Standard Running Back Projection: 33rd
PPR Running Back Projection: 27th
PPR Average Draft Position: 8.10 (RB40)
Duke Johnson was a stud last year, finishing as the PPR RB11 thanks to 74 catches, 693 yards and 7 total touchdowns. While he's unlikely to score four rushing tuddies again due to regression (four scores on just 348 yards in 2017) combined with the additions of Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb, Johnson can once again be a solid PPR producer.
While most guys who have flukey-high touchdown totals are overvalued the following year, that's not the case with Johnson, who is being taken as the RB40 while our models rank him as the RB27.
Cleveland should be better this season, but they're still going to see a good amount of negative game scripts. We project them to tally the second-fewest wins (6.4) in the NFL.
Our projections have Johnson hauling in 61 passes, the seventh-most among running backs, for 500 yards and 1.59 scores. As a runner, we see him totaling 70 carries for 315 yards and 2.94 touchdowns. He's a smashing value at his current cost.