With all due respect to Dallas Cowboys running back Lance Dunbar, Cleveland Browns rookie Duke Johnson Jr. may very well be the most enticing sleeper in PPR fantasy football leagues next year. That is, of course, if the next Browns head coach realizes what he has in Johnson and doesn't force him to take a back seat to the less talented Isaiah Crowell.
It's true that Cleveland is once again marred in dysfunction and quarterback uncertainty at the moment. That isn't going to help Johnson's fantasy value. But the third-round rookie impressed as a pass-catcher this year and showed off the potential for much more.
"Johnson played 524 snaps (71 more than Crowell), but carried the ball only 104 times for 379 yards (3.6 yards per carry)," ESPN's Mike Clay wrote. "Used primarily as a passing-down back, Johnson's 70 targets were sixth-most at the position. He proved very effective in this area, hauling in 87 percent of the targets while averaging 8.8 yards per reception. Johnson needs work as a blocker, but he quietly put together an impressive rookie season. It's possible the 22-year-old settles into a Giovani Bernanrd-like scat-back role, but Cleveland's offensive coordinator (whether it's John DeFilippo or someone new) would be wise to give Johnson a long look as a lead back. Barring the acquisition of a feature back, Johnson's 2016 floor figures to be that of an RB2 in PPR formats."
Johnson left Miami as the school's all-time leading rusher with 3,519 yards on the ground. This is the same school that has trotted out the likes of Clinton Portis, Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee, Frank Gore, Lamar Miller and other familiar NFL names. Though the NFL is an entirely different animal than college ball, Johnson appears to have proven his capability of being a bell-cow back. Given the workload to match the title (and even average play from the rest of Cleveland's offense), he could be the steal of the 2016 fantasy season.
