Most Likely Trade Destinations for Kerryon Johnson

A second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Kerryon Johnson has never really been given the chance to work as a featured back for the Detroit Lions. The team has only ever given him 20-plus carries twice in three seasons, and it's clear that he's just not a part of their game plan in 2020. In his last outing, Johnson handled just 3 carries and played a season-low 11 snaps.

With another year on his contract, the Lions should be actively shopping Johnson if they have no plans to get him on the field alongside D'Andre Swift and Adrian Peterson.

Here are the three most likely trade destinations if that happens.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Andy Reid and the Chiefs could trade for Kerryon Johnson. / Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Clyde Edwards-Helaire's struggles near the goalline have been an issue in an otherwise strong rookie season. He's handled 10 carries from inside the 10-yard line, scoring no touchdowns while actually having -1 yards on those touches. Johnson has 7 touchdowns on 26 such carries in his NFL career, and he could serve as a solid short-yardage role player in KC.

2. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans could trade for Kerryon Johnson to complement David and Duke Johnson. / Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The Houston Texans have two running backs they already like to get involved in David Johnson and Duke Johnson, but those two play a similar role — thriving in the passing game. A between-the-tackles runner like Kerryon could add another dimension to this offense. His relatively small $2 million cap hit in 2021 is also a good fit for a team that's in the bottom half of the NFL in cap space.

3. Washington Football Team

The Washington Football Team could trade for Kerryon Johnson. / Greg Fiume/Getty Images

The Washington Football Team is another that lacks a true early-down runner. Antonio Gibson looks great and J.D. McKissic is offering some value as a receiver, but they could stand to upgrade on Peyton Barber, who has been relegated to the bench after scoring 2 touchdowns in Week 1. Gibson and Johnson could give Washington a potent one-two punch in the backfield, regardless of who is lined up at QB.

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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.