Tag: Theo Johnson

Fantasy football: 3 tight end sleepers to target in 2024

Here are three sleepers to target at the tight end position in fantasy football for the 2024 season.

With summer break just around the corner, fantasy football managers will be thrust into drafts before they even know it.

Finding sleepers is the name of the game when it comes to overachieving in fantasy football, and it’s never too early to start looking for those potential game-changers.

The tight end position is a tricky beast to understand. For most leagues, the elite tight ends truly make a difference. Going into 2024, there’s a bucket of four tight ends who could likely be considered elite options.

That would be Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta, Mark Andrews and Trey McBride. The rest of the position is mostly a crapshoot where managers are hoping for some respectable yardage and some touchdown receptions here and there.

But finding a tight end sleeper can make a difference. Those who drafted LaPorta or McBride late in 2023 were rewarded with a high-end starter nearly every week. Their tight end position went from an unknown to a game-changer.

Here’s a look at three tight end sleepers to keep an eye on going into the 2024 season:

Theo Johnson could have big rookie season with retirement of Darren Waller

A retirement in the Giants organization likely puts Penn State’s Theo Johnson in the fast lane for a starting job.

It had been speculated throughout the NFL offseason, but New York Giants tight end Darren Waller officially made a decision regarding his playing future. He announced on June 9 that he is retiring from the NFL, primarily due to a health scare and not feeling that he can give his all to the sport any longer. With that saga finally ending, the Giants can fully work towards replacing his role.

They have a few potential candidates to be the primary starter, but it’s likely a two-horse race between third-year player Daniel Bellinger and rookie [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] from Penn State. Bellinger has the advantage in terms of NFL experience, but he has not produced so far when given opportunities. He has played in 29 games with 24 starts and only racked up 523 yards and two touchdowns.

Bellinger was also just a fifth-round pick, so he isn’t going to get the benefit of the doubt from the coaching staff. Johnson meanwhile was selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft. That decision may have been more about the uncertainty with Waller than any lack of faith in Bellinger, but the Giants front office clearly felt they needed more talent at the position.

Aside from the difference in draft capital, Johnson is also a very different player than Bellinger. Bellinger is more of a fluid, receiving tight end that isn’t going to give you much as a blocker or vertical threat. Johnson meanwhile is less fluid but can use his size well as a blocker, can climb the ladder for jump balls, and can run away from defenders up the seam.

Neither are perfect players, and their contrasting skill sets may actually allow them to co-exist well in the Giants offense. Teams are slowly trying to reverse course on the wide-open, spread-out offenses now that defenses have become faster and lighter in response. Two tight end sets give offenses a huge advantage in the run game, but they also provide mismatches for the passing game.

Even if Theo Johnson isn’t the “starting” tight end, he could still be in for a big workload as a rookie. Only time will tell how well he handles it, but he has the talent to make it work.

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Theo Johnson part of the Giants’ plan for retiring Darren Waller

The New York Giants expect Darren Waller to retire, which puts Theo Johnson in line for a possible starting role as a rookie.

The New York Giants are a team in need of some rebuilding, and former Penn State tight end [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] is clearly a part of that vision for the future. If it wasn’t already evident by the Giants using a fourth-round draft pick on Johnson, new headlines coming out of the Giants media suggests the team is preparing for the retirement of tight end Darren Waller.

When Johnson was drafted by the Giants in the 2024 NFL draft, the Giants were already awaiting a decision from Waller about his future plans. Waller was considering retirement at the time, so the Giants may have felt the need to use a draft pick on a tight end anyway, if not specifically for the 2024 season, then for the next few years. We speculated at the time of the draft pick that Johnson could potentially be moving into a possible starting job as a rookie as a result.

So, will that now be the case, as Waller is reportedly expected to retire?

Well, that remains to be seen. The Giants have made other offseason moves to address the tight end situation with or without Waller in addition to drafting Johnson. The Giants signed Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz, each with previous starting experience in the NFL with their previous teams. If nothing else, it at least takes the pressure off of Johnson to start right away and gives him a little bit of time to prepare for the starting job under some veterans in the short term.

But the Giants are not expected to do much in the 2024 season, so it could make sense to throw Johnson right into the starting mix and see how he does. It could be a risky move if things don’t go well, but if the only way to get better is with experience, then the Giants have almost nothing to lose by starting Johnson in 2024 and allowing the free-agent signings to guide him along the way.

The Giants open a minicamp next week, which is when the Waller retirement decision is expected to be made official.

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Giants rookie Theo Johnson named to 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team

New York Giants rookie tight end Theo Johnson has been named to Touchdown Wire’s 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team.

Which players will break out this year in the NFL and become stars? Jarrett Bailey of Touchdown Wire recently revealed his 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team and New York Giants rookie tight end Theo Johnson is on it.

I really liked how Theo Johnson performed at the Senior Bowl, and he’s coming off a really nice year at Penn State, as well. He caught 34 passes and seven touchdowns in 2023, and proved himself as one of the best tight ends in the country. I have some hesitations to give him any sort of projections considering who his quarterbacks are. However, without Darren Waller, and with a thin line of talent when it comes to pass-catchers, Johnson is going to be the top tight end on the roster and is going to get a fair share of targets.

Johnson (6’6″, 260), a fourth-round selection in this year’s NFL draft (107th overall), is expected to play a bigger role if Waller decides to retire this summer.

Giants head coach Brian Daboll, whose son Christian was a classmate of Johnson’s at Penn State, had good things to say about the rookie who could make a significant contribution this year.

“He’s smart. He’s a young professional, a true pro, loves the game,” Daboll said earlier this month. “Has good size. Can bend. Can run. Obviously tested really well. But had a really good pro day, too, at Penn State, moving around, running his routes, hitting the bag. You can only get so much out of it. You can tell his bend, you can tell he’s athletic. He’s a good guy we thought we could work with.”

The Giants will incorporate Johnson into their tight end room, which has gotten crowded with Waller’s anticipated departure. They will elevate Daniel Bellinger into a larger role and will shuttle in two free agent veterans — Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz — into the blocking and short-yardage roles.

Johnson will have to prove that he can be the seam-breaker and end-zone threat that Waller was in order for him to get the reps needed to break out. But first, he’s got to show he belongs.

“I think the big thing for me is consistency,” Johnson said. “Being consistent. I’ll flash a lot of really good things on tape, but it’s putting all that stuff together every single snap that’s going to help me reach my potential.”

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Giants sign Theo Johnson to rookie contract

The New York Giants have signed tight end Theo Johnson, their fourth round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, to his rookie contract.

The New York Giants continued getting their 2024 NFL draft class under contract on Wednesday, signing fourth-round tight end Theo Johnson to his rookie deal.

Johnson joins wide receiver Malik Nabers, running back Tyrone Tracy, cornerback Andru Phillips, and linebacker Darius Muasau as those who have signed.

The 6-foot-6, 259-pound Johnson is viewed as a developmental player with a high ceiling but he expects to come in and contribute from the jump.

“It’s really exciting for me because I think I have a super high ceiling. I think I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I’m capable of. I’m really looking forward to proving every day that I’m out here,” Johnson told reporters at rookie minicamp. “I think I have tremendous room to improve. I think I can grow a lot more than where I’m at right now. I think that’s why I’m so excited.

“I’m coming in here with a learning mindset. I want to develop respect from my teammates and my coaches. I think that’s going to help me continue to grow and improve. But I’m super excited to get to work and get going here, because I think I have a potential to be a really special player here.”

With Johnson now under contract, the only remaining member of the rookie class without a deal is safety Tyler Nubin.

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Theo Johnson signs rookie contract with New York Giants

Former Penn State tight end Theo Johnson signs four-year rookie contract with the New York Giants.

Penn State saw another one of its former players sign his first NFL contract on Wednesday. The New York Giants officially announced the signing of former Penn State tight end [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag], one of the team’s draft picks this spring.

Johnson signed a four-year contract with the Giants valued at a reported total of $4.85 million. That includes a signing bonus of $831,436. Johnson will be paid an average salary of $1.2 million over the next four years beginning at $1 million in 2023 and rising to $1.39 million during the 2027 season. Johnson will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2027 season.

Johnson was a fourth-round draft pick of the Giants in the 2024 NFL draft. Although he will not get the chance to play with former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, who signed with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, Johnson will be on the same roster as former Penn State wide receiver Allen Robinson. Robinson signed with the Giants as a free agent this offseason.

Johnson should fit right in with the Giants offense once he gets settled in, and he could prove to be a valuable asset as a fourth-round pick. Now that he has his contract signed, it is truly time to get to work with the Giants.

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Theo Johnson believes he can be a ‘special player’ for Giants

New York Giants rookie TE Theo Johnson believes he can be a “special” player and that he’s only just scratching the surface of his potential.

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, got his first taste of East Rutherford earlier this week.

Johnson was among a horde attending the team’s annual rookie minicamp and the reality of his professional future finally set in.

“You know, you dream of playing for an NFL team, but actually having that ‘NY’ on your helmet, it’s a different feeling,” he told reporters.

As excited as Johnson is for the next phase of his career, he remains equally as confident. He believes he can adjust well to the NFL and develop into a “special” player for the Giants.

“It’s really exciting for me because I think I have a super high ceiling. I think I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I’m capable of. I’m really looking forward to proving every day that I’m out here,” he said. “I think I have tremendous room to improve. I think I can grow a lot more than where I’m at right now. I think that’s why I’m so excited.

“I’m coming in here with a learning mindset. I want to develop respect from my teammates and my coaches. I think that’s going to help me continue to grow and improve. But I’m super excited to get to work and get going here, because I think I have a potential to be a really special player here.”

How much of a role Johnson plays as a rookie will hinge on the future of veteran Darren Waller, who remains undecided about retirement two weeks after the draft.

Thus far, Johnson hasn’t heard a peep from Waller but would like to see him return to the tight ends room.

“At the end of the day, him being in the room is going to be good for everybody, so we’ll see how it shakes out,” Johnson said.

If Waller calls it a career, Johnson is ready to assume the additional responsibilities with an eye on doing “special” things within the offense.

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Do Giants need to add more talent at the tight end position?

Assuming Darren Waller retires, do the New York Giants have enough impactful talent at the tight end position or do they need more?

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen has been busy this offseason filling his team’s most glaring needs in preparation for the 2024 season.

But not all of the team’s needs have been addressed. There’s always work to be done.

ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recently listed each team’s biggest remaining roster holes now that the draft and the bulk of free agency are over. For the Giants, he sees their biggest hole at the tight end position.

This is another team with questions at running back even after adding free agent Devin Singletary, but we’ll go with tight end as the team’s largest hole. That assumes that Darren Waller will retire, which is up in the air. If Waller leaves, the Giants will go back to starting Daniel Bellinger, who caught just 30 passes as a rookie in 2022 and then 25 more last season. The G-Men spent a fourth-round pick on Theo Johnson out of Penn State to back up Bellinger and/or Waller. They also have veteran blocking tight end Chris Manhertz and former Eagles backup Jack Stoll. For a team coming off a 6-11 season, New York has a surprisingly hole-free starting lineup — as long as you don’t want to have a complicated debate about the quarterback position.

Schatz is not buying into the narrative that Johnson is going to contribute more than expected as a rookie. He also makes no mention of Lawrence Cager, a player who continues to find his way on the field for the Giants.

Darren Waller is almost certain to retire as he is still mulling his future as the team goes through their offseason training program. Daniel Bellinger has never been given a primary role as a receiver and it’s anyone’s guess how he’ll handle an expanded role in his third season.

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Is Giants’ receiving corps among the league’s most improved?

Pro Football Focus believes the New York Giants’ receiving corps is among the NFL’s most improved following an offseason of work.

The 2024 NFL draft saw several teams upgrade their receiver rooms. Are the New York Giants among the teams that improved the most?

Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus believes so:

Darius Slayton’s ongoing contract discussions combined with the Giants having the worst receiving grade in the league last year left the team in need of some juice at wideout. The team got exactly that in LSU’s Malik Nabers, who led the FBS in receiving grade in 2023 (minimum 15 targets). A staple of Nabers’ game is slipperiness after the catch, as reflected by his 30 missed tackles forced last year.

If Slayton does remain in blue and red, he’ll form a potent one-two punch with the 20-year-old Nabers. Regardless, Nabers provides real insurance, given the inconsistent production of Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, who each tallied less than 530 yards in 2023.

Beyond Nabers, general manager Joe Schoen was proactive in finding a new tight end. Veteran Darren Waller continues to seriously mull retirement, so the Giants snatched Penn State’s Theo Johnson at 107th overall. Not only did Johnson test incredibly well — with a 9.93 Relative Athletic Score — but he was also a red-zone weapon for the Nittany Lions. His seven touchdowns in 2023 tied for a team high.

Daniel Bellinger projects as TE1 for New York, but Johnson should feature in 12 personnel, which offensive coordinator Mike Kafka ran on 23% of plays in 2023 — the 12th-highest rate in the NFL.

Assuming quarterback Daniel Jones remains under center, both the explosive Nabers and Johnson should augment a poor group from the year before. Both could go a long way in returning the Giants’ offense to its efficient 2022 form.

New York went into the 2023 season with one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL. It was highlighted by Darren Waller, Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell and Wan’Dale Robinson.

Waller was in the back end of his career and not very productive, and it was clear that Slayton, Campbell and Robinson should not be top receiving options on the team. This resulted in the Giants passing for only 3,351 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The deficiency was clear, and the front office decided to address it with a premium draft pick by selecting wide receiver Malik Nabers sixth overall.

In his collegiate career, Nabers totaled 189 receptions for 3,003 yards and 21 touchdowns (14 in his final season). Nabers should be an instant winner on the outside as he is an elite space creator and is electric with the ball in his hands.

The Giants also drafted tight end Theo Johnson, who racked up 77 receptions for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns (seven in his final season) in his collegiate career.

The two rookies totaled more touchdowns last season than the Giants’ entire receiving corps. Only time will tell if the team has really turned the receiving corps around but as of now, it looks good.

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How Penn State’s Theo Johnson fits with the New York Giants

Here is how Penn State tight end Theo Johnson will fit in with his new team, the New York Giants.

Seemingly every draft season, a few players surprise the scouting community by dominating their athletic testing at the NFL Combine. It doesn’t always boost their draft stock significantly, but it usually gets draft media’s attention for a few weeks. One of those players was Penn State tight end [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag].

Johnson tested as one of the best athletes ever at the combine, and many thought he could be selected on day two thanks to that showing. Ultimately, he went very early on day three, being selected 107th overall by the New York Giants. He joins a draft class that added a weapon at receiver with Malik Nabers and a versatile running back in Tyrone Tracy.

Johnson’s fit with the Giants is one of the more interesting ones among the Penn State draft picks. On the surface, a tight end with very little college production drafted on day three doesn’t scream potential contributor in year one. However, the Giants current starting tight end Darren Waller is mulling retirement after a third straight injury-riddled season.

With that uncertainty clouding the position, a potential starting spot could be up for grabs. If Waller does indeed call it quits, Johnson’s only competition would be 2022 fourth-round pick Daniel Bellinger. The Giants do have a few other veterans on the team with Chris Manhertz and Jack Stoll, but if they make the team it will be thanks to their blocking only.

Bellinger was a very athletic tight end prospect in his own right, but so far he has failed to produce as a receiver. He has just 523 career yards in 29 games, and his blocking has been sub-par. Johnson has a real shot at beating him outright in camp for the top spot.

Even if Johnson doesn’t win the job from the start, it’s unlikely Bellinger will keep him off the field for long. They were drafted with nearly identical draft capital (pick 107 vs pick 112) and Bellinger has already had a chance to prove himself with the team. In a season where the front office and coaching staff could be fighting for their jobs, they won’t hesitate to make a change.

Overall, Johnson should be happy with this landing spot. The QB position isn’t ideal, but there were not many spots across the league where he could have fought for a starting spot. Hopefully, he will get a real shot in camp to emerge as a top target.

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