Bryant Johnson

Johnson should get a chance to work as the No. 2 receiver in Detroit -- opposite Calvin Johnson -- in a role that will likely put him on a few preseason "sleeper" lists given all of the attention that opposing defenses will give Megatron. He'll need to hold off the likes of Ronald Curry and rookie Derrick Williams, and our guess is that he will. Of course getting away from Arizona (and out of the shadow of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin) last year did not produce great dividends for Johnson in San Francisco and don't expect either great consistency or explosive numbers from him in Detroit.

Johnson's a difficult player to project for a few reasons. First, despite being a first-round draft choice, he's largely been buried behind Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin for most of his career. Second, his numbers the last couple seasons are all over the place. In 2006, he averaged 18.5 yards per catch, but in 2007, he went back to his usual 11.5. Finally, Johnson will be starting for the 49ers this season, and it's unclear who's going to be throwing him the ball. What is clear is that he'll get more targets than ever before, especially with Mike Martz calling the plays. At 6-3, 216, and with good speed, Johnson's got the physical tools to be a star receiver. He’s an adequate route runner and possesses good hands, though he's been plagued by inconsistency and lack of focus. It's possible that being more involved in the offense will change that.

Johnson is Arizona's No. 3 receiver and a solid deep threat. He posted a team-high 18.5 yards per catch average in 2006 along with four receiving touchdowns. He could be hurt in 2007 by new head coach Ken Whisenhunt's emphasis on the running game, but Arizona won't completely abandon the passing game and an improved running game could actually lead to more downfield chances for Johnson.

Johnson and Troy Walters are the leading candidates to serve as Arizona's third receiver this season. While Johnson has been consistent in his first three NFL seasons, he has not been overly successful. Unless either Anquan Boldin or Larry Fitzgerald misses a significant number of games, Johnson will probably be in the neighborhood of 35-50 receptions, 400-600 yards and 1-3 touchdowns once again. 9/3 Update: Johnson will open the regular season as Arizona's third wideout.

Johnson will be the third receiver for the Cardinals. However, coach Dennis Green's offense features three receivers. Johnson has turned heads in training camp as he and quarterback Kurt Warner have clicked. Look for Johnson to post less catches than Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald but to get his fair share of red zone looks.

Johnson enters the season surrounded with question marks. The former first-rounder did little to impress in 2003 and was surpassed by second round pick Anquan Boldin. He begins 2004 season as the starter, and should be the deep threat on a young group that includes Boldin and rookie Larry Fitzgerald. He has the natural ability to excel but doesn't come highly recommended this year without proof. Someone for the late rounds in deep leagues or to monitor as a waiver pick up during the year.

The future for Johnson looks bright. He will be paired up long-term with Anquan Boldin and Marquise Walker. Now all Arizona needs is a quarterback to get them the ball. We are not high on Johnson's 2003, but his upside is huge.