Andre Johnson is the Texans all-time leading receiver with 880 receptions, 61 touchdowns, and a most impressive 12,104 yards receiving. To give this context, there are only two active receivers ahead of Johnson in yardage (Reggie Wayne and Tony Gonzalez) and they have an additional three years and five years respectively, of NFL playing time. An eleven year veteran, Johnson is imposing at six-foot three inches tall, weighing in at 230 pounds. In the modern NFL, with wide receivers more in the five-foot ten-inch to six foot range, Johnson is considered a B-I-G wide receiver. For the Texans, Johnson could well be the biggest player in the franchise’s history.
Andre Johnson was the Texans second first round draft pick, selected third overall in 2003. The Texans, who were the newly created franchise to replace the old Houston Oilers, were just one year old when Johnson was drafted by the team. But based on his level of play, and his eleven seasons in the league, you would think Johnson should have been the team’s first overall pick — ever! — one year earlier.
When Johnson came out of college, he had all the tools to excel at the NFL-level besides size and speed, (4.40-forty yard dash). Adjectives galore could be used to describe Johnson’s big play ability then and now. He is strong, muscular, and explosive. Johnson is a competitor as his past battles with former Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan are well remembered as feisty, physical, and downright nasty. He could snatch the ball out of the air, over the middle or down deep on the sidelines, and then break for multiple yards after the catch. Besides being a great leaper and pass catcher, Andre Johnson can bock. He’s not just a great wide receiver, but a great overall football player.
While Johnson has battled injury with four incomplete seasons to his name, in six of the remaining seven seasons, Johnson has six times had more than 1,100 yards receiving and three times had more than 1,500 yards receiving. While Johnson has yet to post double digit touchdowns, he’s come close four times. And four times, Johnson has caught one hundred-plus receptions during the course of the season. Johnson has also played at a high level regardless of who the quarterback has been for the Texans, like regular starters David Carr or Matt Schaub, or back-ups Sage Rosenfels or T.J. Yates. While this preseason there was talk that Johnson had lost a step, so far this regular season, Andre Johnson has shown little signs of letting up or letting go of his top-five status (yardage and receptions).
This season, Andre Johnson has 62 receptions in nine games for 850 yards and 5 TDs! The simple math says Johnson should post 110 receptions for 1,510 yards and 9 touchdowns, a quintessential Johnson-esque type of season. But, Johnson could do better. Most of Johnson’s production has come with rookie Case Keenum under center. Since Keenum became the starter three games ago, Johnson has posted 18 receptions for 355 yards. Plus, all five of the TDs came with Keenum under center. If Johnson and Keenum can keep up this torrid pace, Johnson would set career highs in yards (1,600-plus) and TDs (14 to 16). Amazing!
This week, the Texans play a Raiders team that has struggled in pass defense, giving up an average of 240 yards and one to two touchdowns to receivers per game, and this excludes the Eagles game where there were seven passing touchdowns. Somehow, someway, Johnson looks ear-marked for another 100 yard receiving game and add a score. The Raiders defensive backs should have their hands full with Johnson. Andre Johnson is The Fantasy Greek’s fantasy football player of the week.
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Written By: Jim Saranteas – @TheFantasyGreek and @JimSaranteas on Twitter
Founder of the fantasy football advice site TheFantasyGreek.com
