Despite some rookie-year flashes, Lions RB Kerryon Johnson is unlikely to be unleashed in 2019. HC Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn share a committee-preference, emphasized further by their recent signing of CJ “Thick’ums” Anderson. Though KJ should produce when on the field, his chances will once again be limited by this awful regime.
Johnson posted the NFL’s second-highest YPC (5.4), but will likely have to fight for his touches once more. Anderson, who feasted late last season, seems likely to take on the LeGarrette Blount “big back” role, albeit with far more talent. Last season, Johnson averaged 11.8 carries and 3.7 targets when he and Blount were both active, a number that is now unlikely to rise, unfortunately. This is especially troubling at the goalline, as Blount dominated touches her despite sucking tremendously. Anderson is far more efficient here, and Johnsons TD upside is again capped.
This is by Patricia’s design: “I think it’s a position-specific thing where those guys, they take a lot of hits…they’re in those situations a lot where their bodies are taking some pounding so you want to be conscious of how many plays they’re getting, especially early on in the year.”
GM Quinn shared the sentiment, inducing puke from fantasy-owners by saying: “I never use the word bell-cow. The way the NFL’s setup nowadays, you’ve got to have multiple backs. … so to keep everyone healthy and fresh through the second half of the season, it’s not good to kind of have just one, main guy.”
Between ceding early-down and GL work to Anderson, as well as third-down usage to Theo Riddick, Johnson projects to again be trapped in between-the-20s purgatory. He’s talented enough to still put up some stats, but is severely overpriced.
