Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Stats

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson is worth keeping an eye on while Josh Jacobs remains unavailable. The Packers traded a 2028 sixth-round pick for Johnson on Aug. 30 after his quiet rookie season in Pittsburgh, where he managed only 69 yards on 28 carries. The opportunity in Green Bay is better. MarShawn Lloyd should get the first crack at leading the backfield, but Johnson has already worked alongside him with the first-team offense, while Chris Brooks is better suited for passing-down work. Johnson also has some familiarity with Matt LaFleur's system after playing in a similar offense during his final season at Iowa. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter, and RotoBaller currently has him at RB70 for the opener against Minnesota. The waiver outlook is more interesting than the immediate lineup value. RotoBaller recommends Johnson in leagues with 14 or more teams, which fits where things stand. He's a speculative stash with a path to more work if this backfield stays unsettled.

Iowa Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Tim Lester spent the 2023 season with the Green Bay Packers as an analyst and was named offensive coordinator at Iowa in 2024, where he inherited new Packers running back Kaleb Johnson and brought along head coach Matt LaFleur's offense, according to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. "He should have unbelievable familiarity with the system, that's for sure, because that's exactly what we ran his senior year of college, which is good," Lester said. "And so I've been excited for him to get his shot and kind of get settled. The NFL normally takes a little bit of time to get adjusted, but definitely a talented kid." It should help Johnson, a third-rounder by the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, get up to speed much faster after recently being acquired in a trade from Pittsburgh to help the Packers with RB depth now that Josh Jacobs will not be with the team to begin the 2026 season. Johnson had 1,537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns at Iowa in 2024, with 4.4 yards on average coming after contact. The 23-year-old excels at breaking tackles, although he only had 28 carries for 69 yards (2.5 yards per carry) in 10 games with the Steelers as a rookie. Johnson's rookie season was forgettable, but he could quickly turn things around in Green Bay in an offense he is much more familiar with. MarShawn Lloyd is expected to get the first crack at RB1 duties with Jacobs out, but Johnson should not be ignored as a late-round handcuff with rising value because of Jacobs' status.

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson has been traded over from the Pittsburgh Steelers and amid the troubles with running back Josh Jacobs, the Packers organization is high on the addition of Johnson. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst had this to say about Johnson as a newcomer to the team: "Excited to get Kaleb in here. Young player with huge upside ... He comes from a very strong program. He had a lot of success there. There's some similar scheme stuff, a lot of outside-zone." Johnson comes from the Iowa Hawkeyes college program and has a real shot to make a name for himself with Jacobs on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Johnson could be a nice late-round addition to fantasy teams with some "huge upside" as stated by his new GM.

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson went from being off the redraft radar in Pittsburgh to having a real path to touches almost overnight. The Packers acquired the 2025 third-round pick on Sunday for a 2028 sixth-rounder, the same day Josh Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Johnson is not jumping MarShawn Lloyd, who enters the season as Green Bay's No. 1 back, and Chris Brooks is still part of the mix. The situation is a lot better than the one Johnson left behind, though. He managed only 69 yards on 28 carries as a rookie and was a cut candidate in Pittsburgh after averaging 3.1 yards per carry this preseason. Green Bay still chose to trade for the 6-foot-1, 224-pound back rather than wait for him to hit waivers. Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in his final season at Iowa, so the pedigree is there even if the NFL production hasn't been. With Jacobs unavailable and Lloyd carrying a lengthy injury history, Johnson is back on the late-round redraft radar.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading running back Kaleb Johnson to the Green Bay Packers, according to Jeremy Fowler. The move comes with some uncertainty surrounding Josh Jacobs, who was formally charged with two misdemeanors Thursday and could still face discipline from the NFL. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said earlier this week that the team had been preparing for the possibility of a Jacobs suspension, although there has been no indication that the Johnson trade was made specifically because of that situation. Johnson moves on after a quiet rookie season in Pittsburgh, where the 2025 third-round pick managed just 69 yards on 28 carries in 10 games. He was much more productive during his final season at Iowa, rushing for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns. Green Bay already has Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd and Pierre Strong Jr. behind Jacobs, so Johnson isn't guaranteed a meaningful role. Adding another back now, though, gives the Packers more insurance while Jacobs' Week 1 availability remains unsettled.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson is projected to be released within the upcoming weeks, according to a 53-man roster prediction from Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. "Moving on from a third-round pick just one year after he was drafted would be a tough look for the Steelers," DeFabo wrote. "However, that possibility is looking increasingly likely." Johnson was essentially nonexistent on offense as a rookie last year, and he struggled this preseason to the tune of 57 rushing yards on 17 carries (3.1 YPC). Those are subpar numbers, especially for a once-highly-touted running back going up against reserve defenders. DeFabo notes that in addition to the offensive shortcomings, Johnson is replaceable on special teams. He projected that Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle will handle almost all of the offensive snaps, while Travis Homer makes the team as the No. 3 running back with plenty of experience and talent on special teams. If that is the case, Johnson will be the odd man out just one year after being a Day 3 pick. He's tough to trust in dynasty leagues, and he should be avoided in all redraft formats.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson handled 10 carries for 39 yards and caught both of his targets for 15 yards in a 17-0 preseason loss to the New York Jets. Johnson, who was surprisingly limited to just two touches in last week's win, was featured heavily on Friday night and received the vast majority of Pittsburgh's opportunities out of the backfield. While he couldn't find much daylight, the second-year pro ran hard and showcased his ability as a pass-catcher. Johnson took over for starters Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in the second quarter and remained involved into the early stages of the fourth. At this point, it's clear that Johnson is competing for a depth role, and potentially a roster spot, alongside fellow running backs Lew Nichols, Eli Heidenreich, and Travis Homer. His final preseason opportunity will come Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson is in a battle for his roster spot and could end up not making the final roster, according to The Athletic's Mike DeFabo. Johnson was the team's third-round pick just over a year ago, but he didn't make much of a positive impact as a rookie and has struggled in limited work in training camp. He only had two carries for three yards in the team's preseason game and was most notable for being yelled at on the sideline by special teams coach Danny Crossman. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle will likely get most of the work at running back for the Steelers, with Travis Homer mixing in as a specialist. Lew Nichols seems to have passed Johnson as well, which puts Johnson in danger of being cut if he doesn't step up in the rest of the preseason. Johnson isn't a fantasy factor at this point, but his roster status is worth watching.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson handled just two carries for three yards in Thursday night's preseason win over the Green Bay Packers. Johnson, a third-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, doesn't appear to have won over Pittsburgh's new coaching staff just yet, as he didn't enter the contest until late in the third quarter. Although he was listed as the team's RB3 on the updated depth chart released earlier this week, Johnson played behind veterans Travis Homer and Lew Nichols and was out-touched by rookie running back Eli Heidenreich in the second half. Johnson could see an uptick in opportunities as the preseason continues, but it's becoming increasingly unlikely that he will have a meaningful role in the offense this season behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. While he remains worth stashing in deeper dynasty formats, Johnson is off the fantasy radar for redraft purposes.

PennLive.com's Nick Farabaugh reported that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson is still getting kick return work in practice. Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said he has been pleased with Johnson's special teams play, including as a returner. Johnson will likely need to stand out on special teams to earn carries on offense. The Steelers drafted the 23-year-old in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft as a potential replacement for Najee Harris, and he quickly became a trendy sleeper in fantasy football leagues. However, Johnson was phased out of the offense and finished with 69 rushing yards on 28 carries in 10 games. There was optimism he could become a main back in his second season, but that faded after the team signed Rico Dowdle early in the offseason. Johnson will remain a dynasty stash for the foreseeable future but can be dropped if managers need extra roster space.