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The Chris Johnson Hype machine (1 Viewer)

ForWhoForWhat

Footballguy
Per Rotoworld:

Chris Johnson

Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger expects to use rookie RB Chris Johnson as a tailback, meaning he will get work on first and second down.

It remains to be seen how the playing time will be split between Johnson and LenDale White, but it's clear that the better Johnson plays the more he will see the field. We know about his speed and pass catching ability, and Vince Young complimented his work in blitz pick-up. If Johnson picks up the offense quickly, LenDale White's value is going to take a hit.

How is this different from the Chris Henry hype machine from last year? Will this bandwagon not crash into the side of the building? The fluff pieces and hype are eerily similar to the Chris Henry hoopla. Can you sharks break down the differences between the two backs from a technical standpoint? I’d like to think Johnson is a more talented runner and pass catcher than Henry, and that they’re not both just fast guys that work well in space, though I do not know enough about them. Any insight from college homers?

 
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I don't remember there being a Chris Henry hype machine.

I do remember a "the Titans wasted a 2nd rounder on a guy that never produced in college" machine though.

 
Any insight from college homers?
I'm an ECU graduate. I think one of the best things about Chris Johnson is how versatile he is. While at ECU, he has played the positions of RB, WR, and KR, and he excelled at all of those positions, which is probably why he led the nation in all-purpose yards per game last year. He is an excellent pass catcher, and he is like speedy gonzalez after he catches the ball. ECU's offensive line had early injuries, so their patch work OL stunk last year, but since running holes were hard to come by, the QB would just pass it to Chris Johnson, and he was off to the races. He is shifty and hard to catch. He reminds me of a humming bird that is high on sugar water. He had some injuries while in college, but I think that really helped shape his great work ethic. He worked very hard for the opportunities he got. He's a good kid. I hope he thrives in the NFL.
 
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I wish this news came out later in TC. I was hoping to sneak him a little later after the 5 main rook RB's were off the board in my keeper league. By draft time his value will shoot up the board...oh well, time to look for the next gem....

 
I hate this news too... His value will be thru the roof in my dynasty auction draft full of 10 nashville guys.... UGG.

 
Henry doesnt have a highlight video as he didnt even play in college. Stupid pick...

Watch this.

at 45 seconds u see he can take a hit and has great vision around 1 min mark

 
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Henry doesnt have a highlight video as he didnt even play in college. Stupid pick...

Watch this.

good clip but Reggie Bush had some sweet clips too. He won't have that space in the big leagues and that's my biggest question. The preseason games will be interesting.
 
Henry doesnt have a highlight video as he didnt even play in college. Stupid pick...

Watch this.

from what is being said in titans camp he is causing the Defenders to take crazy angles to get him. watch that video again at 37 seconds
 
The difference? Chris Henry is an awful RB and always has been. Johnson was the Titans' do-over after realizing their mistake with the Henry pick.

 
I'm going to land Johnson with the 65th O/A pick.....and I'm going to be absolutely thrilled with taking him that high. That would be round 6, pick 5.

 
Henry doesnt have a highlight video as he didnt even play in college. Stupid pick...

Watch this.

Why limit yourslef to just that portion...allow me to help. :25 The little flip with 2 lineman around him...where's the ball and...GOOD NIGHT!!! That is just sick speed, I know we could look at Reggie but maybe the Titans will figure out a way to put him in space...if this guy is left alone in the flat coming out of the backfield with a LB on him...GOOD NIGHT!!!

What really impresses me as I watch him is that there are defenders ahead of him even wehn he breaks past the line but he still outruns these DBs to the house...they simply cannot catch him no matter the angle. This guy should have some sick rips of yardage in the NFL.

 
Complete animal. This guy is gonna be good. #3 ranked RB behind Stewy and McFadden and wouldn't shock me to see him outshine those two.

4.24, need i say more.

 
I'm going to land Johnson with the 65th O/A pick.....and I'm going to be absolutely thrilled with taking him that high. That would be round 6, pick 5.
Wow, you think you'll need to take him that early? I was hoping to "steal" him a few rounds later. I'm thinking round 8 of a 12 man league. Maybe not.Yes, lots of folks did think Chris Henry was a bad pick/reach in the 2nd round. I do however remember some fluff pieces by the beat writers, and some glowing coach speak as well. Johnson does appear to be different, and that's what I'm hoping for. He compares himself to Westbrook in the linked Rotoworld article. Seems like a pretty good comparison based on those highlight reels.
 
Speed is great, but RB is not a pure speed position. It's a hybrid speed/power position like LB or SS. The guys who do well typically have exceptional power in addition to above average mobility. So while I love Chris Johnson's sick combine numbers and unreal speed, I don't think it necessarily guarantees him any success in the NFL. Michael Bennett was a first round pick and a world class sprinter. Now he's sitting on the bench behind a 225+ pound guy who runs a 4.5.

The relative success of Reggie Bush versus Maurice Jones-Drew demonstrates the importance of power for a RB prospect. You can have all the speed and moves in the world, but if you can't get yards after contact then your effectiveness will be limited in the NFL. That's why I think people touting Chris Johnson as the next great thing should be cautious. He has a lot of talent and potential, but he's built slight with a very low BMI. IMO he's more of a gadget player than a guy who has the potential to develop into a Westbrook or Tomlinson type of back.

That said, he could be an interesting player in PPR leagues as a hybrid WR/RB. I see his upside as being somewhere along the lines of Charlie Garner. I think he has a pretty big downside as well though. The earliest I would take him in a non-PPR rookie draft would be RB6-7.

 
I don't remember there being a Chris Henry hype machine.I do remember a "the Titans wasted a 2nd rounder on a guy that never produced in college" machine though.
While both Henry and Johnson were combine standouts, Johnson was also a standout football player. We know that Johnson can play football. The question is how much of a "running back" he can be in the NFL. I like his chances to become the 1a in a committee but I dont expect him to be a 300 carry back.
 
I don't remember there being a Chris Henry hype machine.

I do remember a "the Titans wasted a 2nd rounder on a guy that never produced in college" machine though.
While both Henry and Johnson were combine standouts, Johnson was also a standout football player. We know that Johnson can play football. The question is how much of a "running back" he can be in the NFL. I like his chances to become the 1a in a committee but I dont expect him to be a 300 carry back.
Nor should he be. With his unique skillset, he shouldn't need 300 carries to be a fantasy factor at running back. I think he'll put up solid stats if he can just entrench himself into a role of 10-15 carries and 3-6 catches per game. His overall yardage consistency will be helped tremendously by how effective he should be as a receiver out of the backfield (ala Westbrook) so if he can just figure out a way to get in the end zone he could be golden.
 
I don't remember there being a Chris Henry hype machine.

I do remember a "the Titans wasted a 2nd rounder on a guy that never produced in college" machine though.
While both Henry and Johnson were combine standouts, Johnson was also a standout football player. We know that Johnson can play football. The question is how much of a "running back" he can be in the NFL. I like his chances to become the 1a in a committee but I dont expect him to be a 300 carry back.
Nor should he be. With his unique skillset, he shouldn't need 300 carries to be a fantasy factor at running back. I think he'll put up solid stats if he can just entrench himself into a role of 10-15 carries and 3-6 catches per game. His overall yardage consistency will be helped tremendously by how effective he should be as a receiver out of the backfield (ala Westbrook) so if he can just figure out a way to get in the end zone he could be golden.
:lmao: When talking about RB's touches are what matters, not just carries.

 
Why can't he be a MJD type for Tennessee? I see him logging at least 50 catches with such a subpar WR stable on offense, and he should get about 10-15 carries a week depending on the score...200+ carries, 50 catches...250 touches should pile up about 1,250 yds if not more, add in about 4-6 TD...these numbers are not that far fetched really.

 
As mentioned the one thing Chris Johnson has over Henry is that he was successful in college. For that reason there is optimism. The bottom line for me is at this point he is just really tough to guess NFL success. He has a ton of upside and is looking very good but I also remember a Chiefs RB (Harvey Williams I think) who when I saw him in practice in shorts in Reiver Falls training camp looked like the best player on the field. He was never able to really carry that over into the Sunday games though. For me, Chris Johnson is still very much a wild card at this point.

 
You can have all the speed and moves in the world, but if you can't get yards after contact then your effectiveness will be limited in the NFL. That's why I think people touting Chris Johnson as the next great thing should be cautious. He has a lot of talent and potential, but he's built slight with a very low BMI. IMO he's more of a gadget player than a guy who has the potential to develop into a Westbrook or Tomlinson type of back.
Johnson is hard to bring down, and it isn't because he is a bruiser, it's because he runs low, and he just keeps on moving. When he gets into a crowd of big tacklers, he disappears and then he just pops out of the crowd and takes off. He is like houdini. He is good at YAC as well. He wasn't just great at pass catching as a RB, he also lined up as a slot receiver sometimes.
 
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You can have all the speed and moves in the world, but if you can't get yards after contact then your effectiveness will be limited in the NFL. That's why I think people touting Chris Johnson as the next great thing should be cautious. He has a lot of talent and potential, but he's built slight with a very low BMI. IMO he's more of a gadget player than a guy who has the potential to develop into a Westbrook or Tomlinson type of back.
Johnson is hard to bring down, and it isn't because he is a bruiser, it's because he runs low, and he just keeps on moving. When he gets into a crowd of big tacklers, he is disappears and then he just pops out of the crowd and takes off. He is like houdini. He is good at YAC as well. He wasn't just great at pass catching as a RB, he also lined up as a slot receiver sometimes.
The only top 30 RB in the league with a lower BMI and a lower weight is Warrick Dunn. Johnson has good leg drive for his size, but he simply isn't built like a starting NFL RB. He will always be in a committee. Whether or not he can flourish in that committee is the real question IMO.
 
Johnson has good leg drive for his size, but he simply isn't built like a starting NFL RB. He will always be in a committee. Whether or not he can flourish in that committee is the real question IMO.
Seems many NFL organizations are taking the committee approach these days, and it's a good way to keep your RB's fresh, and keep defenses off balance. It's not great for FF owners, but for the NFL team itself, it can be great. I think the Titans are a good fit for Johnson. They have a running QB, a bulldozer RB (lendale), and a blazing fast RB that can catch as good as any WR. I think their offense will give defenses fits this year. He also has the potential to give the Titans good field position with his KR abilities. It does remain to be seen how his college success translates to the NFL, but he is a very hard worker, and he will make the most of the opportunities he is given. You get better with experience, and hopefully he will get plenty of experience this year.
 
I'm going to land Johnson with the 65th O/A pick.....and I'm going to be absolutely thrilled with taking him that high. That would be round 6, pick 5.
Wow, you think you'll need to take him that early? I was hoping to "steal" him a few rounds later. I'm thinking round 8 of a 12 man league. Maybe not.Yes, lots of folks did think Chris Henry was a bad pick/reach in the 2nd round. I do however remember some fluff pieces by the beat writers, and some glowing coach speak as well. Johnson does appear to be different, and that's what I'm hoping for. He compares himself to Westbrook in the linked Rotoworld article. Seems like a pretty good comparison based on those highlight reels.
I know I'll need to take him that early. We keep 5 players, 12 teams, so our 1st round is really the 6th round. I have acquired the 5th pick in this round via trade. Rookie RB's go off the board like crazy with this league. I cannot afford to wait until the 5th pick in the next round (also acquired via trade) to look for him as he will be long gone by then. So, I have to take him in the 6th (our 1st.) I do know that this pick is especially high for him as he is not ranked that high, but with the guys I'm playing with, I have to do it if I want him. I do.
 
I'm going to land Johnson with the 65th O/A pick.....and I'm going to be absolutely thrilled with taking him that high. That would be round 6, pick 5.
Yes, lots of folks did think Chris Henry was a bad pick/reach in the 2nd round. I do however remember some fluff pieces by the beat writers, and some glowing coach speak as well. Johnson does appear to be different, and that's what I'm hoping for. He compares himself to Westbrook in the linked Rotoworld article. Seems like a pretty good comparison based on those highlight reels.
I don't think it is a good comparison at all. For a RB his size, Westbrook doesn't really have good speed. He makes up for it with everything else.
 
Johnson has good leg drive for his size, but he simply isn't built like a starting NFL RB. He will always be in a committee. Whether or not he can flourish in that committee is the real question IMO.
Seems many NFL organizations are taking the committee approach these days, and it's a good way to keep your RB's fresh, and keep defenses off balance. It's not great for FF owners, but for the NFL team itself, it can be great. I think the Titans are a good fit for Johnson. They have a running QB, a bulldozer RB (lendale), and a blazing fast RB that can catch as good as any WR. I think their offense will give defenses fits this year. He also has the potential to give the Titans good field position with his KR abilities. It does remain to be seen how his college success translates to the NFL, but he is a very hard worker, and he will make the most of the opportunities he is given. You get better with experience, and hopefully he will get plenty of experience this year.
This is what I think people are missing the boat on. I think the entire nature of the running game is changing in the NFL and it's going to go league wide.Most teams are going to employ the 1a/1b type of backfield where each back brings a different set of skills. So while guys like Johnson won't fit the (exaggerating here) Earl Campbell mold, they will have a big impact on the game in other ways.Reggie Bush, for example, isn't meant to be a "feature" back like an Edgerrin James or LT type guy. He was forced into that role when Deuce got injured.What that means is that players like this will have differing value in fantasy terms depending on the scoring system your league employs.
 
Speed is great, but RB is not a pure speed position. It's a hybrid speed/power position like LB or SS. The guys who do well typically have exceptional power in addition to above average mobility. So while I love Chris Johnson's sick combine numbers and unreal speed, I don't think it necessarily guarantees him any success in the NFL. Michael Bennett was a first round pick and a world class sprinter. Now he's sitting on the bench behind a 225+ pound guy who runs a 4.5. The relative success of Reggie Bush versus Maurice Jones-Drew demonstrates the importance of power for a RB prospect. You can have all the speed and moves in the world, but if you can't get yards after contact then your effectiveness will be limited in the NFL. That's why I think people touting Chris Johnson as the next great thing should be cautious. He has a lot of talent and potential, but he's built slight with a very low BMI. IMO he's more of a gadget player than a guy who has the potential to develop into a Westbrook or Tomlinson type of back. That said, he could be an interesting player in PPR leagues as a hybrid WR/RB. I see his upside as being somewhere along the lines of Charlie Garner. I think he has a pretty big downside as well though. The earliest I would take him in a non-PPR rookie draft would be RB6-7.
I like Chris Johnson to have a bigger impact than Bush his rookie season and here is why. Bush is a big move guy. He tries to avoid rushers with big wide moves. He goes backward and lateral as much as he goes forward. When you are doing that you are going to get tackled, unless your Barry Sanders with his crazy low center of gravity. Johnson runs straight ahead and he uses short shoulder shrugs and hip fakes to get by. He is always moving forward so he can fully utilize his blazing speed. Its much harder to tackle a shifty back when he is running full speed at you than when he stops and goes left or right. It also helps that he is faster than Bush.
 
I saw a bunch of scouting reports on him. Seems the only question is how the coaches use him. The skills are not in question.

 
The difference? Chris Henry is an awful RB and always has been. Johnson was the Titans' do-over after realizing their mistake with the Henry pick.
:( I am fascinated to see how the Titans use Johnson. Could be a very exciting player.
 
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As a diehard Titans fan, there was no Chris Henry hype machine. Very little fluff came out of TC last year about him. The coaches were really defending him more or less. Chris Henry has heart. He simply lacks vision.

CJ OTOH is a beast. He has everything you need to be a good NFL RB. The only knock against him is his size. Last time I checked, Thurman Thomas was the same size 5-10 198. Sweetness was 5-10 202.. I could go on and on, but I won't. I also understand that the game has changed and the defenders are bigger, stronger, faster.

Chris Johnson will be special guys. He has had glowing reviews in TC and OTAs. He is the real deal. He will be what Reggie Bush should have been. CJ was an in between the tackle runner in college. He is a one cut runner that will excel in the Titans zone blocking scheme. He has the patience to allow his blocks to set up. He has the smarts to understand defenses and be on the field early in the season. He has the work ethic to be good.

I could go on and on about him. I've been watching football for 20 years, and I have never seen a RB with so much talent. He played on a team in his career with a coaching carousel, and was the focal point of the offense. Every defender keyed on stopping him, but they couldn't most of the time.

 
As a diehard Titans fan, there was no Chris Henry hype machine. Very little fluff came out of TC last year about him. The coaches were really defending him more or less. Chris Henry has heart. He simply lacks vision.

CJ OTOH is a beast. He has everything you need to be a good NFL RB. The only knock against him is his size. Last time I checked, Thurman Thomas was the same size 5-10 198. Sweetness was 5-10 202.. I could go on and on, but I won't. I also understand that the game has changed and the defenders are bigger, stronger, faster.

Chris Johnson will be special guys. He has had glowing reviews in TC and OTAs. He is the real deal. He will be what Reggie Bush should have been. CJ was an in between the tackle runner in college. He is a one cut runner that will excel in the Titans zone blocking scheme. He has the patience to allow his blocks to set up. He has the smarts to understand defenses and be on the field early in the season. He has the work ethic to be good.

I could go on and on about him. I've been watching football for 20 years, and I have never seen a RB with so much talent. He played on a team in his career with a coaching carousel, and was the focal point of the offense. Every defender keyed on stopping him, but they couldn't most of the time.
I'm as excited about CJ as anybody, but let's be realistic here.
 
As a diehard Titans fan, there was no Chris Henry hype machine. Very little fluff came out of TC last year about him. The coaches were really defending him more or less. Chris Henry has heart. He simply lacks vision.

CJ OTOH is a beast. He has everything you need to be a good NFL RB. The only knock against him is his size. Last time I checked, Thurman Thomas was the same size 5-10 198. Sweetness was 5-10 202.. I could go on and on, but I won't. I also understand that the game has changed and the defenders are bigger, stronger, faster.

Chris Johnson will be special guys. He has had glowing reviews in TC and OTAs. He is the real deal. He will be what Reggie Bush should have been. CJ was an in between the tackle runner in college. He is a one cut runner that will excel in the Titans zone blocking scheme. He has the patience to allow his blocks to set up. He has the smarts to understand defenses and be on the field early in the season. He has the work ethic to be good.

I could go on and on about him. I've been watching football for 20 years, and I have never seen a RB with so much talent. He played on a team in his career with a coaching carousel, and was the focal point of the offense. Every defender keyed on stopping him, but they couldn't most of the time.
I like CJ as well, but I think you have your beer goggles on with that statement. I just don't see it.
 
Johnson has good leg drive for his size, but he simply isn't built like a starting NFL RB. He will always be in a committee. Whether or not he can flourish in that committee is the real question IMO.
Seems many NFL organizations are taking the committee approach these days, and it's a good way to keep your RB's fresh, and keep defenses off balance. It's not great for FF owners, but for the NFL team itself, it can be great. I think the Titans are a good fit for Johnson. They have a running QB, a bulldozer RB (lendale), and a blazing fast RB that can catch as good as any WR. I think their offense will give defenses fits this year. He also has the potential to give the Titans good field position with his KR abilities. It does remain to be seen how his college success translates to the NFL, but he is a very hard worker, and he will make the most of the opportunities he is given. You get better with experience, and hopefully he will get plenty of experience this year.
This is what I think people are missing the boat on. I think the entire nature of the running game is changing in the NFL and it's going to go league wide.Most teams are going to employ the 1a/1b type of backfield where each back brings a different set of skills. So while guys like Johnson won't fit the (exaggerating here) Earl Campbell mold, they will have a big impact on the game in other ways.Reggie Bush, for example, isn't meant to be a "feature" back like an Edgerrin James or LT type guy. He was forced into that role when Deuce got injured.What that means is that players like this will have differing value in fantasy terms depending on the scoring system your league employs.
:goodposting: Felix Jones/MBIIICJ/LendaleBush/DeuceTaylor/MJDJacobs/BradshawTurner/Norwood?Stewart/DeWill?I think a lot of teams are going to go more to this model, and we as fantasy players have to get out of the mindset that "RBBC = bad."
 
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Nearly every training camp or OTA report on the Titans has mentioned CJ in a positive way. That was absolutely not the case with C.Henry last year. Heck, he even threw a TD pass in yesterday's afternoon session. His value is definitely on the rise.

 
I still don't understand what the issue with Lendale white is... Obviously he isn't a super stud, but that fatty is the best thing on that offense.

 
I still don't understand what the issue with Lendale white is... Obviously he isn't a super stud, but that fatty is the best thing on that offense.
;)
:eek: And you place some blame for the Chris Johnson hype train at my door. I wrote that Rotoworld blurb, and I've been hyping him on my blog for awhile as the no-brainer #4 pick in rookie drafts . . . and it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up better than the first three. In Rotoworld's draft mag, I picked Johnson as the rookie RB to make the biggest impact.What can I say? I love his talent and his situation.I don't know how you can look at LenDale run and then look at Johnson run and think it's even close. Sure, they have different styles . . . but Johnson is just so much more talented.
 
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simey said:
You can have all the speed and moves in the world, but if you can't get yards after contact then your effectiveness will be limited in the NFL. That's why I think people touting Chris Johnson as the next great thing should be cautious. He has a lot of talent and potential, but he's built slight with a very low BMI. IMO he's more of a gadget player than a guy who has the potential to develop into a Westbrook or Tomlinson type of back.
Johnson is hard to bring down, and it isn't because he is a bruiser, it's because he runs low, and he just keeps on moving. When he gets into a crowd of big tacklers, he disappears and then he just pops out of the crowd and takes off. He is like houdini. He is good at YAC as well. He wasn't just great at pass catching as a RB, he also lined up as a slot receiver sometimes.
sounds like a Quentin Griffin thread from 2004
 
I hope this allows Lendale to slide to me even further in drafts.

Please continue with the Johson = Barry Sanders comments...tia.

 
simey said:
You can have all the speed and moves in the world, but if you can't get yards after contact then your effectiveness will be limited in the NFL. That's why I think people touting Chris Johnson as the next great thing should be cautious. He has a lot of talent and potential, but he's built slight with a very low BMI. IMO he's more of a gadget player than a guy who has the potential to develop into a Westbrook or Tomlinson type of back.
Johnson is hard to bring down, and it isn't because he is a bruiser, it's because he runs low, and he just keeps on moving. When he gets into a crowd of big tacklers, he disappears and then he just pops out of the crowd and takes off. He is like houdini. He is good at YAC as well. He wasn't just great at pass catching as a RB, he also lined up as a slot receiver sometimes.
sounds like a Quentin Griffin thread from 2004
:goodposting:
 
simey said:
You can have all the speed and moves in the world, but if you can't get yards after contact then your effectiveness will be limited in the NFL. That's why I think people touting Chris Johnson as the next great thing should be cautious. He has a lot of talent and potential, but he's built slight with a very low BMI. IMO he's more of a gadget player than a guy who has the potential to develop into a Westbrook or Tomlinson type of back.
Johnson is hard to bring down, and it isn't because he is a bruiser, it's because he runs low, and he just keeps on moving. When he gets into a crowd of big tacklers, he disappears and then he just pops out of the crowd and takes off. He is like houdini. He is good at YAC as well. He wasn't just great at pass catching as a RB, he also lined up as a slot receiver sometimes.
sounds like a Quentin Griffin thread from 2004
:o
Quentin Griffin was slow for his size.
 

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