiving weapons. He’s not a true Konami code QB, but he averaged 550 yards and 8 TDs per season on the ground in his two seasons as starter at UNC. He could be an every-week QB2 once he takes over the starting job.

RB Trey Benson, ARI (Wk. 1: @Buf.): Benson has all of the skills necessary to develop into an NFL lead back, but the Cardinals’ coaching staff has been adamant that James Conner is their workhorse entering the season. Conner played at least 63% of the offensive snaps in every single win and one-possession loss that he was active for last season and was over 70% in half of them. I’d assume Benson will play most of the snaps that Conner doesn’t, but a 30-35% snap share likely isn’t going to make him very productive when Conner is healthy. Buffalo was a middling run defense last year, so I wouldn’t count on a big day on limited touches for Trey. The good news for Benson is that Conner has played more than 13 games just once in the last 6 years, so he should see some spot starts along the way.

RB Blake Corum, LAR (Wk. 1: @Det.): Corum enters the season as the Rams’ RB2 behind Kyren Williams. Williams played over 80% of the offensive snaps in 7 of the 12 games he played in last year. I’d expect that to change this year with Corum around to take more of the workload off Kyren’s plate, but this isn’t going to be a 50-50 split early on. It’s still Kyren’s backfield. Corum might be able to work his way into 30-35% of the snaps early in the season, but this week the Rams face a Detroit defense that ranked 1^st in run defense DVOA last year, allowed the fewest RB fantasy points per game, and could have an improved front 7 after adding Marcus Davenport and DJ Reader in the offseason. It’s a terrible matchup to roll Corum out there when he’s playing limited snaps.

RB Tyrone Tracy, NYG (Wk. 1: vs. Min.): Tracy was a popular rookie sleeper pick early on in camp because he basically has just Devin Singletary in front of him on the depth chart, but as usual, Singletary managed to hold off his more highly touted competition and seems in line to enter the season as the clear RB1 for the Giants. Singletary has led his team’s backfield in touches in every single year of his career, beating out more highly touted players like Frank Gore, Zack Moss, James Cook, and Dameon Pierce along the way. Tracy may just be the next guy to add his name to that list. I’d expect Tracy to be playing somewhere in the range of 25-30% of the offensive snaps this week, which just isn’t enough to trust him in lineups.

RB Carson Steele, KC (Wek. 1: vs. Bal.): Steele is a fun story after coming out of nowhere to run over defenders in the preseason and bully his way into the Chiefs’ RB2 role, but Kansas City’s addition of Samaje Perine likely means Steele will be limited to a few snaps spelling Isiah Pacheco on early downs. The Ravens ranked 7^th in rtoefense DVOA last season, so I wouldn’t count on those few snaps amounting to much fantasy production in week 1.

RB Dylan Laube, LV (Wk. 1: @LAC): Laube is one of my favorite late dart throws in PPR formats this year. He plays for a Vegas team that has a Vegas win total of just 6.5 wins and should be trailing (and therefore throwing) often, and a starting QB in Gardner Minshew who has targeted running backs on 19.5% of his career passes. The Raiders’ starting RB Zamir White is a 2-down grinder who has 32 total receptions since the start of his college career. Laube’s primary competition for the 3^rd-down role is 31-year-old Ameer Abdullah, who has hit 40+ targets in a season just twice in his career. There’s a real chance Laube takes that 3^rd down role early in the year and runs with it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like he’s going to get the first crack at it this week. He’s currently listed as the team’s RB4 on the depth chart as the Raiders head into a matchup against a Chargers team that allowed the 3^rd-most receptions and 2^nd-most receiving yards per game to running backs last year. He would’ve had a great chance at a splashy debut if he already had the 3^rd down role.

RB Braelon Allen, NYJ (Wk. 1: @SF): Allen appears to have cemented himself as the RB2 for the Jets this season, but Breece Hall is going to see the vast majority of the opportunities, and this 49er defense allowed the 4^th-fewest RB points per game last season.

RB MarShawn Lloyd, GB (Wk. 1: @Phi.): Lloyd will likely serve as Josh Jacobs’ primary backup for much of the season, but a hamstring injury has limited his practice time in the last couple weeks and likely means Emanuel Wilson will serve as the team’s RB2 in the opener. If you drafted Lloyd, monitor his usage in this game, but I think he’ll be limited to just a few snaps. Both he and Wilson are listed as questionable this week, so it could be a heavy Josh Jacobs week.

WR Xavier Legette, CAR (Wk. 1: @NO): Leggett could play a meaningful role for the Panthers early in the season, but I think a wait-and-see approach is best for this offense. The WR depth chart after Diontae Johnson is a question mark, but I’d expect Adam Thielen to be on the field more often than not, so Leggett will probably be at best splitting snaps with Jonathan Mingo in week 1. The Panthers’ passing game was a mess last year and the Saints allowed the 9^th-fewest WR points per game in ‘23, so betting on a rookie who *might* be the WR3 in week 1 seems like a bad bet.

WR Jermaine Burton, CIN (Wk. 1: vs. NE): Burton was a popular sleeper pick after putting up gaudy numbers against 3^rd & 4^th stringers in the preseason, but recent reports from beat writers have dumped cold water on the excitement. The Athletic’s Paul Dehner speculated that the Bengals could treat this as a redshirt season for Burton and that he may be as low as 6^th on the WR depth chart to open the season. “The bottom line is he can’t be running the wrong route as often as occurred in practice and preseason games (even on plays he made),” Dehner wrote. “The Bengals won’t put him out there – or even make him active on gameday – until they feel comfortable he’s preparing in meetings, will be in the right spots and can be trusted by the quarterback.” Burton apparently has a long way to go to be relevant as a rookie.

WR Ja’Lynn Polk, NE (Wk. 1: @Cin.): Polk enters the season as the WR4 on the Patriots’ depth chart, behind Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, and KJ Osborn. There’s nothing about that group that says Polk can jump into a starting role early in the year, but there likely won’t be enough production to go around early in the year with Jacoby Brissett at QB. Keep Polk benched until the Patriots show us they can put up stats in the passing game.

WR Roman Wilson, PIT (Wk. 1: vs. Atl.): Wilson was expected to be an important part of the Steelers’ offense after he was picked in the 3^rd round in April, but a sprained ankle suffered in camp took away valuable practice time. He’ll open the season as the WR4 behind both Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin. Arthur Smith’s low volume passing attack makes him a less-than-ideal stash option in redraft leagues.

WR Jacob Cowing, SF (Wk. 1: vs. NYJ): Cowing could’ve been staring at some early season opportunity between Brandon Aiyuk’s holdout and a horrible incident where teammate Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest, but Aiyuk is now re-signed, and that window might’ve slammed shut for now. The 49ers depth chart seems set with Deebo Samuel, Aiyuk, and 3^rd WR Jauan Jennings starting. If Aiyuk loses any week 1 snaps due to the rust of not practicing throughout camp, I’d expect those to go to veteran Chris Conley rather than Cowing. If Cowing doesn’t earn some playing time before Pearsall returns, I wouldn’t expect much from him all year.

TE Ben Sinnott, WAS (Wk. 1: @TB): Sinnott could take over as the starting tight end in Washington before long, but for week 1 he’s listed at 3^rd on the depth chart behind both Zach Ertz and John Bates. It shouldn’t take long to vanquish Bates, but with Ertz it just depends on how much juice the 33-year-old vet has left. I’d be taking a wait-and-see approach with Sinnott in week 1, even against a Tampa defense that allowed the 4^th-most TE points per game a year ago.

TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, CAR (Wk. 1: @NO): Sanders is likely the best tight end on the Panthers’ roster, but he opens the year as the TE3 behind Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas. He’ll earn a bigger role as the season progresses, but there’s no reason to put him in lineups yet.

Other notable rookies who open the year buried on the depth chart or hurt: QB Michael Penix Jr., ATL, RB Jonathan Brooks, CAR, RB Will Shipley, PHI, RB Kimani Vidal, LAC, RB Isaac Guerendo, SF, RB Blake Watson, DEN, RB Isaiah Davis, NYJ, WR Ricky Pearsall, SF, WR Brendan Rice, LAC, WR Javon Baker, NE, WR Malachi Corley, NYJ, WR Devontez Walker, BAL, WR Troy Franklin, DEN, TE Erick All, CIN, TE Cade Stover, HOU

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Ray Davis, BUF (Wk. 1: vs. Ari.): Davis enters week 1 as the Bills’ RB2, but it’s an RB2 role that could come with some high-value touches. The Bills haven’t been keen on trusting the undersized James Cook in goal line situations – Cook carried the ball just 5 times last year from the opponent’s 5-yard line or closer. Backup Latavius Murray handled 12 such carries despite having only a third as many total rushing attempts as Cook. If Davis takes over that same Murray role, he’s going to have some touchdown upside in this game where the Bills have the highest Vegas implied point total of the week. The Cardinals ranked 30^th last season in run defense DVOA and allowed the 5^th-most rushing TDs in the league. There won’t be a ton of volume for Davis this week unless this game turns into a blowout, but there’s a real shot at finding paydirt.

RB Bucky Irving, TB (Wk. 1: vs. Was.): Irving isn’t getting much of a look in redraft leagues – he’s being drafted outside of the top 50 RBs – but he probably should be getting more love. The coaches have been raving about his work ethic in camp, and the established starter, Rachaad White, was one of the least efficient running backs in the NFL last year. White ranked 40^th out of 48 qualified backs in yards per attempt last season. He was much more effective as a receiver, but if Bucky can be effective on the ground he could replace White as the 1A back in this committee. Coach Todd Bowles said the running back rotation is going to be handled week-to-week based on who has the hot hand. It’s open to interpretation if he meant the rotation behind White, or if he’s including White in that statement. Given how ineffective White was on the ground last year, I think there’s a real opportunity for Bucky to lead the Bucs in rushing this season. He shouldn’t be sitting on waiver wires in 12-team leagues.

RB Jaylen Wright, MIA (Wk. 1: vs. Jax.): The Dolphins had two of the best running backs in fantasy last season in Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane. The pair also both have extensive injury histories and Wright is an explosive runner. The Dolphins love speed, and Wright fits the bill, running a 4.38 forty-yard dash. He’s exactly the kind of back that can put up efficient production in the Dolphins’ offense if he gets the opportunity. Now he just needs the opportunity. I don’t expect it to come in week 1, but he should be stashed in most formats.

WR Jalen McMillan, TB (Wk. 1: vs. Was.): McMillan has won the starting WR3 job for the Bucs in camp and gets rewarded with a week 1 matchup against arguably the worst CB group in the NFL. Rookie Mike Sainristil looks like he’ll start at nickel and could be an upgrade to the group, but the Bucs plan on playing Chris Godwin as their primary slot receiver. That means McMillan will be squaring off with Benjamin St. Juste or Emmanuel Forbes most of the time, and both players ranked outside the top-90 cornerbacks in the NFL in PFF coverage grade last year. The Commanders ranked dead last in pass defense DVOA and allowed the 2^nd-most WR points per game in 2023. McMillan will still be at best 3^rd in line for passing targets behind Mike Evans and Godwin, but this is a matchup where that could lead to a top-40 finish at the position.

WR Adonai Mitchell, IND (Wk. 1: vs. Hou.): All signs are pointing to Josh Downs missing week 1 against the Texans, and that means Adonai Mitchell is likely to be a full-time player in the opener. Mitchell was a mercurial prospect at Texas, sometimes looking like the best player on the field (even better than 1^st round pick Xavier Worthy), and other times looking disinterested. If Mitchell can be the best version of himself more consistently, he could be a star in the NFL. Michael Pittman has established himself as the Colts’ WR1, but Pittman has thrived on shorter passes and has never ranked in the top-70 WRs in average target depth according to Roto Underworld. There’s a legitimate chance that Mitchell is better suited for the true alpha role than Pittman – he just needs to step up and take it from him. There’s a ton of risk of a bad game here – high passing volume is never a certainty with A-Rich starting at QB, and Pittman is the more proven target - but if Downs doesn’t play, a boom week for Mitchell could make him a top-24 finisher for the week. The Texans have beefed up their defense this offseason, but they ranked just 23^rd in pass defense DVOA a year ago.

WR Luke McCaffrey, WAS (Wk. 1: @TB): It remains to be seen what McCaffrey’s week 1 role is going to look like, but the Commanders’ week 1 depth chart manages to list him as both first string and second string at the same time. At this point it appears that all of McCaffrey, Olamide Zacchaeus, and Dyami Brown will play some snaps alongside Terry McLaurin, but it’s anyone’s guess how those snaps will be divided. With Kliff Kingsbury as OC, we could see a lot of 3- and 4-wide sets and higher passing volume than you might expect with a mobile rookie QB. McCaffrey should be the guy running the higher percentage short routes out of this WR group, which could open the door for him to have some sneaky PPR upside in this one. I wouldn’t expect a high ceiling but wouldn’t be shocked if he posted double-digit PPR points.

TE Theo Johnson, NYG (Wk. 1: vs. Min.): Johnson is listed as the TE2 on the Giants’ week 1 depth chart, but reports throughout camp were that he was the best tight end on the team. He’s a physical freak – he stands 6’6”, weighs 259 pounds, and ran a 4.57 forty-yard dash. He’s exactly the kind of athlete you’re looking for when targeting sleeper tight ends. He’s no more than a touchdown dart throw in week 1, but he’s a guy with a lot of upside if you’re weak at tight end and looking for someone to stash.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you sort through your lineup decisions and find your way to a win this weekend. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@Shawn_Foss) if you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, and always make sure to apply what’s written in the context of your own league rules and roster. Keep a close eye on the injury report throughout the week if you have any guys who are questionable and do a final pre-game check to make sure you don’t start any inactive players. As always: Good luck, trust your gut and have fun. It’s just a game.