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Johnson’s breakout wasn’t empty volume. He paired strong efficiency with steady weekly production and a defined role in HC Kellen Moore’s offense. But Jordyn Tyson’s arrival should knock his target share down, leaving Johnson more dependent on TDs and team offensive improvement. He’s not a priority target at TE17 in ADP.
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Johnson compiled 77 catches, 889 yards, and 3 TDs in 17 games.
He ranked eighth among TEs in total PPR points; 13th in points per game. Johnson’s breakout season included nine top-12 fantasy finishes and only four weeks outside the top 16. He reached top-12 status in five of nine games with QB Tyler Shough, with a low finish of TE22.
Chris Olave stayed mostly healthy, avoiding concussion issues and missing only Week 18. But New Orleans still dealt with major skill-position turnover, trading Rashid Shaheed midseason and losing Alvin Kamara for six games. No. 3 WR Devaughn Vele managed only 25 catches in 13 games.
The result: a career-high 16.9% target share for Johnson, good for 13th among TEs. His 18.6% red zone target share ranked 15th at the position.
Among 28 TEs with 50+ targets, Johnson ranked:
Johnson also saw plenty of on-target looks. His 90.0% catchable-target rate ranked sixth among TEs. Overall, Johnson’s efficiency profile looks solid.
The Saints broke in a new offense under play-calling HC Kellen Moore. His unit ranked 23rd in yards and 28th in points but jumped to sixth in pass attempts and 13th in passing yards.
Moore added the ingredients to improve on those finishes in Year 2 of Shough and with more offensive talent surrounding him. The Saints finished first in pace and situation-neutral pace and slotted 11th in total plays.
Johnson has played all 17 games in two straight seasons. He needed foot surgery in June 2024 but returned to practice in mid-August.
His last missed time came in 2023, when a calf injury sidelined him for a month.
We project Johnson for a similar route rate as last season: 74%
But we have his target share dropping from 16.9% to 15.0%, largely due to the selection of Round 1 WR Jordyn Tyson. That draft capital is backed up by an age-18 breakout, a 34% college target share, and the ability to win inside and out. Our prospect guru Shane Hallam comped Tyson to former Falcon Roddy White, who hit 1,100 yards six times in an 11-year career.
Tyson brings injury concerns after suffering several notable injuries at Arizona State. But he enters the summer healthy and positioned to work as the No. 2 target behind Chris Olave.
The Saints also bolstered their TE depth with Noah Fant and Oscar Delp. Fant shared work with Mike Gesicki last year but proved efficient, setting a career high in catch rate and posting his best yards per route run since 2021. Delp didn’t produce much at Georgia, but a 9.82 Relative Athletic Score and early Round 3 capital make him worth monitoring.
Shough enters Year 2 with a full offseason to settle in as the starter. He showed promise last year despite limited receiving help, below-average protection, and a midseason move into the lineup.
Among 42 QBs with 150+ attempts, the rookie ranked:
Johnson returns to the same staff that steered the team to rankings of fifth in pass rate, fifth in neutral pass rate, and sixth in total pass attempts last season.
Per Fantasy Points Data, Johnson also ranked 11th among TEs in first-read target rate at 19.4%, just behind Travis Kelce. That could dip with Tyson on the roster, but there’s no reason to doubt the TE’s fit under this staff.
If Johnson’s volume dips as expected, he’ll probably need an outlier TD season to hit his ceiling. Last year brought the opposite with a 3.8% TD rate, but his scoring chances should improve if Travis Etienne upgrades the run game and Shough develops.
Johnson also has a history of stronger TD production than we saw in 2025:
Johnson peaked with a 7-TD season in 2022.
Of course, there’s also the chance that Johnson retains more target share than we’re projecting for him, while also leveraging the positive efficiency and potentially benefiting from his team’s overall offensive improvement.
There’s a route to top-12 fantasy numbers among TEs.
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Saints Bolster TE Group With Oscar Delp
Saints Bolster TE Group With Oscar Delp
The Saints selected Georgia TE Oscar Delp in Round 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Delp spent his first two seasons behind Brock Bowers, but his production didn’t spike after Bowers left. He finished seventh on the team in catches in 2024 and fourth in 2025. (A hairline foot fracture likely impacted his final season.) The efficiency profile doesn’t offer much encouragement. Among 27 Combine TEs, Delp ranked just 21st in receiving yardage share (12.0%), 21st in yards per team pass attempt (0.95), and 21st in yards per route run (1.29). Delp did show excellent athleticism at the Combine, earning a 9.83 Relative Athletic Score.
Chris Olave Out For Week 18 With Blood Clot
Chris Olave Out For Week 18 With Blood Clot
Saints WR Chris Olave will miss Sunday's game vs. the Falcons after a blood clot was detected in his lung, New Orleans Football's Nick Underhill reports. The issue was caught early, per Underhill, and Olave is being discharged from the hospital today. It doesn't sound like there will be any long-term impacts here. But the Saints lose the engine of the passing game for Week 18. Olave's absence leaves the WR corps to Kevin Austin, Mason Tipton, and Dante Pettis, among others. TE Juwan Johnson might be the team's best target bet. QB Tyler Shough is a much less attractive fantasy play sans Olave.
Update: Olave is expected to be sidelined for about a month, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Barring a setback, this shouldn't have too big an impact on his offseason.
Devaughn Vele Out For Week 16
Devaughn Vele Out For Week 16
Saints WR Devaughn Vele (shoulder) is out for Sunday's game vs. the Jets, HC Kellen Moore said Wednesday. Vele has emerged as a key cog in New Orleans' passing game lately, totaling 16 catches, 202 yards, and a score over the last three games. His absence gives WR Chris Olave and TE Juwan Johnson more target upside.
Chris Olave Scores, Finishes Third Among Saints in Targets
Chris Olave Scores, Finishes Third Among Saints in Targets
Saints WR Chris Olave entered Sunday questionable to play due to back spasms. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and sat out Thursday’s session before returning on Friday. Ultimately, he suited up against Miami to snag 4 of 7 targets for 47 yards and a score.
Saints Passing Game Excels Against the Panthers
Saints Passing Game Excels Against the Panthers
Rookie QB Tyler Shough completed 19 of 27 passes for 282 yards and 2 TDs with no INTs i in the win against the Carolina Panthers. He supported the Saints’ top two receiving weapons in WR Chris Olave (5-104-1) and TE Juwan Johnson (4-92-1). Despite the strong showing, the Saints' offense only scored 17 points.
See whether Juwan Johnson is available in your leagues.
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