Fantasy football RB: 13 Rookies ready for impact

David Johnson-Arizona Cardinals

The Johnson that you should consider at the end of your drafts isn’t Duke, but David Johnson who the Cardinals grabbed at the end of the third round out of Northern Iowa.

Johnson is not the “big” back that everyone thought the Cardinals would target as a complement to Andre Ellington. Ellington can be great when he’s on the field, but Coach Bruce Arians appears to be right in his evaluation of him not being able to consistently carry the load on a week-to-week basis without breaking down.

However, instead of going with the opposite of Ellington, Arians and Arizona targeted Johnson who they view as almost a redundant part alongside Ellington. To keep Ellington fresh and dynamic, look for Arizona to give Johnson a solid workload early this season. Since they don’t feel they can have Ellington on the field for all the plays, Johnson will fill the Ellington role perfectly and already has excelled in the passing game.

If you need a flier in the late rounds of your draft and are looking to round out your depth chart, Johnson makes sense especially if you drafted Ellington.  He not only makes sense as an insurance policy, but he could also quickly get enough catches in Arians pass-heavy scheme to emerge as a flex play in PPR leagues.

Next: Matt Jones-Washington Redskins