Analyze Juwan Johnson's matchup for week 9
Rookie QB Tyler Shough already loves looking Johnson’s direction, the Rams have allowed 8 TE TDs, and Johnson’s 12-147 line the last three weeks shows the floor—making him a high-upside plug-and-play while others deal with byes.
Los Angeles’ 14th-ranked pass defense bleeds production to tight ends (top-eight fantasy points allowed) while yielding 100-yard games to three different TEs. Johnson wins over the middle on seams and crosses—the exact areas where the Rams’ linebackers and split-field safeties have struggled all year. With Shough under center, expect a full-time role (78% snap share) plus extra looks when protection breaks down.
Quietly the TE11 overall thanks to 50 receptions on 64 targets (78% catch rate) and 12 grabs for 147 yards over his last three outings; touchdowns should regress after only three on the season.
The switch to Shough is the catalyst. In his first extended action he targeted Johnson on a 25-yard seam and afterward publicly vowed to “put a couple more balls better on Juwan,” a clear sign the rookie plans to feature him. Johnson’s 11.0 YPC and 6-4, 231-lb frame make him the obvious red-zone outlet for a quarterback who’s already shown aggression toward the boundary. Add in the Rams’ 24th-ranked DVOA against tight ends and a pass rush that should force quick reads, and Johnson could see 6-8 looks with multiple end-zone chances. Projections peg him at 43 yards, but a 4-55-1 line is well within reach, giving him a top-five ceiling at a thin position this week. Lock him into lineups in all formats and treat him as a buy-low DFS dart—his cost hasn’t caught up to the new quarterback chemistry plus matchup narrative.