RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~190 Overall
CURRENT ADP: ~275
ANALYSIS: While everyone was lining up to draft Adam Trautman, the Saints pulled a fast one on us. It's been Juwan Johnson who has inherited the Jared Cook role in this offense. He has been more active in the passing game than Adam Trautman and the way he's been used projects better for future fantasy production.
Prior to the third preseason game, Trautman has played on 13 passing downs and blocked on five of them. On the opposite side, Johnson has been in on 49 pass plays and has only blocked on two of them. So far, it looks pretty clear Johnson is going to play the role of Jared Cook in this offense. In the past, it's been a very fantasy-friendly role in New Orleans.
WR turned TE Juwan Johnson was filling a version of the Jared Cook role for Saints even before the Adam Trautman injury. Johnson 60 snaps this preseason, 32 of them lined up slot or wide. Seen five targets.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) August 24, 2021
Johnson is a former wide receiver and brings elite athleticism to the tight position. The other thing we can look back at is the fantasy success for tight ends in Sean Payton's offense. Not only that, but Jameis Winston has an encouraging history in targeting the position. With Michael Thomas on the PUP list for six weeks, Johnson has the opportunity to carve out a regular role in this offense.
Adam Trautman is locked in as the Saints starting TE. From 2016-2019 when Winston was the starter for the Bucs, his tight ends averaged 108 targets, 71 catches, 859 yards & 9 touchdowns. Trautman is an elite athlete whom the Saints moved up to get last year. Buy Adam Trautman.
— Rob (@RobFFAddict) June 15, 2021
Do me a favor if you can, just replace Adam Trautman with Juwan Johnson on that tweet above because everything else is exactly the same. I had the right process back there in June, just the wrong name. We need to be able to adapt to changing information and everything points to Johnson being the Saints' tight end fantasy managers will want to target. On top of all the positive signs in regards to Johnson's use, there's the Trautman injury that only increases Johnson's value.
It's been an encouraging preseason and even if Johnson starts off a bit slow, hang on. He might have a Logan Thomas type of upside. There's a ton of volume available in New Orleans.
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