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WR Diontae Johnson, CAR (1 Viewer)

I believe he’s referring to Johnson being open a few times after running good routes, including once in the red zone, and not even getting a target. 

Also, he’s #2 on the depth chart right now, only Juju is ahead of him
This. He was destroying the DB in front of him. 

 
No, I get that -- totally open to a guy passing eye tests and looking like the real deal, but looking open on a few looks also isn't the whole story. Stats and targets are meaningful adn he just doesn't have either to make me excited yet.

Looks like the guy is taking over Moncrief's position, so he'll have that opportunity.

But JuJu and James Washington have more proven ability, so while there is reason to be more excited about this guy, I just want to see what he does with it before getting all goosepimply over a rookie starting for the first time with a backup QB throwing to him.

Can he be amazing? Why the hell not. Let's just see it first with some production. Will be watching, totally open to seeing a young guy start generating excitement.
Waiting until he shows everybody else he's good with a big game isn't the best strategy imo but if that's what you want to do I respect that. 

 
His skill is with the hardest to complete passes in the game. So when he and the QB are "off" its going to look bad.  But we can see what he did in this preseason and last preseason and what he did college.

  • 2018 preseason -- 7 - 158 - 22.6
  • 2019 preseason -- 10 - 208 - 20.8
  • 2019  season -- 4 -74 -18.5
  • In 3 years of college he was... 20.9, 19.4, 20.5 on 198 catches.
Ok. I appreciate you showing your line of reasoning. I disagree with just throwing out the most relevant data point- his year 1 production on the field against other starters. If someone doesn’t have production with a perennial Pro Bowl, however many year starting qb that’s probably on the someone, not the qb. The preseason stats and college stats perhaps provide a look into skillset and utilization, sure. But I would want to see actual on field real game NFL production before I called someone proven like the post that I responded to did. And I’m not burying Washington’s career here. Just wouldn’t come close to calling him proven.

 
I noticed that he is somewhat lower on the 200 list than I expected.    For those whom have seen the list, is it congruent with what you would expect, or has it not been fully adjusted ?   Just curious to some thoughts based on expectations relative to the field.   Thanks.  

 
What has Washington proven?
It's inarguable Washington proved himself as a way more polished and successful product coming into the league -- in a big-school system, guy was a Biletnikoff Award Winner, Unanimous All American, 2x 1st Team Big 12.

There is a reason he's a starter before Washington, who was buried in the depth chart behind Switzer until this coming week.

More to your point, Washington had limited opportunity and has only netted 217 off of 16 receptions and a TD. So he has some more to prove himself.

Let's see what happens, Johnson has the opportunity -- eager to see what he does with it.

 
50/50 who scores more this week between Washington and Diontae. After that I'd raise Diontae Johnson's odds 5% a week until he's at 80% or so. He is soooooooo much better than Washington. It's not close. 

 
It's inarguable Washington proved himself as a way more polished and successful product coming into the league -- in a big-school system, guy was a Biletnikoff Award Winner, Unanimous All American, 2x 1st Team Big 12.

There is a reason he's a starter before Washington, who was buried in the depth chart behind Switzer until this coming week.

More to your point, Washington had limited opportunity and has only netted 217 off of 16 receptions and a TD. So he has some more to prove himself.

Let's see what happens, Johnson has the opportunity -- eager to see what he does with it.
Got it. So you also are using college production to define proven. If Johnson was buried behind Switzer, so was Washington as Switzer out-snapped both of them week 1. And by week 2 they were both on the field significantly more than Switzer so I’d throw that out as resumé for builder Washington. Also worth noting, Moncrief fresh to the team, beat out Washington who had a year in the system for the 2nd wr spot and it seems in just 2 weeks Johnson is poised to do the same. This despite missing a chunk of preseason with an injury. I know they play somewhat different receiver spots, but that’s not a great thing for Washington.

 
I agree with a lot of the above.  I'm concerned about what Washington has not proven in the opportunity he has had so far. 

Johnson passing him for WR2 duties may seem symbolic with the base 11 personnel, but it may be an indicator of future target share. 

 
Ok. I appreciate you showing your line of reasoning. I disagree with just throwing out the most relevant data point- his year 1 production on the field against other starters. If someone doesn’t have production with a perennial Pro Bowl, however many year starting qb that’s probably on the someone, not the qb. The preseason stats and college stats perhaps provide a look into skillset and utilization, sure. But I would want to see actual on field real game NFL production before I called someone proven like the post that I responded to did. And I’m not burying Washington’s career here. Just wouldn’t come close to calling him proven.
He was a rookie.

It seems overly critical of Washington to expect him to produce more when Brown and JJSS were commanding the majority of targets anyways.

I agree with your point that Washington isn't proven. I also think he had a rough start and wasn't gelling with the QB. There are a lot of rookies who do not get it right away. In fact that is the majority of them.

As far as Ben. He did not seem to be playing well before being injured this season.

 
He was a rookie.

It seems overly critical of Washington to expect him to produce more when Brown and JJSS were commanding the majority of targets anyways.

I agree with your point that Washington isn't proven. I also think he had a rough start and wasn't gelling with the QB. There are a lot of rookies who do not get it right away. In fact that is the majority of them.

As far as Ben. He did not seem to be playing well before being injured this season.
I’m fine with people giving him a pass for being a rookie. But that leaves him unproven, which was my point so I don’t think it’s overly critical to reach that conclusion after his rookie year. I’ll leave it at that as this is the DJ thread. Very excited to see him today

 
Got it. So you also are using college production to define proven. If Johnson was buried behind Switzer, so was Washington as Switzer out-snapped both of them week 1. And by week 2 they were both on the field significantly more than Switzer so I’d throw that out as resumé for builder Washington. Also worth noting, Moncrief fresh to the team, beat out Washington who had a year in the system for the 2nd wr spot and it seems in just 2 weeks Johnson is poised to do the same. This despite missing a chunk of preseason with an injury. I know they play somewhat different receiver spots, but that’s not a great thing for Washington.
No, making a point that if I'm betting who might net out as more valuable this year, it's the receiver who has shown more talent throughout his football playing career.

But I think I very appropriately nodded to your point that Washington hasn't proven a ton yet either.  Neither Washington nor Johnson have shown anything yet at the NFL level that can make us confident that one is the better bet than the other.

I am having trouble following your point in the rest of what you were saying. There seems to be tons of confidence here that Johnson is going to break out and is the guy, and I am not sure that's warranted. Not saying that Washington clearly warrants that confidence either, but he inarguably has more provenance.

Bottom line is both guys have the opportunity, let's see what they both do with it.

 
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Rotoworld:

Diontae Johnson caught 3-of-6 targets for 52 yards and one touchdown in the Steelers' Week 3 loss to the 49ers.

Johnson caught 49ers CB Jason Verrett peaking back at the quarterback on his 39-yard wide-open touchdown catch, but he was otherwise quiet with Mason Rudolph struggling to get in a rhythm. The rookie will continue to battle with James Washington for targets behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and will be extremely boom-or-bust if Rudolph doesn't improve. A home matchup with the Bengals next week is a good one, but Johnson is nothing more than a WR5.

Sep 22, 2019, 8:22 PM ET

 
One defensive mistake away a quiet night. Got super lucky his man made a completely dumbfounding mistake. 

 
James Washington is bad. Diontae will be wr2 in this offense, hard to say how valuable that is, they won't play the Bengals every week.

 
kittenmittens said:
He looks really fast with the ball on his hands. 
His biggest weapon his how good he is against the press imo. Guy is a stud. Next year when Big Ben comes back it's going to be on. 

I know this going to be met with a lot of resistance but he out targeted JuJu tonight. Get used to that.........it's coming. 

 
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Diontae Johnson caught all six of his targets for 77 yards and one touchdown in the Steelers' Week 4 win over the Bengals.

Johnson has been the Steelers' best wideout in the two games Mason Rudolph has started, producing a combined 9-129-2 line on 12 targets. He and Rudolph have a connection after practicing together in the summer. Johnson was left as wide open as wide open gets on his 43-yard touchdown in this one. He needs to be owned in 12-team leagues as a big-play threat for an offense that isn't taking many shots down the field. But at 5'10/183, Johnson has speed to burn with 4.53 wheels and has been the top downfield threat for Pittsburgh.

 
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Yes same. Had to drop either him or Demarcus Robinson for a kicker before the games on Sunday and of course I picked wrong 
Similar: With Dio on my roster, dropped Samuel to add Demarcus and had to pick one to start. Decided to start Dio because of the amount of mouths in KC vs Pitt with McDonald out. In my other two leagues he was an after thought at WR and picked poorly.

 
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Looks like he’s getting called up from the taxi squad this week and thrust into my WR3 spot...keep up the good work, little fella!

 
is this dude worth a #3 priority waiver pick (assuming he would fall to me)?  

saw him play and cannot discount any TD from any player really.  even though it was busted, the QB was looking his way!  Also, seems like is targets are respectable.

 
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is this dude worth a #3 priority waiver pick (assuming he would fall to me)?  

saw him play and cannot discount any TD from any player really.  even though it was busted, the QB was looking his way!  Also, seems like is targets are respectable.
It wasn't necessarily busted... it was a designed crossing pattern to "hopefully" cross up the d-backs and it worked.

 
Low end WR2 the rest of the season but he could surge toward the end. It's on Mason Rudolph to take hom to that next level. High end WR2 next year with an outside shot at WR1 when Big Ben comes back next year imo. 

 
Low end WR2 the rest of the season but he could surge toward the end. It's on Mason Rudolph to take hom to that next level. High end WR2 next year with an outside shot at WR1 when Big Ben comes back next year imo. 
Are we sure Ben is coming back? I'd put it less than 50% based on nothing at the moment (just a feeling).

 
Are we sure Ben is coming back? I'd put it less than 50% based on nothing at the moment (just a feeling).
If he's not they will be replacing Rudolph almost for certain.  Mullens or Foles/Minshew or Cam would be an upgrade. 

They should actually probably trade for Eli or Flacco, lol. 

 
What?

They used a 3rd on him, and the jury is still out on how good a QB he will be 
Maybe I'm being too quick to judge, but usually players who are going to be good look a lot better than he has looked so far. 

It looks like the Pittsburgh organization doesn't think that highly of him either.  They went Wild cat instead of building the confidence of their young QB against a bad team? 

 
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I’m all in on this dude
Oh yeah.......he's legit good. He's going to add some weight next offseason and come out next year even better. Hope the injury gods are kind to him. He took a hell if a shot last night. I thought it knocked him out of the game but he came back in a few plays later. 

 
Maybe I'm being too quick to judge, but usually players who are going to be good look a lot better than he has looked so far. 

It looks like the Pittsburgh organization doesn't think that highly of him either.  They went Wild cat instead of building the confidence of their young QB against a bad team? 
Its not his accuracy or anything. He looks unsure and overwhelmed, that is something that can be worked on.

 

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