THEO JOHNSON NEWS

Still dealing with back issue Johnson was limited at practice Wednesday due to a back injury, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Impact On the heels of New York's Week 11 bye, Johnson still is dealing with the back issue that capped his practice reps prior to the team's last game against the Panthers in Munich, Germany on Sunday, Nov. 10. He managed to play 69 of 75 offensive snaps (92 percent) in that contest en route to hauling in four of six targets for 37 yards. Considering the health concern is persisting, Johnson's status will be monitored as the week continues to get a sense of his potential to play Sunday versus the Buccaneers.

13 HOURS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Continues consistent production Johnson tallied four catches on six targets for 37 yards in Sunday's Week 10 overtime loss to the Panthers in Germany.

Impact Johnson finished third on New York in targets, fourth in receiving yards and tied for third in catches in the defeat. He's by no means putting up elite fantasy numbers, but with at least three catches and 30 yards in five of his past six games, the rookie tight end is at least establishing a reliable floor. Johnson has seen six targets in each of his past two contests, suggesting that he's emerging as an appealing option for quarterback Daniel Jones.

NOVEMBER 11 • ROTOWIRE

Cleared for Sunday Johnson (knee/back) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against Carolina, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports.

Impact Johnson was a limited practice participant Wednesday through Friday but should be fine for his normal workload as the starting tight end this Sunday in Munich. He had a career-high six targets and 51 receiving yards in last week's 27-22 loss to Washington, scoring his first career touchdown in the process.

NOVEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Another limited showing Johnson (knee/back) practiced in a limited fashion Thursday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Impact Johnson is operating with a cap on his practice reps this week due to knee and back injuries. He thus has just one more chance to prove his health Friday before the Giants potentially hand him a designation ahead of Sunday's game versus the Panthers in Germany. Chris Manhertz (two targets this season) and Daniel Bellinger (three) are the other tight ends on New York's active roster.

NOVEMBER 7 • ROTOWIRE

Tending to pair of injuries Johnson was limited at Wednesday's practice due to knee and back injuries, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Impact The rookie fourth-round pick has been rounding into form over the last five games, tallying at least 30 receiving yards on four occasions on his way to a cumulative 14-164-1 line on 18 targets during that span. With a pair of health concerns now in tow, though, his status will be watched as the week goes on to get a sense of his odds to suit up Sunday at Carolina.

NOVEMBER 6 • ROTOWIRE

Scores first NFL touchdown Johnson caught three of six targets for 51 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's Week 9 loss to Washington.

Impact Johnson finished second on New York in both targets (six) and receiving yards (51), and each mark was a new career high. The rookie also notched his first NFL touchdown in the defeat, catching a 35-yard pass down the seam with under three minutes remaining in the game. Johnson's production has been on the upswing -- after tallying just three catches over his first four contests, he's recorded at least three catches in four of his subsequent five games. Johnson did fail to reel in multiple catchable passes Sunday, but he's showing enough promise to take a strong hold on the No. 1 tight end role for the 2-7 Giants.

NOVEMBER 4 • ROTOWIRE

Rookie TE Theo Johnson scores first NFL touchdown | Giants vs. Commanders Highlights Tight end Theo Johnson scores his first NFL touchdown on a 35-yard pass from quarterback Daniel Jones.

NOVEMBER 3 • GIANTS.COM

Draws four targets Week 8 Johnson secured three of four targets for 35 yards in Monday's loss to the Steelers.

Impact Johnson didn't have a pass thrown his way Week 7 versus Philadelphia, but he got back on track with his second-highest yardage total of the season on Monday Night Football. The bulk of his production came on New York's final drive, as he caught a 25-yard pass from QB Daniel Jones with just over a minute remaining in the game, then nabbed a three-yard reception on the next play. Those catches came as the Giants attempted to march down the field and tie the score, but Jones was intercepted on a second-down pass attempt, squelching any hope of a comeback. Johnson ended up logging a season-high 97 percent of the team's offensive snaps in the loss, and with at least three catches and at least 30 receiving yards in three of his past four games, he's built some fantasy intrigue in deeper leagues.

OCTOBER 29 • ROTOWIRE

Absent from passing game Week 7 Johnson was not targeted in Sunday's loss to Philadelphia.

Impact The Giants' passing game was abhorrent as a whole Sunday, as Daniel Jones and Drew Lock combined for just 105 passing yards while completing a collective 17 of 29 pass attempts. Daniel Bellinger was the only one of the team's tight ends to even see a target, and he received just one look, which he caught for 11 yards. There's no reason to believe that Bellinger has usurped Johnson on the depth chart since the latter logged 90 percent of New York's offensive snaps in the ugly loss to Bellinger's 12 percent, so Johnson should have an opportunity to bounce back in Week 8 against Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football.

OCTOBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Efficient with three targets Johnson brought in all three of his targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 17-7 loss to the Bengals.

Impact Johnson followed up his career day with a solid effort against the Bengals on Sunday Night Football. The Giants' rookie tight end had been used sparsely early in the season, but the fourth-rounder is averaging four receptions and 39 yards over his last two contests. Johnson is a name worth monitoring in case his role continues to grow as the season progresses. For now, those in deeper formats can take a look at the tight end ahead of next Sunday's tilt versus the Eagles.

OCTOBER 14 • ROTOWIRE

Asst. HC/OC Mike Kafka on performance of Tyrone Tracy, Theo Johnson Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka speaks to the media on Thursday ahead of the teams Week 6 matchup against the Cincinna...

OCTOBER 10 • GIANTS.COM

Records best game as pro Johnson caught all five of his targets for 48 yards in a 29-20 Week 5 win against the Seahawks on Sunday.

Impact Johnson has worked as New York's starting tight end since the beginning of the season, but through four weeks he had only three catches (on eight targets) for 37 yards. The rookie exceeded his collective Weeks 1-4 reception and yardage totals in Week 5 on Sunday, finishing third on the Giants in targets, catches and receiving yards. His long gain was a 22-yard catch that set New York up in the red zone on a drive that finished with a Wan'Dale Robinson touchdown reception. Johnson's quiet first four games kept him off the fantasy radar, but managers in need of a tight end may want to keep an eye on him moving forward to see if Johnson can build upon Sunday's performance and establish further rapport with QB Daniel Jones.

OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE

Records best game as pro Johnson caught all five of his targets for 48 yards in a 29-20 Week 5 win against the Seahawks on Sunday.

Impact Johnson has worked as New York's starting tight end since the beginning of the season, but through four weeks he had only three catches on eight targets for 37 yards. The rookie exceeded his collective Weeks 1-4 reception and yardage totals in Week 5 on Sunday, finishing third on the Giants in targets, catches and receiving yards. His long gain was a 22-yard catch that set New York up in the red zone on a drive that finished with a Wan'Dale Robinson touchdown reception. Johnson's quiet first four games kept him off the fantasy radar, but managers in need of a tight end may want to keep an eye on him moving forward to see if Johnson can build upon Sunday's performance and establish further rapport with QB Daniel Jones.

OCTOBER 7 • ROTOWIRE

Daniel Jones finds Theo Johnson for 22-yard gain | Giants vs. Seahawks Highlights Quarterback Daniel Jones delivers a pass to tight end Theo Johnson for a 22-yard gain to get the Giants into the red zone.

OCTOBER 6 • GIANTS.COM

One catch in Week 4 Johnson caught his only target for six yards in Thursday's 20-15 loss to Dallas.

Impact Johnson was once again unable to make his mark on offense with New York, securing just one catch for the third time in four games. The tight end played a season-low 71 percent of the offensive snaps as Chris Manhertz and Daniel Bellinger also logged snaps. Johnson has compiled three catches for 37 yards on eight targets over four contests in 2024, remaining an unappealing fantasy option in Brian Daboll's offense.

SEPTEMBER 28 • ROTOWIRE

Quiet in Week 3 win Johnson caught one of three targets for 13 yards in Sunday's 21-15 victory versus the Browns.

Impact Johnson had an opportunity for a bigger stat line, but QB Daniel Jones overthrew him after the tight end got open in the end zone late in the first half. Though Johnson's production in the win was minimal, he did continue to dominate TE reps for New York, logging 81 percent of the team's offensive snaps to Chris Manhertz's 38 percent and Daniel Bellinger's 36 percent. None among the tight-end group is particularly appealing in fantasy with Daniel Jones distributing the heavy majority of his passes this season to receivers Malik Nabers (37 targets) and Wan'Dale Robinson (24 targets) -- Johnson leads the tight-end corps with a meager seven targets through three games.

SEPTEMBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Quiet in Week 3 win Johnson caught one of three targets for 13 yards in Sunday's 21-15 victory versus the Browns.

Impact Johnson had an opportunity for a bigger stat line, but QB Daniel Jones overthrew him after the tight end got open in the end zone late in the first half. Though Johnson's production in the win was minimal, he did continue to dominate TE reps for New York, logging 81 percent of the team's offensive snaps to Chris Manhertz's 38 percent and Daniel Bellinger's 36 percent. None among the tight-end group is particularly appealing in fantasy with Jones distributing the heavy majority of his passes this season to receivers Malik Nabers (37 targets) and Wan'Dale Robinson (24 targets). Johnson leads the tight-end corps with a meager seven targets through three games.

SEPTEMBER 23 • ROTOWIRE

Dominates tight-end reps Week 1 Johnson caught one of four targets for 18 yards against Minnesota in Sunday's Week 1 loss.

Impact It was a rough game for New York's offense as a whole, and Johnson played a part in that, as he dropped two potential catches in the first half and was missed by QB Daniel Jones on another play despite getting open. The pair did connect on an 18-yard pass in the fourth quarter, and the positive news for Johnson's outlook moving forward is that he logged 61 offensive snaps (86 percent of the team's total). That seems to put him ahead of Daniel Bellinger (16 offensive snaps) and Chris Manhertz (20, primarily in two tight-end sets) in the tight-end pecking order, though Johnson will likely need to do a better job of helping the offense in order to maintain that status.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Dominates tight-end reps Week 1 Johnson caught one of four targets for 18 yards against Minnesota in Sunday's Week 1 loss.

Impact It was a rough game for New York's offense as a whole, and Johnson played a part in that, as he dropped two potential catches in the first half and was missed by QB Daniel Jones on another play despite getting open. The pair did connect on an 18-yard pass in the fourth quarter, and the positive news for Johnson's outlook moving forward is that he logged 61 offensive snaps (86 percent of the team's total). That seems to put him ahead of Daniel Bellinger (16 offensive snaps) and Chris Manhertz (20, primarily in two tight-end sets) in the pecking order at the position, though Johnson will likely need to do a better job of helping the offense in order to maintain that status.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

TE Theo Johnson: 'Just got to keep chipping away day by day' Tight end Theo Johnson speaks to the media following the Giants' preseason loss to the Texans.

AUGUST 17 • GIANTS.COM

Continues getting first-team reps Johnson is listed as a fourth-stringer on the Giants' initial preseason depth chart, but Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes that the depth chart at tight end doesn't refl...

Impact In other words, Johnson is still in the mix to start, despite being a rookie fourth-round pick who opened training camp on the PUP list with a hip injury. He took a lot of first-team reps his second day after being activated, and subsequent reports suggest that's continued into the second week of training camp, albeit with Daniel Bellinger also involved in the first-team offense. Lawrence Cager (hamstring) and Chris Manhertz also are listed ahead of Johnson on the depth chart, but they're specialized players that would be unlikely to play a lot of snaps even if they technically ended up starting. Johnson is the upside play of the bunch, having run a 4.57 40-yard dash at 6-foot-6, 259 pounds. His impressive showing at the NFL Combine led to a selection early in the fourth round, 107th overall, following a college career at Penn State with no more than 34 receptions or 341 yards in any one season (although he did score seven TDs his final year).

AUGUST 6 • ROTOWIRE

Hard Knocks: Giants front office scouts Theo Johnson New episode of "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants" airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on Max.

JULY 30 • GIANTS.COM

Earning first-team reps Johnson took a majority of first-team reps at Monday's practice, Gabriel Trevino of NJ.com reports.

Impact It's a bit surprising given that Johnson is a rookie fourth-round pick and was just activated from the PUP list a day earlier after missing the first few days of training camp with a hip injury. On the other hand, there's not much reason to slow-play his development when the likely alternative at tight end is third-year pro Daniel Bellinger, who struggled with blocking the past two seasons while getting just 63 targets on 512 routes (12.3 percent). Johnson never reached even 350 receiving yards in a season at Penn State, but he has prototypical speed (4.57 combine 40) and size (6-foot-6, 259 pounds) for an NFL tight end.

JULY 29 • ROTOWIRE

TE Theo Johnson on his return to practice Tight end Theo Johnson speaks to the media after Sunday's training camp practice.

JULY 28 • GIANTS.COM

Cleared to practice The Giants activated Johnson (hip) from the active/PUP list Sunday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

Impact Johnson sat out the beginning of training camp due to a hip injury, but with his activation he'll log his first practice as a pro Sunday. New York selected Johnson in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the knowledge that Darren Waller could hang up his cleats, which proved to be the case when Waller announced his retirement in June. Johnson will consequently have an opportunity in camp to compete with Daniel Bellinger for the Giants' starting end role for the 2024 campaign.

JULY 28 • ROTOWIRE