The Blitz

Diontae Johnson Has Truly Broken Out

Sam Wallace
December 28, 2020

In The Blitz, RotoViz writers react to the latest news and help you place it within the context of our 2020 research and recommendations.

One of the more exciting rookie wide receivers from the 2019 class that isn’t A.J. Brown or D.K. Metcalf has been Diontae Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the duo from Ole Miss has made waves with sheer physicality, highlight-reel receptions, open field plays, and touchdowns, Johnson continues to soak up an incredible amount of volume thanks to technical abilities that continuously result in him getting space. His Week 16 performance only solidified what we’ve seen all season.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson turned in a solid game in a 28-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16. Johnson wound up catching eight of 14 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown in the comeback victory. His score came on a 39-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger in the third quarter on a play where he laid out for a diving catch down the right sideline. Johnson continues to be heavily targeted and is locked in as a WR2 in fantasy. He will face the Cleveland Browns in Week 17.

A Promising Rookie Campaign

The Steelers promising 2019 season was derailed once Roethlisberger went down with a season-ending injury. Still, Johnson showed out considering his carousel of inept quarterback play. Our own Jack Miller had this to say when he predicted a Johnson breakout back in February:

Among rookie WRs who played six or more games, Johnson finished:

Fifth in targets per game and receptions per game
Eighth in receiving yards per game
Ninth in fantasy points per game
Seventh in expected points per game (reEP)
11th in per-game efficiency (reFPOE)

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Sam Wallace

A featured writer for RotoViz, Sam specializes in dynasty. One of our favorite social media voices, he's developing a reputation as a breakout expert.

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