Diontae Johnson
Verdict: Start ‘Em
Diontae Johnson flashed as a rookie, looking dynamic with the ball in his hands and putting up decent stats even without elite QB play. He looks like a player that could catch 5-7 passes a game regularly, and while he may not always be a deep threat, he can win deep if in the right opportunity. Johnson is primed for a big season, and fantasy owners should see that in week one.
Even better, Johnson will be going up against a weak secondary. The Giants have a lackluster group of cornerbacks as highlighted earlier, and the Steelers offense should be ready to exploit that. Considering Smith-Schuster will likely draw a lot of attention early, Johnson could go one on one with a Giants’ corner, and that should be a matchup he exploits with relative ease.
I’d say in a PPR league, Johnson is a must-start as his targets and receptions could push his point totals into the teens. Even in leagues that don’t award points for receptions, Johnson should have a decent yardage total by the end of the game. If he can find a way to sneak into the endzone, it would be even better for his final fantasy score. Overall, look to add Johnson into your starting lineup for week one.