Cards RB David Johnson welcomes heavy workload

It’s Cardinals RB David Johnson's drive which made him happy to hear the comments from Bruce Arians last week, when the Cardinals coach broached the idea of getting Johnson the ball 30 times per game in 2017.

The number is lofty and could be hard to hit. Furthermore, there are cautionary tales about running backs that declined after getting a heavy workload early in their careers. Johnson, though, has no qualms about high usage.

“I’m still young,” Johnson said. “I’m still on my first contract. So I feel I can definitely handle 30 touches. I did it last year, basically, with running the ball and catching it out of the backfield.”

Fantasy Impact: 

Johnson said he didn’t feel worn down near the end of games last season, even as he became the clear focal point of the offense. He led the NFL in touches, averaging more than 23 per game. 30 touches a game seems a bit out of reach, and obviously depends on how the game is going, but it's clear Johnson is again going to be a major part of the offense which will have him going at, or near, the top of a lot of fantasy drafts.

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