{"id":75052,"date":"2019-10-22T18:19:40","date_gmt":"2019-10-22T22:19:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=75052"},"modified":"2019-10-22T18:28:44","modified_gmt":"2019-10-22T22:28:44","slug":"ty-johnson-fantasy-football-outlook-kerryon-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/10\/22\/ty-johnson-fantasy-football-outlook-kerryon-johnson\/","title":{"rendered":"Ty Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook Without Kerryon Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Detroit Lions<\/a> running back Kerryon Johnson<\/a><\/strong> is done for the foreseeable future<\/a>, opening up opportunities for sixth-round rookie Ty Johnson<\/a><\/strong>. While Detroit reportedly plans on bringing Kerryon back later in the year, Ty Johnson is going to be the guy for at least the next eight weeks. Let\u2019s take a dive into what to expect from Ty Johnson as the lead runner in Detroit\u2019s backfield.<\/p>\n

This goes without saying, but this analysis becomes null and void if the Lions add another player to their backfield. The Lions have reportedly been linked with Kenyan Drake<\/a><\/strong>, and he would obviously earn the starting spot if he landed in Detroit. However, let\u2019s move forward assuming that Johnson holds on to the starting job.<\/p>\n

Fantasy Football: Ty Johnson Outlook Without Kerryon Johnson<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ty Johnson the Player<\/h3>\n

Ty Johnson first earned some minor fantasy relevance after the Lions parted ways with C.J. Anderson<\/a><\/strong>. As previously discussed<\/a>, Johnson made a name for himself in the preseason and looked like a considerably better player than his sixth-round draft pedigree would imply. During his limited action in the regular season, Johnson has recorded 83 rushing yards on 23 carries for an underwhelming 3.6 yards-per-attempt. He\u2019s added another eight receptions for 35 yards in the passing game, again for an underwhelming 4.4 yards-per-reception. During Week 7, Ty Johnson recorded 29 rushing yards on 10 carries against an admittedly strong Minnesota Vikings defense.<\/p>\n

Despite these underwhelming statistics, there are a few things to like about Johnson\u2019s game. Based on his college tape and preseason work, Johnson is a home-run hitter who has the speed and acceleration to make a big play every time he touches the ball. While he still needs to work on his vision, he has the raw tools to be a difference-maker in both the running and passing game.<\/p>\n

Obviously, he\u2019s a long way from reaching that ceiling. If he\u2019s to be efficient, he\u2019ll need help from his surroundings. According to Football Outsiders, Detroit currently ranks 14th<\/sup> in adjusted line yards. This stat essentially shows how good an offensive line is at generating open space at the line of scrimmage. The Lions line, while not terrible, won\u2019t be doing too many favors for Johnson. Given Johnson\u2019s raw skill set, he probably won\u2019t be too efficient during his time atop Detroit\u2019s running back depth chart.<\/p>\n

Predicting Usage<\/h3>\n

Ty Johnson isn\u2019t going to be great on a carry-for-carry basis, but efficiency doesn\u2019t really matter if the workload is high. As soon as Kerryon Johnson left the game, Ty Johnson became the clear head of the backfield. This shows that the coaching staff trusts him to be \u201cthe guy\u201d, and Detroit\u2019s relatively high-powered offense means that Johnson should have his fair share of carries and scoring opportunities.<\/p>\n

Johnson will see a good portion of the work, but this isn\u2019t a Christian McCaffrey<\/a><\/strong> scenario by any means. Head coach Matt Patricia<\/strong> loves to rotate his running backs, and that won\u2019t change with Kerryon Johnson on the injured reserve. As of this posting, the only other running back of note on the roster is J.D. McKissic<\/a><\/strong>. McKissic excels in the passing game and should see the majority of the running back targets. It\u2019s no secret that targets are more valuable than carries in fantasy football, especially in PPR formats.<\/p>\n

Kerryon Johnson entered Week 6 as a solid RB2, and it\u2019s hard to imagine Ty Johnson matching that production. Rushing success has more to do with situation than talent, but talent is still part of the equation. Right now, Ty Johnson simply isn\u2019t as good as Kerryon and won\u2019t be able to maximize his opportunities like Kerryon did. Additionally, McKissic should eat into Johnson\u2019s work in the passing game, which obviously limits his value.<\/p>\n

There is no such thing as too many good running backs in fantasy football, so you should put in a claim for Johnson\u2019s services. However, if you land him, you shouldn\u2019t expect anything more than flex production out of the rookie.<\/p>\n

Main photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>