D'Ernest Johnson

D'Ernest Johnson

28-Year-Old Running BackRB
Jacksonville Jaguars
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Johnson's 2021 campaign remains the high-water mark of his career so far, and he's had fewer carries in his other four seasons combined. In his first year outside of Cleveland, his efficiency also took a major step backward, creating some doubt whether he can be effective outside of Kevin Stefanski's scheme. Johnson runs with some power and doesn't go down easily, but a lack of speed, vision and elusiveness means that defenders have little trouble getting to him. He'll compete with Tank Bigsby for backup snaps behind Travis Etienne in the Jaguars' backfield. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#519.88
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $1.28 million contract with the Jaguars in March of 2024.
Reverts to No. 3 role
RBJacksonville Jaguars
November 4, 2024
Johnson carried twice for six yards and failed to catch his lone target during Sunday's 28-23 loss to the Eagles.
ANALYSIS
The 28-year-old played 13 offensive snaps as Jacksonville's backfield returned to full strength, though that was only slightly less playing time than starter Travis Etienne saw in his return from two-game absence. Johnson should continue to see sporadic opportunities as the Jaguars' depth back while Etienne and Tank Bigsby remain healthy.
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NFL Stats
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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.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do D'Ernest Johnson's 2024 advanced stats compare to other running backs?
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.
  • Broken Tackle %
    The number of broken tackles divided by rush attempts.
  • Positive Run %
    The percentage of run plays where he was able to gain positive yardage.
  • % Yds After Contact
    The percentage of his rushing yards that came after contact.
  • Avg Yds After Contact
    The average rushing yards he gains after contact.
  • Rushing TD %
    Rushing touchdowns divided by rushing attempts. In other words, how often is he scoring when running the ball.
  • Touches Per Game
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) he is averaging per game
  • % Snaps w/Touch
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) divided by offensive snaps played.
  • 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.
Broken Tackle %
23.1%
 
Positive Run %
84.6%
 
% Yds After Contact
78.7%
 
Avg Yds After Contact
3.3
 
Rushing TD %
0.0%
 
Touches Per Game
4.3
 
% Snaps w/Touch
25.2%
 
Air Yards Per Game
-0.8
 
Air Yards Per Snap
-0.04
 
% Team Air Yards
-0.3%
 
% Team Targets
5.0%
 
Avg Depth of Target
-0.5 Yds
 
Catch Rate
61.5%
 
Drop Rate
0.0%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
10.4
 
% Targeted On Route
17.1%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
1.01
 
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Jacksonville JaguarsJaguars 2024 RB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
D.D'Ernest Johnson
#% of Team Snaps

20139%
2712%
18436%
12053%
13526%
8437%
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where D'Ernest Johnson lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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This Week's Opposing Pass Defense
How does the Vikings pass defense compare to other NFL teams this season?
The bars represents the team's percentile rank (based on QB Rating Against). The longer the bar, the better their pass defense is. The team and position group ratings only include players that are currently on the roster and not on injured reserve. The list of players in the table only includes defenders with at least 3 attempts against them.
MIN
vs Vikings
Sunday, Nov 10th at 1:00PM
Overall QB Rating Against
60.1
 
Cornerbacks
70.9
 
Safeties
61.5
 
Linebackers
40.7
 
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2024 D'Ernest Johnson Split Stats
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring D'Ernest Johnson See More
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
Johnson joined Jacksonville on a one-year deal in March but may have a difficult time earning a spot on the season-opening roster. The 27-year-old totaled 671 scrimmage yards and three scores for the Browns during the 2021 campaign, but he received just seven offensive touches last season while primarily playing special teams. Travis Etienne is locked in as the starter with third-round rookie Tank Bigsby also guaranteed a roster spot, leaving Johnson to battle it out for slotting with JaMycal Hasty, Snoop Conner and Quadree Ollison.
Arguably the best No. 3 back in the league, Johnson got a chance to show what he could do last year when both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were out midseason. As the starter Week 7 against Denver, Johnson erupted for 168 total yards and a TD, then added 157 more yards a few weeks later against the Patriots. While he doesn't have breakaway speed, he runs with impressive power and finds a way to grind out extra yards, recording 10 broken tackles on only 100 carries last year. That was the fifth-best rate in the league among backs with triple-digit carries, and only a hair behind Chubb's 9.9 carries per broken tackle. Cleveland's passing game will be a bigger point of emphasis with Deshaun Watson under center, however, and while Johnson should be effective again with his touches, he'd probably need a serious injury ahead of him on the depth chart (or a trade) to see significant volume.
By the end of the 2020 season, Johnson carved out a niche role as Cleveland's primary kick and punt returner. He appeared in all 16 games for the second straight season, and there's something to be said for being healthy and reliable. The third-year back had one big game against Dallas in Week 4 when Nick Chubb wasn't available, but his role on offense was limited once Chubb and Kareem Hunt were both healthy. The Browns drafted running back Demetric Felton, who duplicates Johnson's skills, so there may be room on the roster for just one of the two.
Johnson moved from the Alliance of Amercian Football (AAF) to the NFL prior to the 2019 season and stuck around with the Browns for the full season, appearing in all 16 games. The 23-year-old running back had some early contributions while Dontrell Hilliard (concussion) and Kareem Hunt (suspension) were unavailable, but he was mainly a special-teamer. With Hunt and Nick Chubb in place, the all-purpose Johnson, who is under team control for another two seasons, is expected to compete for the third running back job with Hilliard and could be the primary punt returner in 2020.
With Kareem Hunt serving an eight-game suspension and Duke Johnson having been traded to the Texans, Johnson faces the opportunity to carve out a reserve role behind Nick Chubb. Dontrell Hilliard appears to be ahead on the depth chart, but Johnson could see notable snaps in a high-powered Browns offense if Chubb were to miss any time.
More Fantasy News
Less involved as No. 2 back
RBJacksonville Jaguars
October 28, 2024
Johnson carried once for three yards and caught one of two targets for 20 yards during Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Packers.
ANALYSIS
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Solid in No. 2 role Sunday
RBJacksonville Jaguars
October 20, 2024
Johnson rushed nine times for 38 yards and brought in three of four targets for 32 yards in the Jaguars' 32-16 win over the Patriots on Sunday in London.
ANALYSIS
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Role could expand sans Etienne
RBJacksonville Jaguars
October 20, 2024
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson suggested that Johnson is in line to take on a greater role out of the backfield for Sunday's game against the Patriots in London due to Travis Etienne (hamstring) set to be inactive for the contest, Steve Wyche of NFL Network reports.
ANALYSIS
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Team-high yardage total in loss
RBJacksonville Jaguars
October 13, 2024
Johnson rushed six times for 28 yards and brought in both targets for 16 yards in the Jaguars' 35-16 loss to the Bears on Sunday in London.
ANALYSIS
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Three touches Week 5
RBJacksonville Jaguars
October 7, 2024
Johnson rushed once for one yard and caught two of three targets for nine yards during Sunday's 37-34 win against the Colts.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Could play more with Etienne hurt
RBJacksonville Jaguars
October 13, 2024
Johnson could be poised for a larger role in Week 7 against the Patriots, as Travis Etienne exited Sunday's loss to the Bears due to a hamstring injury.
ANALYSIS
Johnson led the Jaguars with 28 rushing yards in Sunday's 35-16 loss. Tank Bigsby would likely get the lead role if Etienne is unavailable against New England, but Johnson would be in line for more touches and could be the Jaguars' running back of choice in passing situations.
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