Arizona Cardinals Employ Fantasy’s Number-One Draft Pick
By Jim Koch
Arizona Cardinals’ running back David Johnson is a legitimate candidate to be the number-one pick in fantasy football drafts
It was two years ago that Arizona Cardinals’ running back David Johnson was patiently waiting for his number to be called. When he got his turn to play regularly, thanks to injuries to Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington, fantasy football players went scurrying to their computers. Racing to put in waiver claims for the Cards’ rookie phenom.
After an outstanding statistical performance last season, Johnson is making a push to be the number-one pick in 2017 fantasy football drafts. As a veteran of fantasy football, it’s hard to recall a Cardinal being so well-regarded in fantasy circles. And the best may still be yet to come for the 25-year old.
Sure, there were years when Larry Fitzgerald had excellent fantasy numbers. But those who put together fantasy rosters every year understand the value of backs compared to wideouts. Some running backs, Johnson being one of them, add a pass-receiving threat to their repertoire which pads their overall stats.
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Of course, arguments can be made for other players to be the top pick. The biggest one will most likely come from Dallas Cowboys’ fans. They’ll make their case for second-year running back Ezekiel Elliott, who certainly warrants consideration.
Elliott led all backs in rushing yards last year, and it really wasn’t close. He rushed for 1,631 yards, with the Chicago Bears’ Jordan Howard (1,313) posing the only real threat to his rushing title. He also caught 32 passes for another 363 yards, and totalled 16 touchdowns (one receiving).
By comparison, Johnson rushed for 1,239 yards and scored 16 times on the ground. But it was his receiving numbers that were eye-popping, 80 receptions for 879 yards, and another four scores. So even though Johnson rushed for almost 400 yards less than Elliott, the statistics through the air weren’t even in the same ballpark.
There are other players worth mentioning that are fantasy standouts. Le’Veon Bell, Devonta Freeman, Lesean McCoy, Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jordy Nelson all did well fantasy-wise in 2016. But not quite on the level of Johnson, or even Elliott.
So get ready fantasy owners. Your league drafts will be here before you know it. If you’re lucky enough to have the first selection in your draft, you could do alot worse than Johnson with the pick.