Ty Johnson, J.D. McKissic Fantasy Outlook After Kerryon Johnson's Injury

Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson is going to miss an extended period of time after being placed on injured reserve Tuesday, leaving the door open for J.D. McKissic and Ty Johnson make a fantasy impact.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Lions put Johnson on IR after he underwent surgery on his knee. 

Per ESPN's Michael Rothstein, Detroit head coach Matt Patricia hopes to get Johnson back later this season. 

Johnson has been the go-to option in the backfield for Detroit this season. He leads the team in carries (92), rushing yards (308) and averages 14.0 yards per reception. 

But which player should fantasy owners target? And who is primed for the bigger game?

Ty Johnson has the higher upside. He has blazing speed and has shown the ability to make some plays out of the backfield as a receiver. He's more likely to take it to the house than McKissic given his big-play potential, giving him major sleeper potential.

He absolutely should be rostered in all leagues and carries flex consideration.

But he also carries serious risk, since Detroit could easily find itself in a platoon situation while Kerryon Johnson is out. 

McKissic and Johnson have largely split the backup carries to this point, and while Ty Johnson is an inexperienced rookie, McKissic is a four-year veteran who saw some run in 2017 as a backup in Seattle, rushing 46 times for 187 yards and a score.

McKissic has been more impressive, albeit in a limited sample size. He has 109 yards on 15 carries. Johnson only has 83 yards on 23 carries. 

If Detroit is hesitant to turn the reins over completely to Ty Johnson, McKissic could easily see half the workload, severely limiting the upside for either player. 

Johnson is the play here, but he's hardly a safe bet. He's worth rolling the dice on as a weekly flex consideration, but keep your expectations in check. It's unlikely he'll see the sort of workload Kerryon Johnson received before his injury.

---

Need more help with your fantasy football lineup? Matt Camp solves your fantasy problems live on B/R Gridiron's new show, Your Fantasy Fire Drill. Download the B/R app now to submit your questions and tune in every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET.