Dawson Knox vs Juwan Johnson: Who Should You Start?
Dawson Knox and Juwan Johnson are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Dawson Knox averaged 5.0 PPG across 17 games with the Buffalo Bills, while Juwan Johnson posted 8.3 PPG in 17 appearances for the New Orleans Saints.
A 3.3-PPG gap gives Juwan Johnson the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Juwan Johnson is the volume tight end in this matchup with 77 receptions for 889 yards, while Dawson Knox profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (4 scores on 36 catches). In weeks where Dawson Knox finds the end zone he out-scores Juwan Johnson, but the floor gap is real.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 12 bye. That means you need a backup plan at tight end for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
