Will David Johnson still be in Arizona next season? It doesn't seem likely. He's making a lot of money, and Arizona might prefer to bring back Kenyan Drake, or perhaps rely on third-year back Chase Edmonds. Both averaged about a yard and a half per carry more than Johnson did.
Johnson is now 28 years old, and between injuries and changing offensive systems, he's never approached his breakout 2016 season (when he went over 2,000 total yards and scored 20 touchdowns). I have Johnson (and Edmonds) in a dynasty league, and am considering moving him.
But I also think it's too soon to totally give up on him. Although Kliff Kingsbury seemingly soured on him in the offense, it's not like Johnson was completely ineffective. Especially in the passing game.
Johnson averaged 10.3 yards per reception last year, one of the top figures among running backs in the league (from players with 20-plus targets). There's still some juice in those legs.
RUNNING BACK RECEIVING, 2019 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Tm | Tgt | No | Yds | Avg | Lg |
Raheem Mostert | SF | 22 | 14 | 180 | 12.9 | 39 |
Derrick Henry | TEN | 24 | 18 | 206 | 11.4 | 75 |
Austin Ekeler | LAC | 108 | 92 | 993 | 10.8 | 84 |
David Johnson | ARI | 47 | 36 | 370 | 10.3 | 31 |
Rex Burkhead | NWE | 38 | 27 | 279 | 10.3 | 32 |
Ryquell Armstead | JAX | 24 | 14 | 144 | 10.3 | 31 |
Miles Sanders | PHI | 63 | 50 | 509 | 10.2 | 45 |
Ronald Jones | TAM | 40 | 31 | 309 | 10.0 | 41 |
Dalvin Cook | MIN | 63 | 53 | 519 | 9.8 | 31 |
Aaron Jones | GNB | 68 | 49 | 474 | 9.7 | 67 |
Mark Ingram | BAL | 29 | 26 | 247 | 9.5 | 25 |
Duke Johnson | HOU | 62 | 44 | 410 | 9.3 | 21 |
James White | NWE | 95 | 72 | 645 | 9.0 | 59 |
Chris Thompson | WAS | 58 | 42 | 378 | 9.0 | 39 |
Jalen Richard | OAK | 43 | 36 | 323 | 9.0 | 33 |
Patrick Laird | MIA | 30 | 23 | 204 | 8.9 | 21 |
Chase Edmonds | ARI | 21 | 12 | 105 | 8.8 | 31 |
Christian McCaffrey | CAR | 142 | 116 | 1005 | 8.7 | 28 |
Tevin Coleman | SFO | 30 | 21 | 180 | 8.6 | 37 |
Boston Scott | PHI | 26 | 24 | 204 | 8.5 | 39 |
Saquon Barkley | NYG | 73 | 52 | 438 | 8.4 | 65 |
Adrian Peterson | WAS | 23 | 17 | 142 | 8.4 | 22 |
Josh Jacobs | OAK | 27 | 20 | 166 | 8.3 | 28 |
Dare Ogunbowale | TAM | 46 | 35 | 286 | 8.2 | 21 |
Joe Mixon | CIN | 45 | 35 | 287 | 8.2 | 33 |
DeAndre Washington | OAK | 41 | 36 | 292 | 8.1 | 28 |
Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | 71 | 54 | 420 | 7.8 | 27 |
Giovani Bernard | CIN | 43 | 30 | 234 | 7.8 | 35 |
Sony Michel | NWE | 20 | 12 | 94 | 7.8 | 19 |
Nick Chubb | CLE | 49 | 36 | 278 | 7.7 | 32 |
Kareem Hunt | CLE | 44 | 37 | 285 | 7.7 | 29 |
James Conner | PIT | 38 | 34 | 251 | 7.4 | 26 |
David Montgomery | CHI | 35 | 25 | 185 | 7.4 | 30 |
Nyheim Hines | IND | 58 | 44 | 320 | 7.3 | 21 |
Chris Carson | SEA | 47 | 37 | 266 | 7.2 | 21 |
Peyton Barber | TAM | 24 | 16 | 115 | 7.2 | 16 |
Damien Williams | KAN | 37 | 30 | 213 | 7.1 | 32 |
Tony Pollard | DAL | 20 | 15 | 107 | 7.1 | 21 |
Le'Veon Bell | NYJ | 78 | 66 | 461 | 7.0 | 23 |
Melvin Gordon | LAC | 55 | 42 | 296 | 7.0 | 25 |
Leonard Fournette | JAX | 100 | 76 | 522 | 6.9 | 27 |
Devonta Freeman | ATL | 70 | 59 | 410 | 6.9 | 28 |
Kenyan Drake | 2TM | 68 | 50 | 345 | 6.9 | 26 |
Latavius Murray | NOR | 43 | 34 | 235 | 6.9 | 30 |
J.D. McKissic | DET | 42 | 34 | 233 | 6.9 | 26 |
Todd Gurley | LAR | 49 | 31 | 207 | 6.7 | 23 |
Devin Singletary | BUF | 41 | 29 | 194 | 6.7 | 49 |
Alvin Kamara | NOR | 97 | 81 | 533 | 6.6 | 41 |
Dion Lewis | TEN | 32 | 25 | 164 | 6.6 | 24 |
Jaylen Samuels | PIT | 57 | 47 | 305 | 6.5 | 27 |
Jamaal Williams | GNB | 45 | 39 | 253 | 6.5 | 17 |
LeSean McCoy | KAN | 34 | 28 | 181 | 6.5 | 23 |
Matt Breida | SFO | 22 | 19 | 120 | 6.3 | 17 |
Royce Freeman | DEN | 50 | 43 | 256 | 6.0 | 19 |
Mark Walton | MIA | 21 | 15 | 89 | 5.9 | 18 |
Ameer Abdullah | MIN | 21 | 15 | 88 | 5.9 | 16 |
Tarik Cohen | CHI | 104 | 79 | 456 | 5.8 | 31 |
Phillip Lindsay | DEN | 48 | 35 | 196 | 5.6 | 36 |
Ty Johnson | DET | 31 | 24 | 109 | 4.5 | 13 |
Kalen Ballage | MIA | 24 | 14 | 63 | 4.5 | 13 |
Some backs were helped by one long reception, notably Derrick Henry. But Johnson's long was 31 yards. I think he can still be an asset, fantasy or otherwise, in the right offense. Maybe because of injuries, Arizona wasn't the right spot for him in 2019. But I don't think he should be written off in 2020.
--Andy Richardson