Rookie Profile: Dillon Johnson, Running Back, Tennessee Titans
Welcome to the Rookie Profile: Dillon Johnson, a Running Back from Greensville, MS who attended Greensville High School. Johnson was a 3-star recruit and eventually walked on to Mississippi State.
Johnson began his collegiate career at Mississippi State, where he appeared in 11 games as a freshman for Mississippi State. He recorded only 225 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns but chipped in with 36 receptions for 157 yards in the receiving game.
His sophomore season of 2021 saw him double the majority of his freshman stats in his 13 appearances. His rushing total rose to 485 yards and 4 touchdowns while his reception total skyrocketed to 65 for 422 yards and 1 touchdown.
He produced a similar level in his 2022 junior season. In 11 appearances he rushed for 488 yards and 3 touchdowns. He added in 48 receptions for 285 yards. After the 2022 season, he transferred to Washington where he exploded for a career rushing year. He rushed for 1,195 yards and a whopping 16 touchdowns. His receiving totals in his senior year were the worst of his career, but it was largely due to his heavy usage in the run game.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Undrafted Free Agent Signing
- Going undrafted certainly lowers the ceiling for the former Huskies star running back, but it’s not the end of the world. There will certainly be many opportunities for Johnson to find playing time, especially when you consider the other members of this backfield.
- Johnson’s undrafted status leaves him on the fantasy radar, but not by much. He is a watch-and-see type of player.
Landing Spot- Tennessee Titans
- The Titans certainly present Johnson with the opportunity to be at least a backup in the NFL. I’ve never been a huge believer in Tony Pollard and with Tyjae Spears being unproven and having no ACL, the opportunity is right in front of him.
- I expect Johnson to start with a small role, but this situation is one where the starting job can certainly be stolen by a player who shows out in the preseason.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Depth Running Back
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
Dillon Johnson could have potential as a late-round sleeper. He currently slates as the RB3 on the Titans roster, but if you told me that he beat out both Pollard and Spears and won the Titans starting job I wouldn’t be shocked.
I’m not a huge believer in Johnson, but I also don’t believe in Spears or Pollard. I consider this a wide-open backfield.
Check out The Fantasy Football Universe Sneak Peek Video of Dillon Johnson.
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
