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It isn’t a surprise that wide receiver Andre Johnson wants out of the Houston Texans‘ clutches, but his rocky relationship with Houston is ruining his fantasy football value.
Even if Johnson suits up for Houston in 2014, he will not head into the most optimal situation. It is true that the 33-year-old receiver was able to total 1,407 receiving yards and haul in five touchdowns from a mix of Matt Schaub and Case Keenum, but the Texans did not make the improvements at quarterback that Johnson was hoping for. Quarterback Tom Savage was a fourth-round pick who will fight for the backup spot this summer, but he isn’t considered an immediate starter who could lead the team. Often injured Andre Brown was brought in to take pressure off of Arian Foster, and DeAndre Hopkins is an exciting, but unproven weapon. The offense will continue to look for an identity.
If Johnson were to somehow be traded, he may still severely disappoint his fantasy owners. From learning a new playbook to working his way into a new system, Johnson may not find the early success that fantasy owners would expect out of him. I believe that Johnson would be an amazing fantasy option with the New England Patriots, but not every situation will be as ideal as New England.
Finally, Johnson’s push for finding a new team is due to his age. He may only have two or three good years left, but father time could catch up with him quicker than expected. The prime for wide receivers is normally the ripe old age of 26, and his production has to slow down at some point.
According to fantasyfootballcalculator.com, the average draft position for Johnson is at the end of the fourth round in a 12-team draft. You can generally find options such as DeSean Jackson, Torrey Smith, Emmanuel Sanders, Roddy White and Mike Wallace after the fourth round, so you will have a better investment than Johnson in the later rounds.
Age, a rocky relationship and taking time to potentially learn a new system are detractors for drafting Johnson, and fantasy players are currently placing too much value on the unhappy wide receiver.
Jack Delaney is a fantasy football writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @jackbmore13, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google
