Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The sad saga of Larry Johnson



Remember when Larry Johnson was a fantasy star?

Remember the dude who ran for 1,750 yards and 20 TDs in 2005? And 1,789 and 17 TDs the next year?

That guy's gone forever.

LJ's injuries and an extreme number of carries (416 in 2006!) conspired to sap him of the quickness he once possessed, making him an incresingly ineffective runner in recent times. And his bad attitude and poor judgment sealed his fate, leading to his release from Kansas City.

Johnson got a second chance this week, signing with the Bengals as their fourth-string running back and an insurance policy for Cedric Benson, who's battling a hip injury. LJ, who turns 30 on Thursday, will essentially be a scout-team back for Cincinnati and isn't likely to see the field assuming Benson, the league's 6th-leading rusher, is healthy enough to suit up.

In other words, Johnson is no longer fantasy relevant.

I did have him ranked 27th among running backs this preseason, meaning he was worth drafting but didn't deserve to be one of your top two backs. Hopefully you're ready to move on - if you haven't already - and can send LJ packing. It was fun while it lasted.

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