Week 7 at Cleveland
Chris Johnson continued his resurgent season on Monday night in a victory over the Ravens. He had a full workload with 18 carries and ended up with 122 yards and a touchdown on the day. Johnson is second in the league in rushing yards and has been a main focal point for the Cardinals offense.
This week, Johnson should do very well against the worst run defense in the league. The Browns are allowing 5.1 yards per carry to opposing rushers and are giving up an average of 151 yards per game on the ground. With such a great matchup, Johnson is a borderline RB1 this week. If he gets another 18 carries, he should be an excellent fantasy option in all formats.
Week 7 vs. Baltimore
Chris Johnson had 14 carries and 40 yards last week in a loss to the Steelers and added five yards on a lone reception. He continues to get the lion’s share of the work in the Arizona backfield, however, and fantasy owners should continue to expect him to be active in the Cardinals offense.
This week, Johnson will face a Baltimore defense that has struggled against the pass, but has actually been effective against the run. They held Carlos Hyde to 2.6 yards per carry last week and are seventh in the league in yards per attempt allowed to opposing rushers with 3.6. Johnson gets a heavy enough workload to make him a low end RB2 option in most leagues, but fantasy owners should keep their expectations in check with this matchup.
Week 6 at Pittsburgh
Chris Johnson continues to play well this season. He had a nice 40-yard run against the Lions last week, showing he still has some playmaking skills. He finished the day with 103 yards on just 11 carries, and he ended up only playing less than 40 percent of the offensive snaps, as the Cardinals beat the snot out of Detroit.
This week, Johnson should remain the primary back in Arizona. His carries could get eaten into by Andre Ellington, but he should still be a solid option against a middle of the road run defense. Pittsburgh has actually been really good in the red zone against the run, but Johnson remains a top 25 option and worth consideration as a RB2 in most leagues.
Week 5 at Detroit
Chris Johnson is enjoying a bit of a career resurgence in Arizona this season. He is fifth in the NFL in rushing yardage and is averaging 4.4 yards per carry, his best average since 2012. He had 83 yards on 16 carries last week against the Rams, and added three catches for 11 yards in the passing game.
This week, Johnson faces a vulnerable Detroit rush defense. While they held backup running back Thomas Rawls in check last week against Seattle, they’ve allowed five rushing touchdowns this season, and are in the bottom half of the league in yards per carry and yards per game allowed. However, the probable return of Andre Ellington could eat into Johnson’s touches, making him a little bit risky to bank on. It’s unlikely that the Cardinals phase him out completely after he’s run so well, but fantasy owners should view him as a low-end RB2 rather than a top option.
Week 4 vs. St. Louis
Chris Johnson had a great game against the 49ers last week, carrying the ball 22 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He also added a 40-yard reception, making him one of the top fantasy producers from Week 3.
This week, Johnson faces a Rams defense that has been better against the pass than the run so far this year and should benefit from another week as the likely starter. It’s worth noting however, that Johnson lost some snaps to rookie David Johnson last week and may continue to as the Cardinals aim to keep the veteran fresh. With less work likely in store, Johnson is a low-end RB2 option in most leagues and is a great sell -high candidate for fantasy owners looking to wheel and deal.
Week 3 vs. San Francisco
Chris Johnson got a full workload last week against the Bears, carrying the ball 20 times for the first time since his final game as a Titan in 2013. Johnson only managed 72 yards though, with a 3.8 yards per carry average, which has come to be what we expect from the veteran in recent years.
This week, Johnson will face a 49ers defense that has been pretty good against the run so far this season. While DeAngelo Williams scored three touchdowns on Sunday against them, the 49ers did hold him to 2.8 yards per carry on the day, and they crushed the Vikings running game in Week 1. Johnson has value as a low end RB2 or Flex option because he’s likely to get double-digit touches again, but he has limited upside and shouldn’t be counted on if possible.
Week 2 at Chicago
Chris Johnson stepped in for the injured Andre Ellington last week and ran for 37 yards on 10 carries. He was targeted once in the passing game but failed to get a reception. With Ellington out, he assumed the starting role and showed the occasional flash of his former self, including a 12-yard scamper in the fourth quarter in Saints territory.
He’ll face a vulnerable Bears defense this week that gave up 85 yards and a touchdown to Eddie Lacy in Week 1 against the Packers. Johnson will probably share time with rookie David Johnson, hurting his value a little bit, but he’s set to start in place of Ellington and should be considered a low end RB2/Flex option in most leagues
Fantasy Upside
The Cardinals tossed a bit of a monkey wrench into our fantasy expectations by adding Chris Johnson to their backfield on August 17. After an offseason that saw the Jets pass on his contract option and Johnson get shot in the shoulder, CJ2K doesn't agree with those who believe that his performance with the Jets was a sign his best days playing football are in the past. “Losing a step, I don’t see it,” Johnson said. “I actually felt I was more explosive last year.” Johnson averaged 4.3 yards per carry for the Jets in a rotational role last season, which was an improvement over his final year with Tennessee and more than a yard above what Andre Ellington averaged while leading the Cardinals in rushing last season. He does offer a bit more between-the-tackles juice than Ellington.
Fantasy Downside
Johnson could make up to $2 million this year total, but that would require him to make the Pro Bowl and rush for 1,300 yards. Of course, if he hits those numbers, the Cardinals will be happy to pay him. Johnson hasn’t hit 1,300 yards since 2010 and had a career-low 663 yards last year in a part-time role. If he can't double that while sharing the load with Ellington, he’ll at least be an affordable part of the rotation (assuming he makes Arizona's final roster). Remember, the Cardinals are only on the hook for the entire veteran minimum if Johnson is on the Week 1 roster.
Bottom Line
HC Bruce Arians has talked about giving Ellington 20 touches a game. Rookie David Johnson is back to work after missing time with an injured hamstring and reports upon his return characterized him as uncoverable as a receiver out of the backfield. So where does Johnson fit in? From a fantasy perspective, Chris Johnson's spot on your final roster should be conditional on him making the Cardinals' final 53. Until then, nobody should get too excited about his prospects.
Week 17: Johnson vs Dolphins
Chris Johnson split the carries last week with Chris Ivory but was on the field for more snaps (25 to 18). Bilal Powell also was on the field for 18 snaps. Johnson had a big game last time out against Miami, rushing for 105 yards, his only 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Miami is 21st in aFPA to running backs, but the fact that the carries and snaps are split limits all the Jets backs fantasy impact. Johnson should not be in your starting lineup this week unless Ivory ends up not playing. He is nursing a bad hamstring. At the moment, Ivory is the better choice for Week 17.
Week 16: Johnson vs Patriots
Chris Johnson was only on the field for 21 snaps last week against the Titans despite the fact he has been playing very well the past couple games. He did still split the carries with Chris Ivory, but could see his playing time limited this week as Ivory has a good track record against New England including a 100-yard effort earlier this season.
The Pats are 7th in aFPA to running backs, so don't expect a big day from anyone in the Jets backfield. Johnson's value is not good this week, but if you are desperate for an RB3 or flex, you could slip him into a lineup and expect a few points.
