Anyone that follows fantasy football even casually knows that it’s basically impossible to find a reliable tight end. If you don’t have Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews, then you’re probably not happy with whoever you have starting. Just about every season has one out-of-nowhere star emerge as a starting-caliber option, and this year that somebody might be coming from the NFC South. Tight end Juwan Johnson has reportedly dominated practices and first-year Saint Derek Carr reportedly told his brother to draft the former undrafted free agent in fantasy football.
Who are we higher on after joint practices?
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— NOF (@nofnetwork) August 19, 2023
Derek Carr: Draft Juwan Johnson In Fantasy Football
The Quote Itself
As seen in the video above, Juwan Johnson has seemingly done an amazing job of establishing himself as a legitimate option in the New Orleans Saints passing attack. The Saints have largely rested their starters in the preseason (including Johnson), but his continued success in practices is noteworthy.
“This week you could not come away from that game without thinking he’s going to be a big part of this offense…just the comfortability and the connection between Derek Carr and Juwan Johnson. Dennis Allen made a point to talk about how their connection has grown…[Derek Carr’s] brother David asked him for fantasy advice he said ‘I’d get Juwan Johnson as my tight end.’”
So, based on what we’re hearing, Johnson has impressed reporters, his head coach, and his quarterback over the course of the offseason, and Carr is willing to go so far as to advise his brother to take Juwan Johnson in fantasy football.
The biggest question is whether or not you should follow Carr’s advice. The former undrafted free agent has flashed talent over the past three years, but can he put it all together in 2023?
Where Should You Draft Juwan Johnson In Fantasy Football?
Let’s start by talking about Johnson himself. The tight end is coming off the best season of his career by a wide margin, hauling in 42 receptions for 508 yards and seven touchdowns on 65 targets. While this stat line isn’t going to win you a league, it’s an encouraging sign of growth. Tight ends are infamous for needing a couple of years to adjust to the NFL game, and the fact that Juwan Johnson was able to hit 500 receiving yards during his third year in the league implies that he could grow into a decent fantasy football threat.
Additionally, while this may be Derek Carr’s first year in New Orleans, it is not his first year operating an offense. The former second-round pick has been under center since 2014, and we know that he generally likes to target the tight end position. Now, this doesn’t mean that he’ll turn Johnson into prime Rob Gronkowski through shear force of will, but it does mean that Johnson will probably finish with an extra 1-2 targets per game than he would with a different quarterback.
And last but certainly not least is the target competition. Targets are earned in fantasy football, and Juwan Johnson is never going to have Travis Kelce’s market share. However, a lack of reliable options in New Orleans could lead to a few more looks per game. Chris Olave is a superstar in the making, but the rest of the depth chart is highly unproven. Michael Thomas needs to prove that he can stay healthy, and Rashid Shaheed needs to prove that he can maintain his insane efficiency in a larger sample.
Ultimately, there is a real chance that Juwan Johnson emerges as the second or third option in this passing attack, and that’s enough to justify a dart throw in fantasy football. Assuming a 12-team league, you should feel good about drafting Juwan Johnson in the 11th round or later.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – USA Today Sports
