2013 Fantasy Outlook: Stevie Johnson

Information is constantly changing in the NFL and fantasy player values can change at any moment. Having updated, informative news can help you not just at your fantasy football draft but during the regular season. Feel free to glance at our recent articles to make sound decisions throughout the year.

To help you get ready for draft day you will notice articles for ADP advice, cheat sheets, mock drafts and projected stats for Steve Johnson here. During the season, you can also find regular weekly ranking articles at this section as well.

Welcome to Stevie Johnson fantasy football outlook archive. At this section of Johnson’s player page you will notice our past thoughts and advice for fantasy football.

Summer of 2012: Fantasy Projections

While Stevie Johnson took heat for his Plaxico Burress impersonation, I was impressed that he played through a groin injury, throughout the year. My only concern when a player plays on an injury, is if he’s done long-term damage?

Johnson did go in for minor going surgery this offseason, but the fact that he waited until the start of May seems like a good sign (probably wasn’t damaged badly) but still strange that he waited so long.

Another receiver who marches to the beat of his own drummer, I don’t think Johnson is the same type of personality like Terrell Owens. He may be closer to Chad Ochocinco, but expect him to come back with a better season this year.

The Bills are likely to be in the fight for a playoff spot and while they don’t have an established receiver opposite Johnson, they do have some talented young receivers who could breakout.

Ryan Fitzpatrick will continue to look to Johnson as the primary possession receiver in this offense. While not a blazer, Johnson is a good route runner and I like how he can create separation even top corners like Darrelle Revis, in short spaces.

Going as the 25th receiver (6.02, 12 team league) off the board in current ADP trends, Johnson is a WR2 / WR3 option. If you can get him as a WR3, I feel like you’ve gotten a good deal.

	Receptions	Yards	TD
2012 Projected Stats	86	1,088	6

Summer of 2011: Fantasy Projections

While I still believe that Stevie Johnson can be a worthy No.2 receiver, the loss of Lee Evans won’t help him in his quest to repeat his numbers from last year. All of a sudden Johnson will be the top veteran in the Bills receiving core and will get Darrelle Revis, Vontae Davis and Devin McCourty for six games in his division.

Don’t be surprised if the loss of Evans hurts more than the numbers he’s produced would suggest as he helped take coverage away from receivers like Johnson and gave Ryan Fitzpatrick another respectable starting option. This could be a year of inconsistent numbers for Johnson, so it’s advisable that you look to Johnson as an early No.3 receiver and not a top twenty option.

	Receptions	Yards	TD
2011 Projected Stats	77	1,012	7

June 2011

The Buffalo Bills relevance on offense was a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners as Ryan Fitzpatrick proved he was worth owning and Steve Johnson became a clear top twenty receiver. While I had Johnson listed as one of the third year receivers on our list for 2010, I sure as heck didn’t find him to be a relevant option worth thinking about and in fairness he never gave me a reason to do so, with his 12 total catches in his first two seasons.

Truly, a third year breakout receiver, Johnson put it all together as the Bills gave him a chance to start, and he made the most of it with 82 receptions, over 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns on the season. Question is, can Johnson repeat or even build on the success he had as a first year starter as teams will game plan for him this season?

This fantasy writer believes Johnson will repeat another great year, and I do believe he will at least exceed his reception and yardage totals. The Bills are still an offense that will need to throw the football as they will probably play from behind and while Fred Jackson is a respectable pro, he’s not a super star running back that will command a feature, run first role in the offense.

No, this team is built to throw the football as even running back C.J. Spiller is a better fit in the passing game than as a ground and pound style of runner. Look to Lee Evans as another reason why Johnson should find success once again, as the veteran benefited in his early years from having established veteran Eric Moulds on the opposite side of the field. At that time, Moulds was still a player who got attention from opposing defenses, but he wasn’t the fantasy option he used to be, and Evans benefited with less coverage against him.

Johnson will have the luxury of having Evans on the opposite side of the field and the veteran hasn’t been a relevant fantasy option for a few seasons, making Johnson the clear No.1 option for fantasy leagues.

Heading into the summer Johnson’s ADP value on Mock Draft Central has him as the 14th best receiver in standard redraft leagues and the 13th best receiver going in PPR leagues. I have no doubts that Johnson can play at a top fifteen receiver level, and you might even get him a little cheaper, because some will be skeptical that he can repeat. Look to Johnson as a respectable No.2 receiver for your fantasy squad.