Chris Johnson vs. Pit (1 Viewer)

[Wilbur Wood]

Agreed. I don't understand how people can be so close minded when matchups are so critical to weekly performance. I really don't think CJ is a good play this week as Pitt has been a historically good D this year and I bet most standard leagues have better options on their waiver wire. I would definitely sit CJ for Benson this week and feel good about it.

This and the post that says they plan to start Little Leon over CJ were surprising. The general rule with any tough match up like this one against Pitt is to find an alternative that is stable and predictable ("good enough"), or has significant upside. If not, start your stud. Cedric Benson and Leon Washington do not offer dependable, good enough points, nor do they offer upside. I own these players too, but they are there in case of injury or late season benchings, not realistic SB winning players.

I agree with you about benching CJ for Leon Washington (who basically you're betting on Leon busting a big run which he does 5 or 6 times a year OR in him getting a short yardage TD -- both of these events are very tough to forecast). OTOH, Benson is the main RB on the Cincy offense. Cincy has show a pulse on offense of late. Benson is involved in the passing game. AND, Cincy plays a pretty pathetic opponent - Cleveland. I think Benson is certainly a valid alternative to start over CJ.

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

I'll be forced to start him if Jacobs is out again, but I'm wishing I didn't have to.

 

[Gottabesweet]

It's either Kevin Smith vs N.O or CJ3 in a PPR

 

[packersfan]

It's either Kevin Smith vs N.O or CJ3 in a PPR

I'd go with Smith and I don't even think it's close. Smith has done well this season - especially in PPR leagues - and the Saints are awful. He has a considerably better matchup.

 

[Level 3 Offenders]

It's either Kevin Smith vs N.O or CJ3 in a PPR

I'd go with Smith and I don't even think it's close. Smith has done well this season - especially in PPR leagues - and the Saints are awful. He has a considerably better matchup.

 

[RippedCat]

I am benching him for Pierre Thomas. Seems like a no brainer which probably means that it will backfire.

I'm with him

 

[Ladsud]

On the fence with Johnson or Grant in a PPR league. I dont like either choice.

 

[shakeybarn]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...Brandon Jacobs posted 47 yds/ 0 at 2.6/clipLT2 posted 57/1 at 3.6/clipPortis posted 51yd/0 at 3.9/clip.Westbrook 12 yds...Slaton 43/0Addai 34/0all studs... that perhaps shoulda been benched.Chris Johnson is not a stud, fantasy-wise. He's more of a Chad Johnson circa 06-07. Pads his stats in a handful of games. Detroit, Kansas City, Cleveland, Green Bay and Cinncinati... all in the bottom 7 on NFL rush Ds provided CJohnson with the bulk of his stats. It's Pittsburgh folks. And if you are goalline vs. the Steelers.... you give it to LenDale. ..I'm probably going to start DeShaun Foster over Johnson in a championship game this week if Gore doesn't go.

 

[Nipsey]

This is a letdown game (tough to get up for back to back games like this physically) for Pitt and Tenn was looking ahead last week. I'm starting him. You don't think he had this game circled? Lots to prove with those big Def names out.

 

[shakeybarn]

This is a letdown game (tough to get up for back to back games like this physically) for Pitt and Tenn was looking ahead last week. I'm starting him. You don't think he had this game circled? Lots to prove with those big Def names out.

starting him in lieu of whom... everyone is startable, regardless of the matchup... this week, there's about 2 dozen RBs I'd prefer to start over.

 

[Dexter Manley]

I've started LBJ every game this year in each league I have him, and I really don't see pulling him for someone like McFadden or Foster. I expect him to see about 20 touches this game.

 

[The_Man]

I'm sitting him. Amazingly, Sportsline's Player Profiles makes a good point about CJ:

Johnson has struggled against 3-4 defenses this season. Johnson was held to 18 carries for 44 yards and no touchdowns at Baltimore in Week 5 and 10 carries for 46 yards and no touchdowns against the Jets in Week 11. Last week, Johnson had 13 carries for 65 yards at Houston and will likely be held below that total in this matchup.

I see him getting fewer carries for fewer yards than last week vs. Houston's weak run D, and no TDs.

 

[packersfan]

I've started LBJ every game this year in each league I have him, and I really don't see pulling him for someone like McFadden or Foster. I expect him to see about 20 touches this game.

If I had Foster, I'd start him ahead of CJ without hesitation if Foster gets the starter. Foster looked decent last week and has a sensational matchup.

 

[travdogg]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...Brandon Jacobs posted 47 yds/ 0 at 2.6/clip

LT2 posted 57/1 at 3.6/clip

Portis posted 51yd/0 at 3.9/clip.

Westbrook 12 yds...

Slaton 43/0

Addai 34/0

all studs... that perhaps shoulda been benched.

Chris Johnson is not a stud, fantasy-wise. He's more of a Chad Johnson circa 06-07. Pads his stats in a handful of games.

Detroit, Kansas City, Cleveland, Green Bay and Cinncinati... all in the bottom 7 on NFL rush Ds provided CJohnson with the bulk of his stats.

It's Pittsburgh folks. And if you are goalline vs. the Steelers.... you give it to LenDale.

..I'm probably going to start DeShaun Foster over Johnson in a championship game this week if Gore doesn't go.

He had a very good game against Minnesota.

 

[HoTnickZ]

Starting him with confidence

 

[packersfan]

I'm sitting him. Amazingly, Sportsline's Player Profiles makes a good point about CJ:Johnson has struggled against 3-4 defenses this season. Johnson was held to 18 carries for 44 yards and no touchdowns at Baltimore in Week 5 and 10 carries for 46 yards and no touchdowns against the Jets in Week 11. Last week, Johnson had 13 carries for 65 yards at Houston and will likely be held below that total in this matchup.I see him getting fewer carries for fewer yards than last week vs. Houston's weak run D, and no TDs.

That is good info from Sportsline. My guess is Johnson will get 45-50 yards rushing, 2-3 receptions for 15 or fewer yards and 0 TDs.For what it's worth, Dodds' projection for him this week makes him seem like a very solid start. Not sure I buy it.

 

[skillz]

Benching him for Pierre Thomas and Slaton. The guy almost burned me last week so I am not trusting him again this week particularly when he is playing against a tough Pitt defense.

 

[Wrigley]

I waived him for D Foster this week.

 

[Holland Freeze]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

Nice stategy but...Sitting Chris Johnson and starting Steven Jackson in the backfield with Brian Westbrook.Jax appears to be back and capable of being productive and the SF match up is better than going against the Steel Curtain, especially after last weeks disappointment.

 

[Black]

Alot of comments here about having an alternate...so I'll hijack with a thinly veiled WDIS using some possible time-sharing RBs as alternatives...do you like any of these guys over CJohnson?Dom Rhodes @JAXT. Choice vBALD. Ward vCARJon Stewart @NYG

Not really a WDIS thread. It was intended to be a discussion on how CJ will do against the Pittsburgh D.

Yeah, but I hijacked it...ended up starting Dom Rhodes over him in my flex Thurs night. He started for me in most games this season, often with LenDale, and it worked very well for me.So, in the end, I started TJones @SEA, Pierre @DET, and Dom Rhodes @JAX over him.

 

[buccosfan]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week. he's worth sitting this week against the steelers. if he goes off, he goes off. but he's more likely to be held to 50 yards rushing, 25 rec on 2 or 3 catches and no TDs. can you live with that? johnson is now my no. 4 RB going into next year ... so that leaves him short of stud status. (peterson, turner, pierre).

 

[gigantor]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week. he's worth sitting this week against the steelers. if he goes off, he goes off. but he's more likely to be held to 50 yards rushing, 25 rec on 2 or 3 catches and no TDs. can you live with that? johnson is now my no. 4 RB going into next year ... so that leaves him short of stud status. (peterson, turner, pierre).

your top 4 back and you don't consider him a stud?

 

[buccosfan]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week. he's worth sitting this week against the steelers. if he goes off, he goes off. but he's more likely to be held to 50 yards rushing, 25 rec on 2 or 3 catches and no TDs. can you live with that? johnson is now my no. 4 RB going into next year ... so that leaves him short of stud status. (peterson, turner, pierre).

your top 4 back and you don't consider him a stud?

no. 4 on MY TEAM. not in the league.

 

[packersfan]

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week.

Johnson has been a Top 10 RB in most scoring systems this season. He's been much more than a flex play. He's been pretty much a sure-fire starter every week. That said, I think he's a very poor starting option this week. The Steelers are just too good and Johnson has generally not excelled against top defenses. This week I would view him as no more than mild flex play.

 

[shredhead]

CJ - Bench

Portis and Thomas Jones - start

If Portis is a no go then I have to decide between CJ and LenDale. Would probably go with the whale.

I can't believe people in this thread are starting Benson over CJ though.

 

[Sheriff66]

This is a letdown game (tough to get up for back to back games like this physically) for Pitt and Tenn was looking ahead last week. I'm starting him. You don't think he had this game circled? Lots to prove with those big Def names out.

Good luck with that....

 

[zdaddy]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

I normally follow this, but it sure makes it tough when guys like TO, Cutler, CJ, LenDale are all stinking it up in the semis while guys like Leon Washington and Tashard Choice are going off. What do you do?

Roll with who you got you there. You can't fault yourself for that. But if you lose because you start Choice over CJ, you won't forgive yourself.

 

[munchkin]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week. he's worth sitting this week against the steelers. if he goes off, he goes off. but he's more likely to be held to 50 yards rushing, 25 rec on 2 or 3 catches and no TDs. can you live with that? johnson is now my no. 4 RB going into next year ... so that leaves him short of stud status. (peterson, turner, pierre).

Pierre Thomas is a stud? He has had a couple of nice weeks but I don't see where his year long stats make him a stud. Was Thomas worth a flex play almost every week this season? Dude put up a lot of zeros.

 

[Man In The Box]

I have him benched for Benson right now. Can't believe I just typed that. I need to pick 3 of LT, CJ, Benson, and Sammie Morris. I also have Mo Morris, Cadillac, and Tatum Bell, but am not considering any of them.

 

[NajehHejan]

If Gore is out, I may bench CJ for Foster.

 

[OU#1]

Start two RBs and I'm starting Turner and CJ4.2. Starting the guys who got me to the championship game!

Granted for lack of better options on my bench:

LenWhale

Norwood

J. Stewy

Maybe Megatron will carry me this week?

 

[ScoobyDoo]

I'm benching him. He carried me into the playoffs then helped a conspiracy to keep me out of the championship game. He'll never get a start on any of my rosters ever again.

 

[Skipper]

I picked up Pope and it's tempting to play him over CJ since I can see him having a breakout game - he looked good last week, and the BUF defense is nothing special. But that's a deal with the devil (the devil being Mike Shanahan), and CJ has been a big part of my trip to the finals. Not sure I want to spend the offseason wondering why I got so twitchy setting my finals lineup.

 

[PatrickT]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week. he's worth sitting this week against the steelers. if he goes off, he goes off. but he's more likely to be held to 50 yards rushing, 25 rec on 2 or 3 catches and no TDs. can you live with that? johnson is now my no. 4 RB going into next year ... so that leaves him short of stud status. (peterson, turner, pierre).

Pierre Thomas is a stud? He has had a couple of nice weeks but I don't see where his year long stats make him a stud. Was Thomas worth a flex play almost every week this season? Dude put up a lot of zeros.

It took NO til wk 10 to figure it out, but since then, when he's gotten 15+ carries he's put up 20+ FF points. And with Bush out and McCallister just plain ineffective, I expect Pierre to have a huge game. Wish I owned him. NO offense is a lot scarier for next year with an actual run game.

 

[hamster_13]

Sitting him for Kevin Smith.

 

[GoBirds]

Have to pick between CJ3, LJ and Marshall. Right now leaning Marshall.

 

[Woogie Lee]

Benched for Steve Slaton

this

 

[munchkin]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week. he's worth sitting this week against the steelers. if he goes off, he goes off. but he's more likely to be held to 50 yards rushing, 25 rec on 2 or 3 catches and no TDs. can you live with that? johnson is now my no. 4 RB going into next year ... so that leaves him short of stud status. (peterson, turner, pierre).

Pierre Thomas is a stud? He has had a couple of nice weeks but I don't see where his year long stats make him a stud. Was Thomas worth a flex play almost every week this season? Dude put up a lot of zeros.

It took NO til wk 10 to figure it out, but since then, when he's gotten 15+ carries he's put up 20+ FF points. And with Bush out and McCallister just plain ineffective, I expect Pierre to have a huge game. Wish I owned him. NO offense is a lot scarier for next year with an actual run game.

I wasn't arguing that the guy hasn't produced lately; he just hasn't been an every week start. I would certainly start him over CJ this week. I wouldn't take PT over CJ overall.

 

[buccosfan]

Never bench your studs. End of discussion.

your team must be pretty weak if you consider chris johnson a stud at this point. he's a nice RB. he's worth a flex play almost every week. he's worth sitting this week against the steelers. if he goes off, he goes off. but he's more likely to be held to 50 yards rushing, 25 rec on 2 or 3 catches and no TDs. can you live with that? johnson is now my no. 4 RB going into next year ... so that leaves him short of stud status. (peterson, turner, pierre).

Pierre Thomas is a stud? He has had a couple of nice weeks but I don't see where his year long stats make him a stud. Was Thomas worth a flex play almost every week this season? Dude put up a lot of zeros.

It took NO til wk 10 to figure it out, but since then, when he's gotten 15+ carries he's put up 20+ FF points. And with Bush out and McCallister just plain ineffective, I expect Pierre to have a huge game. Wish I owned him. NO offense is a lot scarier for next year with an actual run game.

I wasn't arguing that the guy hasn't produced lately; he just hasn't been an every week start. I would certainly start him over CJ this week. I wouldn't take PT over CJ overall.

Why not? He's move involved in the passing game and he's the goal-line back. I'm not saying I'd bet a lot of money on PT over CJ for 2009, but I really like what I've seen of PT and I think the Saints have too. They've publicly stated that they were going to feature him in the final weeks to see if he could take the primary job for 2009 and he's proven he can. It was probably premature of me to rank PT as my No. 3 back for 2009, (for my taem), but I'm very optimistic.As for this week, I have decided to roll with CJ at a flex and hope for the best. I'd rather watch him get held down and play him than watch him blow up on my bench. Sat DJ Williams who I figure for about a solid 6 points in my scoring.

 

[TC]

I sat rookie RB Johnson for.. gasp.. Addai IND. You know how that turned out, too.

 

[grtwhtsk]

Sitting Johnson and going with Forte.

 

[Dragon1952]

I'll probably sit him, but he'll probably end up doing as well as McClain and Choice did in their "tough" match-ups

 

[Smarge]

I'm down to CJ or Portis, although I could pick up Sammy Morris or Foster if I wanted to go that direction. I'd prefer to choose between two guys that "got me here", otherwise I'd kick myself if it didn't work out. I'm leaning to CJ after the Portis bad back report on Friday, but I'm not thrilled with it. Combined with DeAngelo's less than stellar matchup with the Giants D, I'm concerned. I heard/read the Steelers are 2nd or 3rd worst in the league in giving up receiving yards to RBs due to the blitzing, so I'm hoping CJ can pop a long one or two when they catch the Steelers bringing the heat.

 

[CanadianNFLJunkie]

Chris Johnson will be on my bench this week. I carried good depth at the RB position all year. Westbrook, T. Jones, MJD, and Johnson. I was seriously considering shopping one of the 4 but I knew I would need to have one of them for the flex position if I made it to the championship and had to bench Johnson. I think the loss of Haynesworth puts this game heavily in Pitts favor and Tenn has not shown the ability to play well when they have gotten behind.

I have have carried good depth at RB, but I have no choice but to start CJ in my finals. I had Addai but I sat him, also have Brandon Jackson on GB but he won't play, sitting out, also have Hillis who is out for yr and my other Back is DeAngelo. I'm hoping he busts one long run for a TD as my team is strong enough to win without CJ putting up 15+ points, (I hope).

 

[Topes]

Agreed. I don't understand how people can be so close minded when matchups are so critical to weekly performance. I really don't think CJ is a good play this week as Pitt has been a historically good D this year and I bet most standard leagues have better options on their waiver wire. I would definitely sit CJ for Benson this week and feel good about it.

This and the post that says they plan to start Little Leon over CJ were surprising. The general rule with any tough match up like this one against Pitt is to find an alternative that is stable and predictable ("good enough"), or has significant upside. If not, start your stud. Cedric Benson and Leon Washington do not offer dependable, good enough points, nor do they offer upside. I own these players too, but they are there in case of injury or late season benchings, not realistic SB winning players.

I'm leaning to agreeing here. I also own LBJ, Benson and Leon. Benson isn't looking incredibly attractive to me. Though Cleveland rushing defense is ranked 28th in yardage, a large part of that may be that they play from behind and teams run the clock out against them. (Cincinnatti only got 69 yards rushing first time around, in a home loss to Cleveland.) Benson isn't exactly a TD machine (though my league is more yardage heavy than most). Basically, for Benson to have a good day, I'm thinking the Bengals need a lead. I am considering Benson, but my gut is still saying LBJ all the way.

Leon is not a real consideration for me.

(Haven't gotten though this thread yet, so I might be convinced to bench LBJ for Benson by the time I read to the bottom.)

 

[Topes]

Read through the thread. Still not sitting him. Butterflies. At least both players have 1:00 games, so I can know by 4:15 or so whether it was a bad move.

Listening to my gut here.

LBJ is a better back than Benson.

LBJ has a better shot at popping a long run or two.

I can see why folks would start many of the other backs mentioned in this thread.

What I can't see is that folks are benching LBJ for many of those with confidence.

It's a tough choice. Good Luck, all.

 

[Sack-Religious]

I'm leaning towards starting Hines Hard over him at a flex spot. My opponent has Big Ben going, so I'm hoping to minimize any points Ben might generate. I'd like to think that the Titans will use LBJ a lot in the screen game, but in previous games against stout rush defences (BAL, MIN, CHI, NYJ) he hasn't caught more that 3 balls for minimal yardage.

It might come back to bite me, but I can't shake the feeling that Ward grabs 4 or 5 balls for 50-75 yards and a good chance at a score.

 

[jtomm]

im going with turner, dwill, and westy over cj3

 

[pmccurry]

i can't believe i am considering mcfadden over chris johnson, at this point...

 

[Stealthycat]

I just sat him for PJ Pope RB Denver