Chris Johnson: Fantasy Football Owners Should Stick with Struggling Titans RB

No fantasy football player has been more disappointing through two weeks than Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson. Even though his poor performances have likely led to a lot of 0-2 starts, owners should continue to stick with him.

It's tough to comprehend how one of the NFL's most dynamic playmakers can be averaging barely over one yard per carry. A combination of poor offensive line play and a lack of aggressiveness from Johnson certainly plays a role, but in reality there are a myriad of factors.

Everything from opposing defenses that aren't respecting a passing game led by second-year quarterback Jake Locker to play-calling has had an impact on Johnson. It takes more than one breakdown for a player like him to have so little success.

That said, the options for Johnson's fantasy owners are extremely limited. It took a high draft pick to acquire him just a couple of weeks ago, and there's no chance another team would be willing to match that type of value right now.

In order to trade him, owners would have to accept a low-ball offer of gigantic proportions. It's hard to imagine anybody offering more than a fringe flex player for him at this point because there's plenty of risk involved with owning him.

It's also far too soon to consider dropping him for a hot waiver-wire commodity. Anybody who decided to let him loose early last season after a similarly slow start ended up missing out on some productive games in the second half.

The only way dropping him would become a reasonable alternative is if he loses his starting job, at which point he would basically hold no value. However, given his track record, that doesn't seem like a probable outcome right now.

In reality, the best choice available for Johnson owners is riding out the storm. It can't get any worse than it's been for the first two weeks, and everybody knows the potential for him to bounce back in a major way is there.

Even after last season's slow start, he managed to gain nearly 1,500 total yards. A little patience usually goes a long way in fantasy football, especially when the alternative options are about as terrible as Johnson's numbers through two weeks.

Although Johnson's fantasy owners are justifiably perturbed right now, it's important to remember why he was drafted so high in the first place. He's a player who can carry teams on his back when he's playing up to his sky-high potential.

Hang tight and hope he returns to that level in the near future. It's really the only wise option at this point.