Juwan Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook - Was His Big Game Legit or a Fluke?

September 29, 2026

Should I start Juwan Johnson for fantasy football Week 4? He had a huge week, was it legit or a fluke? Read Juwan Johnson's 2026 fantasy football outlook.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson had a monster game in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. Though his team eventually lost the game, he was heavily involved in the offense, catching all eight of his targets for 53 yards and a touchdown.

It likely came as a surprise to fantasy managers. Johnson wasn't considered a high-end fantasy football tight end prospect ahead of the 2026 season, but through three weeks, he's been an absolute must-start at his position.

The New Orleans Saints are clearly not the team we thought they would be ahead of the season. But does that mean Johnson is an elite TE option moving forward? Was his big game a fluke or legitimate? What's his fantasy football outlook for the rest of the season?

Why Did Juwan Johnson Have a Huge Game? 

It's likely that he's simply the second-best receiving option on this team, and will continue to be as long as rookie wideout Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) remains unable to play. He's still on injured reserve and must miss at least one more contest, but his absence is anticipated to be longer than that.

Johnson has been a centerpiece of the Saints' passing offense through three games -- he's been targeted 19 times and caught 15 of those passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns. His game in week 3 was especially impressive, as he totaled eight catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns.

Tyler Shough connects with Juwan Johnson for another TD 🙌@LVvsNO on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/LkFRkSFDST

— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026

The Saints and opponent Las Vegas Raiders got locked in a shootout, and a rising tide lifts all boats. Quarterback Tyler Shough has unironically been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL, largely thanks to the excellent offensive system he plays in. He threw four touchdown passes in Week 3 and averages over 300 passing yards per game.

Las Vegas' defense has improved this season, but they have a long way to go to be one of the NFL's better units. They held the Chargers and Dolphins to under 15 points each, but those two are two of the worst offenses in the NFL so far.

It's also worth noting that Shough threw 42 passes, which is on the high end. Offenses that feature more quarterback dropbacks end up with more targets for their players. Environment matters a lot, and the offensive environment was great this game.

We'll take that!#LVvsNO | 📺 Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/xYm8aAM2vu

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 27, 2026

His game could have been even better, but he fumbled the ball away late in the game. This was a well-timed hit by a disciplined defender, though, so we shouldn't really hold it against him. An accurate punch with sufficient power could knock the ball out of the arms of even the strongest NFL players.

Will Juwan Johnson Continue to Dominate? 

There are a few factors here. For now, I'd say the answer is yes. Firstly, Johnson is the best red zone weapon the Saints have. For all of the greatness of WR Chris Olave -- and I pounded the table for him as a league-winner before the season starts -- he's just 6-feet-0 and 187 pounds.

Typically, when the field shrinks (so closer to the end zone) speed matters far less and size and strength, along with vertical ability and body control matter more. So it makes sense that Johnson would get more targets near and in the end zone, where he can take more advantage of his 6-4 frame.

Juwan making EVERYBODY miss

📺 #NOvsBAL on CBS pic.twitter.com/0GxHbfCNj1

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 20, 2026

Another big factor is the offense. Pace of play is crucially important. Why does the offense of the Los Angeles Chargers suck so much this season? Part of the reason is that Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel runs... his... plays... incredibly... slowly... which is not the case for the Saints.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore has implemented a system that gets the ball snapped quickly, and the results are more passing production, more completions, and more receptions for pass-catchers. Also, the passing concepts are genuinely good. Moore does a great job scheming his players open and finding holes in zone defenses.

The Saints offense has been disciplined and well-executed. They also don't have a great run game, so they're forced to look to the pass to move the ball down the field. All this is good news for the pass-catchers. Johnson's 245-pound frame isn't ideal for blocking, but he's still nimble at age 30.

JUWAN JOHNSON TD TO TIE IT

NOvsDET on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/EhU37Chrtc

— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

Another thing Moore does well is lining up his players to get good matchups on defense. Johnson is too fast for linebacker Jack Campbell to cover. He also calls the out route for the outside receiver to pull the outside cornerback away from Johnson's route. Campbell is put in a horrible spot here and doesn't expect the fade route to the end zone.

Moore deserves a ton of credit for Johnson's success. Shough was a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and is somehow being coached up to play way better than anyone thought he could, especially at his draft capital.

What Will The Rest of Juwan Johnson's Season Look Like? 

It's likely that he will continue to dominate for some time. The biggest barrier to his continued success will be the return of the rookie WR Tyson. When he comes back and returns to good health, he will be a major part of this offense.

Even if much of his target share comes from Devaughn Vele or Bryce Lance, the team's WR3 and WR4, Johnson is acting as the de facto WR2 right now, and that's not the role they envisioned him for to start the season. His red zone usage should remain intact, but on other parts of the field, Tyson should just be better at separating.

Football really is art. pic.twitter.com/UmGDCTk2oG

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) March 27, 2026

Tyson was seen as the WR1 of the 2026 NFL Draft class before injuries derailed his final season in college. He's had multiple recurrences of his hamstring injury, though, and it's likely the Saints want to work him back slowly.

We know Johnson will become a more ancillary piece of the offense with Tyson healthy. But to play devil's advocate here, we don't know if Tyson will return to full health at any point this season. He may need special treatment in the offseason to finally put his hamstring issues behind him.

There have been some players that have done that successfully, but it's not a guarantee. There's really no reason to panic with Johnson at least -- he should be startable even when Tyson returns. The floor for tight ends, even in PPR fantasy football leagues, is just ridiculously low.

JUWAN JOHNSON ONE-HANDER DOWNFIELD 🔥

NOvsATL on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/RhYJ96NbOx

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026

He's a solid pass-catching tight end in a big role, playing in a good offense with a highly productive passing quarterback. He has a great offensive-minded head coach running the passing attack that's implemented a high pace of play, meaning more passes, meaning more aimed passes at receivers, meaning more targets to go around.

The Saints offense also does a great job moving the chains. New Orleans ranks eighth in the NFL in time of possession, averaging 31 minutes and six seconds holding the ball on offense. Combine that with their fast pace of play and everything mentioned before, and Johnson should be good for the rest of the season.

For Week 4 and beyond, he should be a locked-in TE1 and starting in all fantasy football leagues.

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