2025 Fantasy Football Season Insights
As the season unfolds, it’s starting to feel a bit like reality TV—expect the unexpected. The Panthers managed to rush over 200 yards with Rico Dowdle, and Calvin Ridley is finally figuring out how to catch the football. Meanwhile, the Ravens’ defense seems to be a challenge for any struggling player.
But if there’s one thing that helps keep our fantasy hopes alive, it’s the search for a reliable tight end on the waiver wire. There are always valuable players out there, though some, like Trey McBride and Brock Bowers, can feel almost impossible to acquire. When a tight end performs well, he garners respect, but if he falters, he gets dropped pretty quickly.
Last week, Darren Waller was a standout, providing stability when many others struggled. However, if you’re skeptical about Miami’s offense, it might be worth scouting players from New York instead.
Giants tight end Theo Johnson, who has been rostered in less than 6% of ESPN and Yahoo leagues, has recently become a favored target for the emerging Jackson Dart. He’s been on the field for about 80-85% of the snaps and has accumulated 12 targets in the past two games, resulting in nine catches for 50 yards and three touchdowns. While Daniel Bellinger still appears now and then, it seems like Johnson is the one drawing attention in the red zone, with wide receivers primarily contributing to their success during their 20s.
Looking ahead, the Giants face a tough run with two games against the Eagles, a contest with the Broncos, and a match against the 49ers, all of whom generally defend tight ends well. Not to mention, the Eagles are a significant hurdle, although the Broncos and 49ers have conceded five touchdowns to tight ends this season.
If you’re hunting for volume, look towards Jets tight end Mason Taylor. The two-round pick has seen 25 targets over the last three games, resulting in 18 catches for 150 yards. The reality is, the Jets don’t have many options—it’s essentially Garrett Wilson and Taylor, with very little from Josh Reynolds or Arianne Smith.
Sure, you might have to wait for garbage time to see substantial production, but if you’ve watched the Jets this season, you know garbage time is pretty common.
Now that we’re five weeks in, the inconsistency of various players has made streaming tight ends seem like a necessary approach. Sure, you might rely on one specific player week after week, but—let’s be honest—if you drafted McBride or Bowers, you probably have your fair share of disappointment. Rest assured, our New York team will be around to assist this week and in the weeks ahead.
