Should I drop Diontae Johnson? Week 7 Fantasy projection for Panthers WR

Diontae Johnson got off to a slow start to the 2024 fantasy football season, totaling just 34 yards across his first two games. He has turned things around since then, finishing among the top 12 weekly wide receivers in three of the past four weeks with three touchdowns.

Unfortunately, the veteran suffered an ankle injury ahead of Week 7, putting his availability in jeopardy. He also plays in one of the worst offenses in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. So despite his recent hot streak, these two factors make him a potential drop candidate from fantasy rosters.

Should I drop Diontae Johnson for Week 7 fantasy football?

Diontae Johnson

It's fair to wonder if Diontae Johnson turned a corner in fantasy football across his recently impressive performances. He may find it difficult to maintain his current elite-level play, considering he plays in a poor offense with a bad quarterback situation.

Considering how good he has been across the past four weeks, including three games with at least 75 yards and a touchdown, he is difficult to drop in fantasy football. His ankle injury complicates his outlook, plus there is the capped upside of playing in the Carolina Panthers offense.

This makes him a potential drop candidate this week in leagues with shallow benches, especially those with fewer than 12 total fantasy teams. He is not necessarily a roster priority in these formats, though he should remain on rosters for deeper leagues.

Diontae Johnson's fantasy outlook for rest of 2024 season

Diontae Johnson was extremely disappointing in his first two games with his new team, but this was when the Panthers had Bryce Young as their starting quarterback. Since they transitioned to Andy Dalton, the veteran wide receiver has seen his fantasy numbers significantly improve.

Johnson has finished as the weekly WR12 or better three times in his four games with Dalton. He has totaled 21 receptions on 37 targets for 283 yards and three touchdowns in those three games, with the fourth game being a dud for a WR60 weekly finish.

The issue with the Panthers is they have just one win across the first six weeks of the season and are not expected to make any push toward the NFL Playoffs. Teams in this situation often give their younger and developing players more playing time as the season progresses. This makes it highly unlikely for Johnson to continue his strong output for the entire year.