Johnson caught six of 14 targets for 42 yards and one touchdown while playing seven games in the 2022 season.
What it means:
Signed as an undrafted free agent before the season, Johnson did not see a significant amount of a playing time during the 2022 campaign. With that said, the rookie was one of only four wide receivers to record a touchdown grab for the Broncos this season. Johnson is under contract through the 2024 season before becoming a restricted free agent in 2025. The 24-year-old will look to retain a spot on the roster this offseason with a new coaching staff coming to Denver. Assuming he sticks with the Broncos, Johnson will likely find himself in an uphill battle for playing time once again in 2023, as fellow wideouts Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick (knee) and KJ Hamler (hamstring) are all under contract for next season. Proving to have some chemistry with Russell Wilson, Johnson could provide some solid depth at the position if and when injuries become an issue going forward.
Johnson is inactive for Sunday's game against the Rams.
What it means:
Johnson caught three of his four targets for 30 yards in last week's win over the Cardinals, but with Courtland Sutton (hamstring) back in the mix Sunday, he's the odd man out in the Broncos' Week 16 wideout corps.
Johnson caught three of four targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 24-15 win over the Cardinals.
What it means:
Johnson operated as Denver's No. 2 receiver behind Jerry Jeudy, playing 41 of the Broncos' 69 offensive snaps in the contest. The rookie's 30 scoreless receiving yards were second to only Jeudy, who finished the game with 76 scoreless yards of his own. Johnson's recent bump in playing time is a result of both Courtland Sutton (hamstring) and Kendall Hinton (hamstring) missing time, but his increase in usage has not resulted in much fantasy production. The 24-year old wideout will almost certainly see a substantial dip in playing time if Sutton or Hinton are active going forward. Johnson should remain far off the fantasy radar when the Broncos visit the Rams in Week 16.
Johnson failed to record a single reception on four targets in Sunday's 34-28 loss to the Chiefs.
What it means:
With fellow receiver Courtland Sutton (hamstring) sidelined for the contest, Johnson was on the field for 74 percent of the Broncos' offensive snaps. The rookie wideout has now failed to record a catch in two straight games despite his bump in playing time. If Sutton continues to miss time, Johnson would likely play a similar role in the offense. Unfortunately, his lack of production keeps him far off the fantasy radar for a Week 15 matchup with the Cardinals, especially if Sutton returns to action.
Johnson failed to record a single target in Sunday's 10-9 loss to the Ravens.
What it means:
Despite playing the second most offensive snaps (25) among Denver wide receivers, Johnson was a complete non-factor Sunday. The rookie's bump in playing time was the result of teammate Courtland Sutton exiting the game with a hamstring injury after playing just 23 snaps. With Sutton deemed "day-to-day" by head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Johnson could be in line for a similar workload in Week 14 when the Broncos host the Chiefs. Even if Sutton sits, Johnson will be extremely difficult to trust for fantasy purposes with the Broncos' aerial attack failing to take off.
Johnson was elevated to the Broncos' active roster Saturday, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.
What it means:
Johnson is very likely to be active for the third straight game while being bumped up from the practice squad on each occasion. He has three catches for 12 yards and a score in his first two games, and his involvement in Week 13 against the Ravens could depend on whether Jerry Jeudy (ankle) is active.
