Can CJ2K be fantasy relevant again in gang green?
If you have not heard the news, Chris Johnson is now a New York Jet. What does that mean to you, well it could mean nothing if you have avoided drafting him in your fantasy leagues in the past. Think about this though as you begin contemplating whether or not he’ll be relevant in your fantasy league. Below is a list of all the active RB’s with 1,000+ rushing yards in every season of their career (min 5 years).
That’s right, he’s the only! Sure some of his games can account for large chunks of rushing yards, but those are the same erratic games that help you win your matchup. The question now is what will his role be as a Jet and can he be fantasy relevant? To help answer some of those questions, below are articles that provide glimpses of what may be to come for Chris Johnson and the fantasy football community. For the latest Chris Johnson updates, visit his news/notes page on FantasyPros.
ESPN: Chris Johnson no longer an elite RB
Johnson was actually a decent value draft pick last year considering the numbers he put up, but there are three factors for Christopher Harris (ESPN) that leave him with little to be excited about. One of those factor is the Jets have Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell, both who will steal touches from him. For the last few seasons now, he’s been a boom or bust guy and long gone is the 2009 season where he exploded for 2,006 rushing yards. The value is potentially still there, but that can disappear quickly if CJ2K can’t get enough touches to break one loose.
RotoExperts: Chris Johnson Will Be A Situational Back On The Jets
The Jets backfield last season may have overachieved when looking at the two backs that were there. Bolstered by a QB who racked up 366 yards himself, the Jets finished sixth overall in rushing yards as mentioned by Ricky Sanders (RotoExperts). The signing of Johnson can be perceived that Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell aren’t the answers. With an injury history that has kept him from playing an entire season his whole career, Ivory continues to take a beating with his running style. Powell on the other hand suffers from just being an average RB. Enter in Chris Johnson who has more explosiveness and shiftiness than Ivory and Powell combined and there is the potential reason why the Jets brough in Johnson after a career low in yards per carry (3.9). Nevertheless, all the backs will eat into each others carries which reduces Johnson’s fantasy value.
XN Sports: Chris Johnson, Or The Ghost Of Chris Johnson?
Chris Johnson has always carried the ball enough times to give you that glimmer of hope that he may just take one to the house. That is the very reason why C.D. Carter (XN Sports) believes it would be a wasted draft pick to take the runner he refers to as CJ?K early in the draft. Chances are he won’t come close to the average number of carries he’s had in the past and add in the fact that the Jets had one of the worst offensive lines last season. There is a recipe for a decline in Chris Johnson’s numbers, but Johnson with his explosiveness could make himself a value pick once again if you get him in the right round.
CBS Sports: Don’t draft Chris Johnson – trade for him
If Chris Johnson is available in the 5th or 6th round of your fantasy draft, then taking him has minimal risk compared to the potential gain you could receive. The problem as Dave Richard (CBS Sports) points out is that Chris Johnson has notoriously been a slow starter the last three seasons. He has only averaged 6.8 fantasy points in his first six games each of the last three seasons and has finished with an average of 12.8 points over the course of his final ten games. Johnson still has 1000+ yards and 6 touchdown potential, but if he’s too pricey, you are best to hold off and try to trade for him before he finds his mid-season stride.
NFL: Chris Johnson could find new fantasy life with Jets
Anyone who has played fantasy football for the last five years pretty much knows what to expect from Chris Johnson. The problem is that you never know when it is coming or going. Johnson will be going to a Rex Ryan team that loves to run the ball and that is a positive. The negative is that he’ll likely be part of a running back committee. Marcas Grant (NFL) does point out an important stat though and that is, only 3 running backs topped 1,000 yards last season and only 10 scored double-digit touchdowns, Johnson is part of that group. You could do a lot worse for a RB2/3 than Chris Johnson.
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