Fantasy Football: David Johnson an Elite RB1 in 2019

Fantasy Football: David Johnson an Elite RB1 in 2019

It feels as if it was just yesterday when Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson and his multi-tool skill set were terrorizing opposing defenses on his way to 407.8 points and the number one overall fantasy football finish.

However, that was in 2016… Over the last two seasons, Johnson has been severely hindered by a combination of unlucky circumstances (missed 15 games in 2017 with a wrist fracture) and a miserable supporting cast. One of the true “do-it-all” workhorses in today’s NFL, the Northern Iowa alum was back for a full season in 2018 but struggled to get much of anything going while running behind what Pro Football Focus graded as the worst offensive line in the league.

Additionally, he was playing on an Arizona offense that managed to put up just 225 total points last year, also the worst of all 32 teams in football. Trying to make-do on an offense whose best weapons outside of Johnson were a 35-year-old Larry Fitzgerald and rookie slot-receiver Christian Kirk, this wasn’t exactly a recipe for fantasy success. Because of the lack of talent, defenders were able to key-in on Johnson without much of a problem.

Fear not! A strong draft class and head coaching change with Kliff Kingsbury now calling the shots provides hope that he can return to his once-dominant self. In the 2019 NFL Draft, the Cardinals were able to bolster their weapon arsenal by bringing in Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler, both of whom were consensus top-10 wideouts in their class.

More importantly, Arizona selected Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the number one overall pick. These additions, alone, should demand enough of the defense’s attention to open things up for DJ.

While the team’s new rookie crop should help resurrect Johnson in 2019, so should an increased workload. His carry total from 2016 (293) dipped last season to 258, also catching just 50 passes compared to the 80 he reeled-in during his All-Pro campaign. Fortunately, it seems that Kingsbury is already planning for a big year from his superstar RB. Earlier this month, Johnson addressed the media stating the following:

"“My role this upcoming season, from talking to the coaches, is that I’m going to hopefully get the ball a little more. I’ve heard that Kliff [Kingsbury] is really good at putting his guys in open space, especially as running backs and give them open space to try to get the yards catching the ball and things like that”"

Although he may have disappointed owners that spent a late first/early second-round pick on him in their fantasy drafts last summer, he still finished as fantasy football’s RB9 in PPR formats. In fact, Johnson accounted for a whopping 37.2 percent of his team’s total offensive yards and touchdowns (also known as “dominator” rating), showing his struggles were no fault of his own.

Kingsbury’s air-raid offensive scheme is an ideal fit for Johnson where he should see plenty of opportunities out of the shotgun formation. Earlier in the year, he stated that he “loves” to run out of the gun, something he’ll be able to do plenty of in 2019. Last season, just 22.9 percent of his carries came out of the shotgun.

While the Cards could have done more to shore up their o-line this offseason (signed ex-Seahawk J.R. Sweezy to a two-year deal), most signs point toward Johnson returning to elite-RB1 form in 2019. Still 27 years old and just two years removed from an illustrious 2016 season where he totaled 1,239 rushing yards, 879 receiving yards, and 20 total touchdowns, he’ll now likely be playing with a massive chip on his shoulder.

Make sure you don’t overlook him in your draft, as he should be one of the first running backs off the board in August.