Mike Gesicki vs Theo Johnson: Who Should You Start?
Mike Gesicki and Theo Johnson are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Mike Gesicki averaged 4.4 PPG across 13 games with the Cincinnati Bengals, while Theo Johnson posted 7.0 PPG in 15 appearances for the New York Giants.
A 2.6-PPG gap gives Theo 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.
Theo Johnson is the volume tight end in this matchup with 45 receptions for 528 yards, while Mike Gesicki profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (2 scores on 28 catches). In weeks where Mike Gesicki finds the end zone he out-scores Theo Johnson, but the floor gap is real.
One scheduling note: Mike Gesicki is off Week 12 and Theo Johnson Week 11. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
