Week 14 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
David Johnson only has 10 carries over his last three games and he was relegated to just 23% of the team’s offensive snaps last week against the Rams. He’s clearly lost the starting job to Kenyan Drake and should be left on the bench until further notice. He’s droppable in most leagues.
Week 13 vs. Los Angeles Rams
David Johnson didn’t touch the ball against the 49ers before the bye last week, and he was held to just five carries for two yards the week before against the Buccaneers. The Cardinals seem to have turned over the reins to mid-season trade acquisition Kenyan Drake, who has been using his speed and elusiveness to average 0.7 yards per carry more than Johnson. Fantasy owners should keep an eye on workload and maybe not drop Johnson off rosters just yet, but he should definitely be benched until further notice. It’s possible he’s still getting healthy, but it seems more probable at this point that Drake has taken Johnson’s job.
Week 11 at San Francisco 49ers
David Johnson had only nine yards on five carries and a reception last week against the Buccaneers. The low totals would be understandable against an excellent run defense like Tampa Bay, but the most concerning thing was Kenyan Drake getting 10 carries and six receptions. Johnson was returning from an injury and it’s too early to completely toss him aside, but it’s definitely worrisome with his lack of production and carries compared to the newly acquired Drake. This week, Johnson faces a tough 49ers defense, one that Drake carved up just two weeks ago. Take a wait-and-see approach with Johnson this week, hoping he re-asserts himself as the main back for the stretch run.
Week 10 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
David Johnson missed the last couple of weeks with an ankle injury but he’s expected to give it a go this week against the Buccaneers. Prior to his injury, Johnson was averaging 17.7 total touches per game and scored five touchdowns in seven outings – not counting his one-carry game against the Giants when he was clearly still hurt. Johnson is likely to share time with the newly acquired Kenyan Drake moving forward, so it might be wise for fantasy owners to take a wait-and-see approach to him coming off an injury, but it’s a good sign that he’s progressing. Besides, the Buccaneers have been awful against the pass this year, but actually rank first in aFPA to opposing running backs.
Week 7 at New York Giants
David Johnson has yet to rush for over 100 yards in a game this season, but he’s been excellent as an overall fantasy option. He has five touchdowns through six games and he’s fifth among running backs with 30 receptions. Johnson has benefited from defenses trying to protect themselves from the threat of Kyler Murray and he’s coming off a nice game against the Falcons where he gained 100 total yards from scrimmage including six receptions and a pair of touchdowns.
This week, Johnson should be in for another great game against the Giants. New York has allowed 26.7 points per game to opposing offenses, sixth-worst in the NFL, and Johnson’s ability to contribute both in the run game and the passing game should give him ample opportunity to exploit a struggling defense. He’s a must-start in a great matchup this week as an RB1.
Week 6 vs. Atlanta Falcons
David Johnson has been flirting with injuries throughout the season, but he continues to produce. While he hasn’t found the end zone in the past two games, he has gained over 100 yards from scrimmage in each, including 156 yards on 17 carries and three receptions last week against the Bengals. Johnson has averaged 17.6 total touches per game this season and his high workload makes him a must-start every week.
This week, Johnson should be dynamite against a terrible Falcons defense that just allowed 53 points to the Texans including 119 combined rushing yards and a touchdown to Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. This should be a game featuring a lot of offense, and Johnson should benefit as a result, whether it’s on the ground or through the air. He should be active in all leagues.
Week 5 at Cincinnati Bengals
David Johnson only had 11 carries and 40 yards on the ground last week against the Seahawks, but he added 99 yards on eight receptions in the passing game and was targeted a team-high 11 times. That’s a good sign for fantasy owners wondering why such a talented pass-catching back has been relegated to an average of only 5.2 targets per game since the start of last season. Johnson hasn’t set the world on fire but has three touchdowns in four games and is still a high-floor option, particularly in PPR formats.
This week, Johnson should find more room against the Bengals. No team ranks worse in aFPA to opposing running backs through four games this season, and James Conner just caught eight balls for 83 yards and a touchdown against them on Monday night. With Johnson’s versatility, he should thrive in a nice matchup and should be active in all leagues as an RB1.
Week 4 vs. Seattle Seahawks
David Johnson struggled last week with only 37 rushing yards on 11 carries, but he caught six balls for 28 yards and a touchdown, salvaging what could’ve been a miserable fantasy outing. The Cardinals have struggled through three games, but Johnson is still a main cog. Despite his lack of elite production, he has averaged 16.3 touches so far this season and has scored in all three games.
This week, Johnson should continue to be a primary part of the game plan against a Seahawks defense that was torched by Alvin Kamara last week, particularly through the air. Kamara caught nine balls for 92 yards and a touchdown, a good sign for a guy like Johnson who excels in the receiving game. Expect Johnson to get another 16.3 touches, with another good shot at a score. He should be active as a borderline RB1 in all leagues.
Week 3 vs. Carolina Panthers
David Johnson had a disappointing performance against a tough Ravens defense last week, gaining only 14 yards on seven carries and a reception. He did find the end zone, salvaging what could’ve been a horrendous fantasy day, but after the Ravens got up by 11 in the first half and Johnson took a breather for a wrist injury, the Cardinals focused on throwing the ball. Johnson should still be a quality option week-to-week however, as long as the wrist issue doesn’t linger. The Cardinals gave him 24 touches in Week 1, and that’s likely what they’d prefer to do.
This week, barring any setbacks with his wrist, Johnson should rebound against a Panthers defense that allowed 82 yards and a touchdown on the ground to Peyton Barber last week. They also allowed 150 yards and two touchdowns combined to Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown in Week 1, and the offense doesn’t look good enough to get up early and force the Cardinals to abandon the run. Start him in all leagues.
Week 2 at Baltimore Ravens
David Johnson had a nice start to the season, rushing for 82 yards on 18 carries to go with six receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Johnson is a talented pass-catcher and it was good to see the offense use him as such. The Cardinals are going to throw the ball this year and with seven targets, it looks like Johnson is going to be a part of it. Expect Johnson to continue to be a key cog in the offense moving forward.
This week, Johnson faces a tough Ravens defense that allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game last season and completely shut down the Dolphins offense in Week 1. However, the Dolphins don’t have anyone nearly as talented as Johnson, so he should fare better than the dismal Miami backs did. We have him ranked as a strong RB2 this week, with a little bump in PPR formats. Normally, he’d be a top option, but in a tough matchup, temper your expectations.
