DiontaeJohnson

News: 2 days agoJohnson (groin) isn't practicing Thursday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Spin: Johnson initially was held out of practice Wednesday, with coach Dave Canales saying the wideout had a "mild groin strain." The Panthers apparently don't expect him to be out for long, but it's probably safe to assume Johnson will miss Saturday's preseason game against the Jets.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Johnson was traded to Carolina during the offseason after spending his first five seasons in Pittsburgh. Johnson has seen his production dip over the last two seasons (40th in fantasy PPG both years), but showed he could deliver high-end numbers with good quarterback play (22nd and ninth with Ben Roethlisberger in 2020 and 2021, respectively). Johnson is an elite route runner who has managed a target share of at least 23% in four consecutive seasons. He's a good bet to lead an improved Carolina offense in targets and, especially if Bryce Young makes a Year 2 leap, he's likely to return to fantasy relevance. Target Johnson as a WR3/flex with WR2 upside.