With David Johnson looming behind him and the impending return of Andre Ellington on the horizon, Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson staked his claim to his own large role in the Arizona running game Sunday. Chris Johnson totaled 150 yards from scrimmage Sunday, scoring twice in Arizona’s 47-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Chris Johnson reminds fantasy owners of his heyday
The Arizona running back had his best game since the middle of 2013 Sunday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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The veteran ran the ball 22 times Sunday for 110 yards, adding one 40-yard reception. David Johnson had 41 total yards from scrimmage, with seven carries and three catches. Ellington, who has been out since Week 1, is tentatively expected back for Week 4.
Fantasy impact: There is no part of the Arizona running game that seems helpful for fantasy, which is frustrating, since it stands to be a perfectly strong threesome for real football. But with both David and Chris Johnson having strong performances the last few weeks -- and Ellington having strong games of his own on his resume -- the unit as a whole becomes a three-headed monster in which it’s going to be really hard to identify a single fantasy play.
You would imagine, assuming Ellington does make his return in Week 4, that he’ll resume the role of the team’s No. 1 back, but not by much. The Cardinals have made it clear they believe in Chris Johnson, and he rewarded that faith Sunday. Meanwhile, David Johnson won’t get many carries, but he’s certainly involved in the team’s passing game.
In short, good luck figuring out how this shakes out for fantasy.
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