Calvin Johnson Will Put Up Modest Fantasy Numbers in Week 10 Against Dolphins

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is all set to return to gridiron on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins after missing three games with a high ankle sprain.

Johnson told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday that his ankle "feels good," and he expects to contribute on Sunday.

"Corey (Fuller) was in there doing what I did, and we're still going to, both of us, play that role. He plays the X as well. But I'm definitely back in the lineup," he said, via Birkett.

However, fantasy owners expecting Johnson to explode back onto the scene may have to temper their expectations for Week 10. The Miami Dolphins defense should be able to harass quarterback Matthew Stafford and prevent him from having a big day, limiting the value of the Lions wideouts.

Much has been made of the Lions nasty defense, but the Dolphins unit really isn't that far behind. Miami's defense ranks second in the league in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), per FootballOutsiders.com. The Lions defense ranks first by that efficiency metric.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Miami features two excellent pass rushers in Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, who have combined for 11 sacks and five forced fumbles this season.

That's bad news for the person in charge of getting grass stains out of Stafford's jersey after the game, as the Lions' pass-blockers have given up 24 sacks this season. Quarterbacks also have a collective 76.9 rating against the Dolphins defense this season, per ESPN.com.

Johnson doesn't have to deal with the pass rush himself, but he does have to contend with cornerback Brent Grimes, who is putting together a fine 2014 campaign. Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel likes Grimes' chances this week:

The tough-as-nails corner may only be 5'10", but Stafford isn't counting him out due to his size.

"He plays a whole lot bigger than his size is listed," Stafford said of the 5-10 Grimes, via Chris Perkins of the Sun-Sentinel. "One of the bigger things is he's got great ball skills. He doesn't miss many opportunities to get an interception."

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

There is some room for optimism, however, as Perkins noted that Green Bay Packers wideout Jordy Nelson had nine catches for 107 yards and one score when (mostly) shadowed by Grimes earlier this season.

Then again, Nelson wasn't coming off a high ankle sprain in that contest, and the Packers have had plenty of opportunities to gel as a unit, something that can't necessarily be said for the Lions.

The Lions, despite their myriad offensive weapons, haven't been able to put together too many complete games on offense this season. Detroit's attack is ranked just 25th in DVOA, per FootballOutsiders.com, and is 24th in scoring with 203 points per game.

Injuries to the likes of Johnson and running back Reggie Bush have thwarted their best-made plans, and it could take some time for this unit to coalesce into the formidable attack it was in 2013, when the offense put up 392.1 yards per game. Now that Johnson is back in the fold, the offense should feature a better set of weapons than the majority of the teams the 'Fins have faced this year, especially at wideout.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

The emergence of receiver Golden Tate, who has four 100-yard receiving performances in his last five games, should create one-on-one matchup opportunities for Johnson against Grimes, where the former has the advantage in jump-ball situations.

That being said, Tate's reliability means Stafford is unlikely to hone in on his long-time favorite target. Stafford now has two formidable wideouts to hit on any given play. If his passing numbers are indeed limited, they are likely to be divvied up between Tate and Johnson.

Miami should be able to stifle Detroit's attack, but the Lions own defense will ensure this game is close one and the team won't have to throw the ball a ton to play catch up.

Johnson is still a must start this week due to his vast potential, but it may take a week or two for him to return to bona fide-WR1 status. He's still the most explosive wideout in the game when healthy, although Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Antonio Brown is making a strong case as the league's best receiver.

Expect Johnson to put up strong fantasy numbers in the second half of the season, but don't bet on a big game this Sunday.