David Johnson, running back, Arizona Cardinals
Johnson’s sample size is small, having played in just one game for the Cardinals so far. However, the early returns look very promising. That he caused nine missed tackles in one game compared to the 12 Andre Ellington tallied all of last season should be making the veteran very nervous and the team very happy.
https://twitter.com/FFMetrics/status/635801383996911617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The third-round draft pick made his debut in Saturday’s preseason game against the San Diego Chargers when he totaled 66 yards on 13 attempts for a stout 5.1 yards per carry. The fact that his longest rush was nine yards keeps this average in perspective—he was consistently finding ways to gain positive yardage.
The rookie was also responsible for two catches for a total of 15 yards.
At this point, it would appear that Johnson is easily breathing down the neck of Ellington for a opportunity at the starting gig. Another star performance this week against the Oakland Raiders will tighten the gap even further and will certainly make the coaches think twice about keeping him on the bench once the regular season begins.