As a guy who owns (and relies on) David Johnson in more than one league, I was thrilled when it was announced that Johnson had been cleared to play prior to Sunday’s game against the Giants and their Swiss cheese defense. When I saw Johnson in the starting lineup and get a carry on maybe the first play of the game, I was content. All was right with the world. Then Johnson didn’t touch the ball again for the entire rest of the game. He was on the field for a grand total of 3 offensive snaps. I guess the Cardinals must have decided they weren’t going to try to run the ball at all, right?
Wrong. Johnson’s backup, Chase Edmonds was fed early and often. Then he was fed some more, and then a little more. Edmonds rushed 27 times for 126 yards and scored 3 touchdowns–each of them from at least 20 yards out. He added a couple catches too, capping off an absolutely massive fantasy day.
Johnson owners like me have the right to be enraged. The way we were jerked around and conned into starting the presumed workhorse was criminal. But once the rage passes, a different emotion is probably going to set in: FEAR. Why? Because Edmonds not only got the carries, he not only got the scores–Edmonds just simply looked better than Johnson has. Even as Edmonds vomited into a trashcan (and still got put right back into the game), I couldn’t help but notice how confident and strong he looked as he wretched his insides out. It all left me scared that Johnson is about to get his workload cut into in a big way.
Maybe this will all turn around next week and it will be back to business as usual. But until I see that happen, I (and a lot of other DJ owners) am going to be experiencing a lot of sleepless nights.
In response, The Wolf has dropped DJ down to his RB15 (-4 vs ECR) and risen Edmonds all the way up to his RB22 (+13) on his ROS Big Board.
