Diontae Johnson has a new home with the Carolina Panthers after five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Johnson was a polarizing figure among Steelers fans with a reputation for crucial drops, this was largely unjustified. Johnson suffered greatly after QB Ben Roethlisberger retired and Pittsburgh called on a mix of Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky to lead the team. As such, the WR went 655 days without a touchdown.
That drought came to an end last season, and in flashes, Diontae Johnson showed what he is capable of. The consensus is that Johnson will provide a genuine WR1 target for Bryce Young, who is certainly in need of a good sophomore campaign. While Carolina drafted Xavier Legette, he is a different style receiver, with a bigger build at 6-foot-1.
The issue for Johnson is that in fantasy, the Panthers are anything but a sound investment at the present, and it’s very difficult to put faith in Young and Johnson having mammoth numbers. Diontae Johnson profiles to be a fantasy WR2 with WR1 potential, and shouldn’t be targeted until the fourth or even fifth rounds in drafts (10+ team leagues).
Diontae Johnson’s 2024 NFL fantasy outlook: What numbers to expect from the Panthers WR?
Diontae Johnson was a victim of some poor offensive schemes and QB play in Pittsburgh, and for those looking to draft him, there is concern that this could be an issue in Carolina. The Panthers have been one of the NFL’s worst teams for multiple years and while they are making moves to change that, it’s hard to trust them just yet.
Yes, there is a new head coach in Dave Canales, and yes, Bryce Young has a year of experience under his belt. The Panthers could well be a better team in 2024, but their offensive players are risky picks in fantasy football.
In 2023, Johnson recorded 717 yards and 5 TDs across the 13 matches he competed. Presuming he stays healthy, 900 yards and 7 TDs seems a fair baseline, and it’s possible he could go above or below that.