Diontae Johnson

Diontae Johnson

26-Year-Old Wide ReceiverWR
Pittsburgh Steelers
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Johnson set a new standard for the high-volume, low-efficiency receiving season last year, finishing with 86 catches for 882 yards and nary a touchdown on 147 targets. Even in an offense with miserable quarterback play, it's the type of performance that leads to serious concern about his future (including the workload). Johnson has always been elusive and tricky to tackle, but drops have been a recurring theme and he's neither big (5-10, 183) nor fast (4.53 40) by NFL standards. On the other hand, he was an extremely productive fantasy player as recently as 2021 (107-1,161-8) and the Steelers only have WR George Pickens and TE Pat Freiermuth as serious target competition. Should second-year QB Kenny Pickett improve, Johnson would presumably be one of the prime beneficiaries even if the target volume takes a necessary step back. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
$Signed a two-year, $36.71 million contract with the Steelers in August of 2022.
Minimal production on 10 targets
WRPittsburgh Steelers
January 8, 2023
Johnson recorded two catches on 10 targets for 38 yards in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns.
ANALYSIS
Johnson led the Steelers in targets by a wide margin, though he struggled to turn that into production. Positively, he did manage a 32-yard catch -- the longest play from scrimmage for Pittsburgh -- and also chipped in a reception to convert a two-point attempt late in the game. Johnson struggled for much of the season and saw a steep dropoff in production as compared to 2021, particularly because he failed to find the end zone across 17 games. He remains under contract for two additional seasons with the Steelers, though Johnson could fall behind George Pickens in priority for targets in 2023.
Read More News
NFL Stats
Loading NFL Stats...
Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
Loading Fantasy/Red Zone Stats...
Advanced NFL Stats
How do Diontae Johnson's 2022 advanced stats compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Air Yards Per Game
89.4
 
Air Yards Per Snap
1.54
 
% Team Air Yards
33.3%
 
% Team Targets
26.8%
 
Avg Depth of Target
10.3 Yds
 
Catch Rate
58.5%
 
Drop Rate
4.1%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
2.7
 
% Targeted On Route
22.1%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
1.32
 
Loading Advanced NFL Stats...
2022
2021
2020
2019
2022 NFL Game Log
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
Standard
PPR
Half PPR
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Loading Game Log...
2021 NFL Game Log
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
Standard
PPR
Half PPR
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Loading Game Log...
2020 NFL Game Log
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
Standard
PPR
Half PPR
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Loading Game Log...
2019 NFL Game Log
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
Standard
PPR
Half PPR
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Loading Game Log...
Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Pittsburgh SteelersSteelers 2022 WR Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

99089%
83976%
43639%
27625%
21119%
12912%
101%
Loading Weekly Snap Counts...
Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Diontae Johnson lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
Detailed
Grouped
Side
Loading Alignment Breakdown...
Loading Alignment Breakdown...
Loading Alignment Breakdown...
Loading Team Alignment Breakdown...
2022 Diontae Johnson Split Stats
Loading NFL Split Stats...
Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Diontae Johnson's measurables compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
5' 10"
 
Weight
183 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.53 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.45 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.09 sec
 
Vertical Jump
33.5 in
 
Broad Jump
123 in
 
Bench Press
15 reps
 
Hand Length
9.00 in
 
Arm Length
30.75 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Diontae Johnson See More
Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 150 PPR Draft Ranks 2023
Today
Discover RotoWire's dynamic top 150 PPR fantasy football rankings! Uncover the rising stars and falling gems shaking up draft strategies.
2023 Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates: Players to Target
2 days ago
Mario Puig analyzes players on the verge of stardom who should outperform expectations this season, including Steelers wide receiver George Pickens.
2023 Fantasy Football Sleepers & Busts: Undervalued, Overvalued Players
2 days ago
We asked some of RotoWire's football writers for their favorite sleepers and busts for the 2023 fantasy season. Who's undervalued? Who's overvalued? Here are the results.
RotoWire Roundtable: 2023 Top-150 Fantasy Rankings
3 days ago
RotoWire gathered its top football writers for their top-150 rankings for the 2023 season. Among the players with the greatest variance, Lamar Jackson stands out.
ADP Analysis: Rookie Reactions, Chiefs Moving Up, QBs Falling on Underdog
23 days ago
Rashee Rice isn't the only Chiefs wide receiver moving up draft boards this May. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are slipping with WRs becoming more popular in the early rounds.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
Johnson is on the small side for an NFL wideout, and while he perhaps plays a bit faster than his 4.53 40 time from the 2016 Combine suggests, he won't be mistaken for a burner anytime soon. No matter, the Steelers have peppered him with targets, and it's hard to fault them when you see how easily Johnson gets open on short routes and the way he puts defenders on skates once the ball is in his hands. The big concern in 2020 was drops, with 13 a league high and ultimately costing him a 1,000-yard season. Last year, Johnson cut the drops (five) and surpassed 1,000 yards with relative ease, though it required a boatload of targets (169, t-2nd) in an offense with poor blocking and a washed-up version of Ben Roethlisberger. While it's not hard to imagine even better numbers in the future, Johnson's drawbacks for 2022 sound awfully similar to 2021. Mitch Trubisky or rookie Kenny Pickett might prove better than late-stage Roethlisberger, but probably not by much, and the O-line landed just one clear upgrade in the offseason (RG James Daniels). Then again, those weaknesses might work in Johnson's favor when it comes to volume. As much as the Steelers hope for breakthroughs from Pickett, Chase Claypool and rookie wideout George Pickens, there's also a chance they end up overly reliant on short throws again, in which case Johnson, TE Pat Freiermuth and RB Najee Harris would stay well fed.
Johnson had one of the stranger seasons in recent memory. While he missed only one game, he was benched in others for drops and also got injured early in Week 5. Johnson wound up leading the NFL with a whopping 15 drops, yet still managed 144 targets on a team with two other viable WR options. Johnson’s per-play numbers (10.5 YPC and 6.4 YPT) were among the league’s lowest, partly due to drops, but mostly because the Steelers ran a bizarre, pass-heavy offense based heavily on short throws. While teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster finished 35th in aDOT at 5.6 yards, Johnson was 30th at 8.0. At 5-10, 183, Johnson is small, and his timed speed (4.53 40) is below average for a player his size. But put him in a uniform, and he looks like another small, poor-40-timed former Steelers receiver, Antonio Brown. Like Brown, Johnson’s quickness and burst jumps off the screen, and he even hauled in four catches of 40-plus yards last year despite the low aDOT. Of course, Johnson’s focus needs to improve — 15 drops is off-the-charts high, especially for a player catching passes at close range — and coach Mike Tomlin’s tolerance is not infinite. Moreover, Ben Roethlisberger looked shaky last year, and it’s unclear whether he will regain his former arm strength. That said, Johnson is one of the quickest wideouts in the league, so even with Smith-Schuster re-signing and second-year man Chase Claypool around, he should see plenty of work.
A third-round pick in 2019, Johnson saw regular snaps once JuJu Smith-Schuster got hurt and more than held his own under the circumstances. While his per-play numbers were pedestrian - 11.5 YPC, 7.4 YPT - Johnson was paired with two of the league's worst quarterbacks, yet still managed to score five touchdowns and catch two passes for 40-plus yards on 92 targets, mostly lining up outside. At 5-10, 183, and with a below-average 40 time (4.53), he has about the same physical specs as Antonio Brown, and like Brown, Johnson is quick and explosive. The Steelers have been wizards at developing smaller young receivers - from Santonio Holmes to Mike Wallace to Brown to Emmanuel Sanders - and Johnson could be the next in line, especially with Ben Roethlisberger healthy again. But Smith-Schuster, who already has Roethlisberger's trust, should be the clear No. 1, and Johnson will compete with 2018 second-round pick James Washington, 2020 second-round pick Chase Claypool and tight ends Vance McDonald and Eric Ebron for second fiddle. Johnson had sports hernia surgery after the season but is expected to make a full recovery for the start of training camp.
Despite a poor performance at the Combine, Johnson has the tools to make an impact with the Steelers as a depth receiver/returner. He actually had a faster time in the forty (4.53) than Antonio Brown (4.56) and is now in line to compete with Eli Rogers and Ryan Switzer for slot work. He could also add value on special teams, having led the nation in punt return average (19.9) at the collegiate level the past two years, while scoring four times on kick or punt returns.
More Fantasy News
Returns to field with full practice
WRPittsburgh Steelers
January 5, 2023
Johnson (hip) was a full practice participant Thursday.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Held out of practice
WRPittsburgh Steelers
Hip
January 4, 2023
Johnson missed Wednesday's practice with a hip injury.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Struggles with seven targets
WRPittsburgh Steelers
January 1, 2023
Johnson had two receptions (seven targets) for 35 yards in Sunday's 16-13 win over the Ravens.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Logs full practice
WRPittsburgh Steelers
December 29, 2022
Johnson (hip) was a full practice participant Thursday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Logs limited practice Wednesday
WRPittsburgh Steelers
Toe
December 28, 2022
Johnson (toe) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.