As exciting as the start of the NFL season is for fantasy football managers, it can also be a stressful time. Injury reports can be misleading or at least lack clarity on whether your star playmaker will be available to play or not. We’re diving into Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson’s injury update to see if he’s worth starting on your fantasy roster in Week 1.
Diontae Johnson’s injury update
The Steelers’ wide receiver continues to deal with a lingering shoulder injury he suffered in the team’s third preseason game. While some injuries in the preseason are mere excuses to get a player out of the contest and keep them in bubble wrap, Johnson’s shoulder strain is clearly more severe than a stinger. On Thursday, Johnson was again “limited” in practice.
Earlier this week, Johnson told reporters he couldn’t have continued playing in the game even if he needed to due to the nature of his shoulder injury. It’s clear his status is up in the air against Cincinnati in Week 1.
The fourth-year receiver will again be a big part of this young but developing offense. Johnson signed a massive two-year, $36.7 million extension this offseason, figuring to again be the leading man on a talented unit. Missing him for even one game in a fierce AFC North could prove costly come playoff time.
Pittsburgh still has some playmakers to rely upon, of course. George Pickens, Chase Claypool, Calvin Austin, Pat Freiermuth, and Najee Harris aren’t a bad surrounding cast for Mitch Trubisky. But Johnson is the one who is the preferred checkdown option and chain mover.
Should you start Johnson?
Johnson’s fantasy value is high, considering he sits as the 16th wide receiver on our expert’s 2022 fantasy football rankings for PPR leagues. He’s at worst a WR2 on rosters after producing 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight scores last year.
Pittsburgh’s Week 1 foe, the Bengals, has one of the best secondaries in the NFL. If Johnson is active for this matchup, he’s still a good option to start. In his lone game against the Bengals in 2021, he produced nine receptions on 14 targets for 95 yards.
I don’t expect Johnson to see significantly less volume this year, even with Pickens in town. Trubisky should have a more scripted game plan than Ben Roethlisberger did, meaning more manufactured targets for reliable receivers like Johnson.
So unless you have a stacked roster with two better receiving options and a legitimate Flex who can justify benching Johnson, you should plan on starting him unless he is designated as out. His upside is simply too important for most teams to rule out. There’s a reason you had to draft him so highly.
Even with a compromised floor and ceiling, Johnson is still the top receiving threat on this offense. The Steelers may need to throw often, as Cincinnati figures to find success against Pittsburgh’s weak secondary unit.