The Arizona Cardinals are rolling out of the gate at 3-0, and head coach Bruce Arians is subscribing to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality, regarding his backfield.
Chris Johnson will get ‘15-20 touches’ for Cardinals, fantasy owners, even with Ellington active
It appears a changing of the guard is happening in Arizona’s backfield. We break down the fantasy implications.
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Even upon running back Andre Ellington's impending return on Sunday, Chris Johnson is still expected to get 15-20 touches, according to Fox Sports' Alex Marvez. With Carson Palmer engineering scoring drives left and right, Johnson has complemented him well, as evidenced by a 150-yard outing in Week 3's blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers. Getting 15-20 touches per game sounds a little high, but it's evident that Arians is content with a changing of the guard at running back, given Ellington's struggles to remain on the field.
Fantasy impact: It’s yet another blow to fantasy owners who took a running back early in drafts. Ellington’s 190-pound frame and well-documented injury history indicate that he’ll be set for a more complementary role than lead duties in Arizona. It doesn’t mean he’ll fade to fantasy obscurity, however, given how red-hot the Cardinals’ offense has been to start the season.
Ellington remains on the flex radar in PPR leagues, but owners in standard formats may be better suited to benching him for another week to see how the backfield usage in Arizona shakes out.
