Diontae Johnson had an up-and-down 2022 season. It saw him display elite talent but also some struggles. As the Steelers offense struggled a lot, so did Johnson and his fantasy stock. He did lead the team in targets, receptions, and yards, but failed to score a single touchdown.
Johnson had some rough patches in which he was targeted very few times, and that definitely brought some frustration. As Kenny Pickett settles into the starting quarterback role, he’ll look for a dependable target, which could be Johnson. If the Steelers offense makes some strides in 2023, could Johnson be in for a fantastic receiving year?
Diontae Johnson 2023 Fantasy Football Profile
Diontae Johnson’s 2022 Season Recap
In his fourth season, Johnson had what ended up being a moderate year in terms of production. He ended up with 86 catches for 882 yards but did not score a touchdown at all. He simply did not see many red zone targets, and that definitely impacted his feelings towards others on the offense.
After setting career highs in 2021 with Ben Roethlisberger, Johnson had a drop-off in 2022 with Mitchell Trubisky and Pickett. In fact, he was seventh in the NFL in receiving targets, but had the most of any receiver without a touchdown. He scored eight in 2021 and had 12 in his first two years, but never struck gold in 2022.
Johnson averaged about 10.5 fantasy points per game in 2022 which placed him as the WR28. He will have to be a bit better in 2023, and that starts with an expanded and more inclusive role in the Steelers offense.
Diontae Johnson’s 2023 Season Prediction
Assuming that the Steelers offense (mainly Pickett) is better, Johnson should see a sharp uptick in fantasy production. Even with the addition of receiver Allen Robinson and tight end Darnell Washington, Johnson should not see his volume affected too much. The biggest thing that will make or break his 2023 fantasy football season will be his red zone volume and, subsequently, touchdowns.
Over 2023, Johnson should catch between 80 and 90 passes for between 900 and 1,000 yards. He will also improve his touchdown production, expect him to score around five times over the season. This would put him around a 12.5 point per game average, which would improve his rankings as a fantasy receiver vastly.
Diontae Johnson Fantasy Football ADP/Rankings
Most popular fantasy sites have Johnson around the wide receiver #30-33 range. Due to the high demand of receivers in PPR leagues, Johnson is slated around the 75th overall or so. In 8-12 team fantasy leagues, this puts Johnson between the sixth and ninth rounds in most drafts.
Do not draft Johnson too high because he does not project too well at the beginning of the season. Get him in the later rounds if possible and keep him stashed as a bench player or potential flex. If things pan out, managers will be rewarded with a steal.
And, if things do not work out, Johnson will not take a significant spot and can easily be dropped or traded without causing much harm to week-to-week scores. Johnson’s production will be entirely dependent on the Steelers offensive production, so it will be tough to tell how he will do until a few weeks into the year.
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