Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown in the Lions' Week 4 win over the Chicago Bears. Although those kinds of fancy numbers are considered below-par for a player of Johnson's caliber, the Lions pretty much had the game won at halftime.
Calvin Johnson finds pay dirt for fantasy owners against the Bears
Megatron managed to find the end zone against the Bears in Week 4, but didn’t have a stellar game overall. We discuss the fantasy implications.
Gregory Shamus
Fantasy impact: Seeing Calvin Johnson be held to less than 50 yards receiving the game is a rare sight for his fantasy owners. Those owners should keep in mind that he was up against Charles Tillman and the Chicago Bears' staunch defense.
Though Johnson only caught four balls in the game, he was targeted 11 times by quarterback Matthew Stafford, so it's not like he didn't have his opportunities. Running back Reggie Bush managed 139 yards on 18 carries, and the Lions' defense picked apart Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, so Stafford could afford to be more conservative in the passing game.
A conservative game plan is not exactly what fantasy owners want to see when it affects their star receiver, but in reality Johnson is the best wide receiver in the NFL and a light afternoon in the middle of the season is a rare occurrence. With that said of course, fantasy owners should not hesitate to keep using their top receiver the rest of the way regardless of the matchup.
