Start Drew Sample or Theo Johnson? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start Drew Sample over Theo Johnson in Week 7.

Theo Johnson is listed out on the injury report, so this is not a close call: start Drew Sample.

What the market projects

No Week 7 player market is posted for Drew Sample yet. His market-based projections were 2.7 and 1.7 points in Weeks 4 and 5, an average of 2.2, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

The market-based projection for Drew Sample is 0.1 touchdowns (4 market sources).

No Week 7 player market is posted for Theo Johnson yet. His market-based projections were 2.0, 2.0 and 4.9 points in Weeks 4, 5 and 6, an average of 3.0, which stands in until his Week 7 market posts.

That puts Theo Johnson 0.8 points ahead of Drew Sample on these projections.

Week 7 matchups

Drew Sample and CIN visit BAL on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

BAL allowed 10.5 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 8th fewest in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 36 yards and 0-1 touchdowns a game against BAL.

Theo Johnson and NYG visit HOU on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

HOU allowed 10.6 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 11th fewest in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 47 yards and 0.2 touchdowns a game against HOU.

By points allowed to the position, Theo Johnson has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Drew Sample is not on the injury report.

Theo Johnson is listed as out with a neck injury.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 5, Drew Sample played 50 percent of CIN snaps, drew 3 percent of the targets, earned 0 percent of the air yards and had 2 percent of the red zone chances.

Drew Sample, Week 2 against HOU: 36 of 60 snaps, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Drew Sample, Week 3 against PIT: 29 of 57 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 0 yards.

Drew Sample, Week 4 against JAX: 20 of 76 snaps, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Drew Sample, Week 5 against MIA: 34 of 65 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 5 yards.

Through Week 5, Theo Johnson played 36 percent of NYG snaps, drew 6 percent of the targets, earned 6 percent of the air yards and had 3 percent of the red zone chances.

Theo Johnson, Week 2 against LAR: 16 of 58 snaps, 4 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Theo Johnson, Week 3 against TEN: 11 of 64 snaps, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Theo Johnson, Week 4 against ARI: 22 of 67 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 11 yards, 1 touchdown.

Theo Johnson, Week 5 against WAS: 43 of 89 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 35 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Drew Sample played 17 games for CIN and scored 31.9 PPR points, 1.9 a game, finishing TE64.

He caught 15 of 20 targets for 106 yards and 1 touchdown, with 1 red zone target and -3 air yards.

He was on the field for 52 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Theo Johnson played 15 games for NYG and scored 127.8 PPR points, 8.5 a game, finishing TE18.

He caught 45 of 74 targets for 528 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 341 air yards.

He was on the field for 87 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 7 calls

• Start Drew Sample over Daniel Bellinger.
• Start Davis Allen over Drew Sample.
• Start Elijah Higgins over Drew Sample.
• Start Cole Kmet over Theo Johnson.
• Start Daniel Bellinger over Theo Johnson.
• Start Elijah Higgins over Theo Johnson.