10 RB sleepers to target for fantasy football week 1

2. Duke Johnson

Another player who could rely on gamescript and a good matchup in Week 1 is Duke Johnson. The Browns face AFC North rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers, and with rookie DeShone Kizer at the helm, they face an uphill battle to kick off their new era with a win. Expect Kizer to struggle, and the Cleveland to be playing from behind for most of this game.

This leaves Johnson – the team’s obvious-passing-down running back – as a player who could see extended action in game one. Now, I know he’s likely not going to cut into Isaiah Crowell’s carries, and Johnson still doesn’t seem to have gained the trust of his coaches, but he is capable of being a usable PPR flex player in fantasy football.

In two season, Johnson only has 737 rushing yards, but he’s racked up 1,048 receiving yards on 114 grabs. If he can come close to five or six catches and 50+ yards in garbage time on Sunday, he’d be a solid performer in your teams. If he’s able to reach the end zone, he becomes a difference-maker. Cleveland will try to lead off the NFL season with a strong dose of Isaiah Crowell, but it might not be long before they are playing catch up. Plug in Duke if you need help at running back.