Juwan Johnson or Tee Higgins: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 4 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Higgins’ stronger weekly role gives him the flex edge

Start Higgins over Johnson, though both remain playable: Higgins’ larger target role and stronger team scoring outlook give him the more reliable path to production. Johnson’s TE1 role, red-zone mismatch ability and softer matchup make him a credible alternative, but the matchup edge comes from a short, low-confidence sample. The main risk in the Higgins call is that his WR2 role leaves his advantage more dependent on converting targets—especially near the goal line.

What flips it: A clear increase in Johnson’s red-zone target role.

AI editor

Juwan Johnson

Juwan Johnson

TE16NOvs ATL

Projected Points

Start· low
Tee Higgins

Tee Higgins

WR21CINvs JAX

Projected Points

Start· medium

Juwan Johnson’s market

REC
O/U 3.5
-106 / -120
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 39.5
-115 / -115
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+250
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Tee Higgins’s market

REC
O/U 4.5
-109 / -117
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 61.5
-115 / -115
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+120
Anytime Touchdown Props →
ATL@
NOMon, Oct 5, 8:15 PM ETView the game →
JAX@
CINSun, Oct 4, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why Juwan Johnson

Start· low

TE1 and high-volume pass-catcher. Big-bodied converted receiver who is a red-zone and intermediate mismatch.

TE16 with a 10.6-point projection, a softer ATL matchup (23 of 32) and a 24.0 team total. A fringe TE1 who is playable as a streamer.

  • Johnson’s TE1 role and red-zone mismatch give him a direct route to scoring without needing a soft coverage matchup.
  • His softer Atlanta matchup is a useful tiebreaker, though the three-game sample carries little confidence.

The call

  • Matchup leans favorable: ATL ranks 23 of 32 vs TEs (32 = softest), but it's a 3-game sample at 0.25 confidence, so don't lean on it heavily.
  • Role is steady if unspectacular: 66% snap share and 15% target share with no injury designation give him a reliable floor for the position.
  • Game script is neutral-to-good. The offense is a 2.5-point favorite with a 24.0 implied total, which supports red-zone chances.
  • TE16 sits just outside TE1 range in 12-team leagues. Start him over waiver-level options, but a top-12 TE with a better target share should take precedence.

Latest on Johnson

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Why Tee Higgins

Start· medium

WR2 and red-zone mismatch. Big-bodied contested-catch winner with elite touchdown conversion.

WR21 with a 23% target share and 79% snaps in an offense implied for 27.0 points — volume and game environment outweigh a middling JAX matchup.

  • Higgins’ bigger target role pairs with a more productive team setting, giving him the sturdier weekly floor.
  • His contested-catch and touchdown skills offer upside beyond the WR2 label.

The call

  • Role is locked in: 79% snap share and 23% target share over 3 games is WR2-caliber usage even as the nominal WR-2 on the depth chart.
  • Game environment is strong: a 27.0 implied team total as 2.5-point favorites points to plenty of scoring chances without a run-heavy blowout script.
  • Matchup is neutral-to-tough at 12 of 32 vs WRs, but that's a 3-game sample with 0.25 confidence, so it shouldn't override his volume.
  • The 13.7-point projection and WR21 rank clear the replacement-level bar in 12-team PPR, and he carries no injury designation. That's a confirmed start, with medium confidence given the shared-target ceiling.

Latest on Higgins

Chase, Higgins unhappy with fines from NFL

Ben Baby explains why Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins dispute the NFL's interpretation of the celebration that earned them a fine.

VideoESPN · Sep 24, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricJuwan JohnsonTee Higgins
Projected points
Consensus rankTE16WR21
Opponent vs positionATL · 23 of 323-game sampleJAX · 12 of 323-game sample
Receptions22 of 3213 of 32
Receiving Yards18 of 3226 of 32
Receiving TDs27 of 323 of 32
Targets24 of 3215 of 32
Anytime TD26 of 323 of 32
Target share15%23%
Reception share17%19%
Implied total · spread24.0-2.527.0-2.5
Depth chartTE1WR2
Snap share66%79%
Start/Sit record0–0+3 toss-ups1–1

Recent form

Juwan Johnson — last 3 weeks

Week 3vs LV
Week 2vs BAL
Week 1vs DET

Tee Higgins — last 3 weeks

Week 3vs PIT
Week 2vs HOU
Week 1vs TB

Signal breakdown

  • 10.6 vs 13.7 projected PPR pointsTee Higgins +
  • Rank 16 vs 21Juwan Johnson +
  • Opponent DvP rank 23 vs 12 (32 = softest)Juwan Johnson +
  • Implied 24.0 vs 27.0 team pointsTee Higgins +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 66% vs 79% snap shareTee Higgins +

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