Duke Johnson

Week 2 at New Orleans Saints

Duke Johnson played 46 percent of the Browns' offensive snaps last week, finishing with five carries for 17 yards and one catch for eight yards on six targets. While the numbers aren't great, it is encouraging to see him receive so many looks in the passing game, since that's what his primary role will be in 2018.

We may see that get put to the test this week against the Saints, who were tough against the run in Week 1. If the Browns can't get it done on the ground with their backs, they may look to get them more involved in the passing game.

However, based on what we've seen so far, Johnson is not much more than a low-end RB3 play against New Orleans.

Fantasy Upside

Duke Johnson finished with 1,041 total yards and seven offensive touchdowns last season, which was good for No. 11 in PPR formats. His 74 receptions helped a bit, as well. Johnson wasn’t much of a threat on the ground, as he had more receiving yards than rushing, but he proved to be an effective weapon for Cleveland as a receiver out of the backfield. He should continue to get similar work in 2018 as a receiving threat.

Fantasy Downside

The Browns brought in Carlos Hyde via free agency and drafted Nick Chubb in the early second round. Last season, Johnson was able to be a great receiver because he could fill that role while Isaiah Crowell couldn’t. But Hyde, who is listed as the starter, is a receiving threat as well, so Johnson won’t get those snaps quite as much.

2018 Bottom Line

Johnson will likely see a slight decrease in numbers from last season due to the arrival of the two backs. But he still carries value in PPR formats where he should be able to haul in 50+ receptions and 500 receiving yards, which is something he’s done every season of his three-year career. The true key to his success will be his touchdown scoring. He scored seven times last season after only scoring three times total in his first two years. With Hyde and Chubb, we expect the scoring total to drop, which will hurt his overall fantasy value. He should be viewed as a decent flex option for PPR leagues.

Week 16 at Chicago Bears

Duke Johnson carried the ball 7 times for 23 yards and a touchdown last week, adding 5 receptions for 40 yards as well. He's now scored in back-to-back weeks, giving him 6 touchdowns on the season. Johnson hasn't done much as a rusher, but he's been pretty reliable as a FLEX option in PPR formats this season (845 total yards, 61 receptions).

We expect him to continue to be a FLEX option this week against the Bears, although his shoulder injury is something worth monitoring. He should be good to go in a fairly tough matchup, but as long as he gets his receptions, Johnson should be a solid RB3 or FLEX play in PPR formats and an RB3 in standard leagues.