Diontae Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
Wide Receiver
5’10” 183 lbs
147 targets | 86 receptions | 882 yards | 0 TDs
2022 Summary
Last season Diontae Johnson took an “L” with zero touchdowns, but in 2023 he’ll bounce back.
Johnson finished as the WR-28 in PPR-scoring formats in 2022. Johnson had fewer targets, yards per reception and touchdowns in 2022 than 2021. DJ eclipsed 140 targets in all but his rookie season, which was still an impressive 92 targets. A number of poor metrics stifled Johnson’s 147 targets and 27% target share in 2022.
Johnson’s game is also synonymous with short, inefficient targets with a 10.6-yard ADOT and 1.58 yds per route run in 2022. In his fourth season, Johnson followed up the twilight years of Big Ben Roethlisberger with the “dynamic” duo of Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett.
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With a full season of Pickett and another season of offense choreographed by the much maligned Matt Canada, it is understandable to have pause with Diontae Johnson’s fantasy impact in 2023. However, I choose to take a more optimistic approach with Johnson.
Bounce Back Outlook
One word gives me confidence with Diontae Johnson’s fantasy productivity in 2023, consistency.
In the two seasons under OC Matt Canada, Diontae Johnson has been top-15 in the NFL in both targets and target share. This has been achieved alongside Chase Claypool and George Pickens, who combined for 239 targets in 2021 and 2022. With Claypool being traded to the Bears after eight games played in 2022. It is noteworthy that Pat Freiermuth also siphoned a combined 177 targets over the same period.
Consistency also reflects the Steelers’ pass-catchers from the end of 2022 to now. The Steelers only drafted one skill-position player on offense in Georgia tight end, Darnell Washington. Further, Pittsburgh slid back deeper into the seventh round to acquire veteran Allen Robinson from the Rams.
Think what you will about Kenny Pickett and Matt Canada; however, the former gets his first full offseason as the starter and the latter enters his third season with a great group of weapons.
I do not anticipate another WR-1 season in 2023 for Diontae Johnson, but a finish just outside of that firmly as a WR-2 is still a value given Johnson’s depressed value.
2023 Projections: 153 targets | 93 receptions | 986 yards | 6 TDs = 228 points (PPR)
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