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Dennis Johnson speculation (1 Viewer)

seems like an average talent. No real acceleration speed. Runs thru tackles as opposed to around them.Will get touches but how many if and when Denver pulls away? Seems to catch the ball ok. Hes no Josh Todman

 
seems like an average talent. No real acceleration speed. Runs thru tackles as opposed to around them.Will get touches but how many if and when Denver pulls away? Seems to catch the ball ok. Hes no Josh Todman
theres another todman to look at in fantasy other than jordan?

I was considering picking up dennis johnson as a what the heck possible $1 keeper (assuming tate leaves via FA and foster is not ready to play next year)... but I'd imagine maybe texans draft someone too, johnson would really have to impress these last 2 weeks

 
seems like an average talent. No real acceleration speed. Runs thru tackles as opposed to around them.Will get touches but how many if and when Denver pulls away? Seems to catch the ball ok. Hes no Josh Todman
theres another todman to look at in fantasy other than jordan?

I was considering picking up dennis johnson as a what the heck possible $1 keeper (assuming tate leaves via FA and foster is not ready to play next year)... but I'd imagine maybe texans draft someone too, johnson would really have to impress these last 2 weeks
haha...i got Josh Gordon on the brain ....i stand corrected

 
What is the general consensus on his prospects this weekend? Discuss.
I think they are pretty good. To me, it is about volume of touches. With touches come yards and maybe a TD. The same appied to Asiata last week - volume of touches = good thing. Johnson should get 18-20 carries at least, and could easily catch 4-5 passes.

 
think he might become an even bigger pass catcher with schuab? He is going to have to use a safety valve somewhere and DJ has pretty good hands.

 
buck naked said:
redfive said:
What is the general consensus on his prospects this weekend? Discuss.
I think they are pretty good. To me, it is about volume of touches. With touches come yards and maybe a TD. The same appied to Asiata last week - volume of touches = good thing. Johnson should get 18-20 carries at least, and could easily catch 4-5 passes.
it is very doubtful the texans have the lead all game though... i dont think the asiata comparison is valid.... i would expect similar production to what ben tate had been doing (not the 3 TD tate game but the others)

 
Where's Faust when you need him? If anyone is one the fence with dj, read rotoworld's most recent blurb on him. Those of you that are lazy it just breaks down the stats of the Denver D and how it is very favorable for Johnson.

 
pick up this guy. really good talent who runs really hard. He's no Matt Asiata. At Arkansas stood out every time he carried the ball. Small guy like MJD, and has similar bounce off tackle ability. Not a huge speed guy, but fast enough (returned kicks at an All-SEC level). has enough talent to be a starting RB someday and the Texans are likely to want to find out this week if it will be for them

 
What are the odds of the game getting out of hand quickly and they abandon the run?

 
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My worry is no one seems to have news declaring him the starter. Lots of "should start".
Denver's run-defense collapse has coincided with LE Derek Wolfe's (illness) three-week absence. Wolfe has been ruled out for Week 16. With Ben Tate (ribs) shut down for the season, UDFA Dennis Johnson will be Houston's starting tailback Sunday versus the Broncos. For more statistical breakdowns like this on every Week 16 game, read Evan Silva's Matchups column at the link below.

With Ben Tate following Arian Foster to injured reserve, rookie running back Dennis Johnson gets his first start.Johnson, an undrafted free agent, has 37 carries for 154 yards. He’ll be backed up by veteran Deji Karim and rookie Jonathan Grimes.

Ben Tate was put on season-ending injured reserve this week, so that means rookie Dennis Johnson will be the starter this week.

(just a few news blurbs i found)

 
Where's Faust when you need him? If anyone is one the fence with dj, read rotoworld's most recent blurb on him. Those of you that are lazy it just breaks down the stats of the Denver D and how it is very favorable for Johnson.
What's lazier than failing to post a link or, better yet, copying and pasting the blurb into your post? Rotoworld has little credibility so many of us do not read their garbage.

Johnson can catch the ball so he should have a lot of touches whether the Texans are behind or not. I like his talent and his new opportunity. They would be dumb to waste touches on Deji Karim, who has been around long enough to prove that he is nothing more than a practice-squad-level back or emergency bandaid.

 
What are the odds of the game getting out of hand quickly and they abandon the run?
In PPR leagues, that might not be a bad thing, actually. Even if/when Houston does fall behind, it's unlikely they abandon the run completely, IMO. After all, run defense has been Denver's biggest weakness, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Houston run well against them, similar to what SD did.

 
pick up this guy. really good talent who runs really hard. He's no Matt Asiata. At Arkansas stood out every time he carried the ball. Small guy like MJD, and has similar bounce off tackle ability. Not a huge speed guy, but fast enough (returned kicks at an All-SEC level). has enough talent to be a starting RB someday and the Texans are likely to want to find out this week if it will be for them
Fellas - I wasn't comparing his ability to Asiata. All I compared was the OPPORTUNITY for both players.

 
While some await final word on MJD, and concerned by weather etc., now might be a good time for some more "speculation."

I posted in the other DJ thread that Denver has given up 100+ total yards to opposing team RBs (ie all not individual) every week since week 7.

If there's not a lot of talk I think it's because there are fewer owners left around to do the talking.

Also, not sure if Karim gets in there.

In one league I am considering him vs a 2nd string Todman, FJax, Lamar Miller (if no Thomas), Sproles, at RB2.

 
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Any info on DJ's qualities and fundamentals as a football player?

Week 12, he came in for Tate (somehow) and went 13/74/0 rushing and 2/13/0 rec in less than a full game.

Any projections here or observations of him from the preseason or the Jax game?

For one thing he's a pretty small guy, 5-7, 196 according to RW...

Blurbs from RW - I certainly did not know DJ started ahead of Knile Davis

Texans signed Arkansas RB Dennis Johnson.

Johnson (5-foot-6 3/4, 196) consistently outplayed more highly touted Knile Davis with the Razorbacks, formally beating him out for the lead back job in 2012. Johnson rushed 137 times for 757 yards (5.53 YPC) and eight touchdowns, adding 25 receptions. A Combine snub, Johnson proceeded to tear up his Pro Day with a 4.48 forty, 1.59 ten-yard split, and 21 reps on the bench. He projects as a kickoff returner and third-down back in the pros. The Texans will have a nice little competition for the No. 3 back role between undrafted free agents Johnson, Cierre Wood, and Ray Graham.
Rookie RB Dennis Johnson has reportedly been the most impressive undrafted free agent in the Texans' offseason program.

A favorite of Rotoworld draft guru Josh Norris, Johnson is undersized (5'7/196) but fits the Texans' system "ideally" per beat writer John McClain. Johnson is experienced in blitz pickup and an excellent receiver out of the backfield. He ran 4.48 at the Arkansas Pro Day.
CSN Houston suggests Cierre Wood may have passed Dennis Johnson for the Texans' No. 3 running back job.

Johnson rushed seven times for 11 yards in the preseason opener while Wood ripped off 59 yards on 10 carries. "He had a couple plays where he got a little negative and a return at the end of the game where he's messing around a little bit back there," coach Gary Kubiak said of Johnson.
Texans waived RB Dennis Johnson.

Johnson was a hyped undrafted free agent who made noise in OTAs, but faded once the pads came on. There's a chance he'll get claimed on waivers, but his most likely destination is the Texans' practice squad. Johnson's size (5-foot-7, 196 pounds) is working against him.
Dennis Johnson had eight carries for 36 yards in Week 9 against the Colts.

With Arian Foster sidelined, Johnson was used in change-of-pace role behind Ben Tate and played the majority of the second half. He wasn't targeted in the passing game, but managed to average 4.5 yards per carry.
Dennis Johnson managed seven yards on four carries and caught a 14-yard pass in the Texans' Week 10 loss to Arizona.

For the second straight week, Johnson was utilized as the Texans' primary change-of-pace back. He didn't help his chances of playing more going forward by blowing a blitz pickup against John Abraham that got Case Keenum sacked.

Dennis Johnson rushed two times for two yards in Sunday's Week 11 loss to the Raiders.

Johnson got the call on a 3rd-and-short in the first half and couldn't break an arm tackle to get the first down. From there, he barely played.
Dennis Johnson rushed 13 times for 74 yards in Houston's Week 12 loss to the Jaguars, adding two catches for an additional 13 yards.

Johnson took over for an ineffective Ben Tate midway through the second quarter, giving the Texans a rushing spark as he out-touched Tate 13-5 over the game's final 35 minutes. Johnson gained 29 of his yards on one second-quarter carry, but managed five or more yards on three other totes. It was not an electrifying effort, but certainly one that should earn him a bigger workload in Week 13 against the Patriots. We doubt Tate will be out-right benched, but Johnson is officially on the FLEX radar.
Coach Gary Kubiak said he stuck with Dennis Johnson in Sunday's loss to the Jags because "when he went in he just looked so good running the ball."

Kubiak planned to just spell Ben Tate with Johnson, but that plan went out the window as Tate managed a mere one yard on seven carries. Johnson ended up with 13 carries for 74 yards. Tate will start next week's game against the Patriots, but we can no longer assume he'll be a workhorse. Johnson has earned a committee type role. Both backs will be weak fantasy plays in a game the Texans project to be trailing in.


 
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Starting DJ at flex for all the chips. : ) Looking for glimpses of dynasty value - as I hope the Texans are.

 
Yeah was going to say… Karim got some nice yardage on some second half runs that were very well blocked and poorly tackled by the Denver D. Can't blame Johnson for getting banged up… that's just bad luck.

Would like to see him get back out there next week and build some momentum for the offseason. I still believe he could be the Foster handcuff for 2014, which is a pretty valuable dynasty commodity.

 
Going to be a bit of a battle to backup Arian, who I think has numbered days. Definitely a backup situation to watch. I liked Johnson but don't know that he has the ability to be a consistent fantasy contributor. Smallish isn't he?

 

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