David Johnson

Oh man, what an absolute mess of a situation here in Houston right now. Deshaun Watson seems intent on never playing another down for this team, which means that we're going to see one of Tyrod Taylor, Davis Mills, or Jeff Driskel at QB in 2021. That's automatically a significant downgrade for this offense and it carries a trickle effect to every position group. On top of that, the RB room is extremely crowded and none of the names are really ones that should get you excited. At the time of writing, the Texans have Johnson, Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay, Rex Burkhead, Dontrell Hilliard, Buddy Howell, and Scottie Phillips all on this depth chart. If Johnson was essentially the lone back again this season, he might be worth drafting in fantasy drafts. However, with his age and the state of the offense around him, it's probably best to let someone else try to make it work with the veteran RB. My Very Early Projection: 163-669-4 rushing & 45-383-1 receiving.

David Johnson and Texans agree to terms on new, more affordable deal

Ian Rapoport is reporting that David Johnson has agreed to restructure his contract to a one-year deal worth up to $6M, with $4.25M fully guaranteed.

Fantasy Impact

Johnson was originally slated to receive almost $8M this year through the deal that the Texans inherited from the Cardinals. Now 29 years old, Johnson is no longer in his prime as an NFL running back. Still, the veteran looked great in 2020 and had a stretch towards the end of the season that won many fantasy championships. With Duke Johnson out of town, David Johnson could end up with a true bellcow role in 2021. There is still a lot of uncertainty in Houston regarding Deshaun Watson. Still, given Johnson's pass-catching abilities and his current expected volume, he should see a sizable bump in average draft position as well as our expert consensus rankings. The Texans could bring in another back for a relief role, but right now, it appears as if the backfield is Johnson's for the taking.