Storm Johnson's Updated Fantasy Outlook Ahead of Week 6

There's a Storm coming in Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Jaguars head into Week 6 of the 2014 NFL season in search of their first win, and head coach Gus Bradley is looking to ignite his offense with a change in the backfield. Veteran Toby Gerhart hasn't impressed this year, averaging a measly 2.6 yards per carry. He also missed practice Thursday due to a lingering foot injury, per Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.

Meanwhile, rookie Storm Johnson could be next in line to see an increased workload.

According to Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union, Bradley appears ready to shift gears and move in the direction of the rookie, calling his runs in Week 5 against the Pittsburgh Steelers "impressive." Johnson only rushed four times against Pittsburgh, but he ripped off a 20-yard scamper in the process.

Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch shared Bradley's sentiment, stating he would like the team's backfield rotation narrowed down, via Hays Carlyon of The Florida Times-Union:

Gerhart's opportunity came and went, and Jordan Todman remains as the team's third-down option. That leaves a duo featuring Johnson with Denard Robinson.

Like rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, Johnson is a UCF product. The two have an established rapport from their time together in the Knights offense, and despite being selected at opposite ends of the draft—Bortles was a first-round pick and Johnson was a seventh—we should expect the duo to rekindle their chemistry rather quickly.

After all, Bortles was already praising Johnson following the team's Week 5 contest, via the Jaguars' official Twitter account:

So, what does Johnson bring to the table?

Aside from taking his first career carry 20 yards, Johnson has patience and great vision coming out of the backfield. He only ran a 4.60-second 40-yard dash at the combine, but his college tape shows good playing speed. Soft hands make Johnson a reliable receiver out of the backfield, and he has the ability to create solid yards after the catch.

Following this year's draft, Bleacher Report's Adam Lefkoe and Chris Simms spoke of Johnson's potential. Here's what they had to say:

The only reason we haven't seen much of Johnson to this point is due to an ankle injury he suffered before the season began. Now, he's healthy and looking to do some damage.

It appears as though the rookie ball-carrier is a great fit in Jacksonville. His vision and burst should allow him to create yards despite a run-blocking offensive line ranked 29th in the league with a negative-22.8 efficiency rating, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Expect to see Johnson's receiving ability to be heavily utilized, as quick screens will keep disruptive pass-rushers away from Jacksonville's prized signal-caller.

Fantasy owners need to act now. As of Thursday, Johnson was only owned in 0.3 percent of ESPN fantasy leagues; however, he did make the list of most-added running backs. All he needs is one quality showing to have a shot at landing the starting job for the remainder of the season. He'll have a great chance to do just that in Week 6 against a 26th-ranked Tennessee Titans run defense allowing an average of 136.8 yards per game on the ground.

Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweeted Tennessee's lopsided defensive rankings:

If Johnson is available on your league's waiver wire, grab him immediately. Johnson's value is clouded in Week 6. Despite his favorable matchup, it's still unclear as to how many carries he'll receive. Consider his a flex play in deeper leagues with a slightly higher value in PPR formats.

This is the lowest Johnson's value will be for the remainder of the season, and his new fantasy owners will be rewarded with a player who has solid RB2 potential, or at the very least, can become very nice trade bait.