Juwan

Johnson

Johnson was quiet in a big day for the Saints offense. The wide receivers and Alvin Kamara saw all of the passing game action from Derek Carr and the team had little reason to pass up big late. The Saints’ other tight end, Foster Moreau, had a touchdown catch called back due to a penalty, but did not record a target either. Both Johnson and Moreau are TE2 upside plays next week against the Eagles.

Johnson got home with a 16-yard toss into the end zone just before halftime but split snaps with Foster Moreau. Moreau was targeted four times and caught all four of his looks for 43 yards and a score. Johnson’s role wouldn’t normally be enough to warrant a look off the waiver wire, but Moreau left the game late with a head injury and is now in the concussion protocol. If he can’t go in Week 2, Johnson would be in line for the bulk of the tight end snaps. Johnson will rank as a high-upside TE2 if Moreau is unavailable versus the Cowboys.

Saints GM Mickey Loomis had just $1.4 million in cap space prior to the move. Johnson’s restructure frees up $3.5 million more, allowing Loomis to bolster depth as needed.

Holker earned an undrafted free agent contract after leading 2023 FBS tight ends in targets (105), receptions (64) and receiving yards (766). He is unlikely to hop Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill on the depth chart in year one but should be safely stashed on dynasty benches and monitored in deep, tight end-premium leagues.

Johnson took his first live snaps since undergoing foot surgery in June. It was largely unproductive but his first-team usage was at least somewhat encouraging for his season-long projection as the Saints’ ostensible starter.

Johnson injured his foot after minicamp and underwent surgery for the issue. He is now set to return to lead a tight end room with Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill also seeing opportunities. Last season, Johnson tallied 37 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns. There wasn’t much to be excited about with Derek Carr and the Saints’ passing offense, but Johnson will be a top-five receiving option in New Orleans again, making him a TE2 value.

According to Saints beat writer Nick Underhill, Olave is dealing with “a little back tightness” and is expected to be fine. Olave has totaled 1,000-plus yards in each of his first two seasons in the league while amassing 159 receptions. The 2022 first-rounder is expected to once again serve as the Saints WR1 and should be primed for another productive fantasy season once healthy. We’d expect him to return sooner rather than later. In addition to Olave, the Saints also placed tight end Juwan Johnson and EDGE Chase Young on the PUP list. They can be removed from the list at any time, but are both dealing with injuries from earlier this offseason.

It was reported yesterday that Johnson suffered a lower leg injury. We now know that he suffered a foot injury that will require surgery to fix. Schefter also noted that the “belief for now is that [Johnson] will be back for the start of the season,” but it sounds like he will miss all or most of training camp. Johnson caught 37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games last season and doesn’t have much fantasy upside outside of being a week-to-week streaming option. His absence should open up more opportunities for Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau this offseason, with Hill being the only fantasy-relevant player at this time.

The report of Johnson’s lower leg injury comes after the Saints concluded minicamp and he is expected to miss extended time, likely into training camp. The Saints tried out UFL TE Sal Cannella today and also have Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill, and UDFA Dallin Holker on the roster. Later updates will give an idea of just how long Johnson will be out. He totaled 37 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns last season, finishing as a fantasy TE2. If he is healthy for the beginning of the season, Johnson will be at TE2 value once again.

Cannella has been a standout tight end for the UFL’s Arlington Renegades. He totaled 496 yards and a league-leading six touchdowns over five games for the Renegades during the 2024 UFL regular season. Cannella was targeted on 21 percent of his routes, a strong rate for a tight end. The former Auburn product has had tryouts for other NFL teams, including the Packers. He likely wouldn’t see much playing time behind Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill if he makes the New Orleans roster.