Jason Wood's Thoughts

For a guy that was the 1st overall draft pick and has written two autobiographies before the age of 33, Keyshawn Johnson doesn't get the respect he deserves. Johnson has been burdened by lofty expectations early in his career, and as a result it's as though fantasy owners fail to see his value.

Thanks to the arrival of Terrell Owens to Big D, Keyshawn heads back to the NFC South for a second stint, this time with Carolina. The Panthers have the makings of a Super Bowl contender; and Johnson addresses one of the few glaring holes on the roster. Steve Smith was absolutely dominant last year, but the Panthers had virtually no other option. Johnson not only provides a reliable WR2, but his skill set is complementary to Smith's considerable talents.

• Johnson is an able blocker...he'll play a huge role in the Panthers plan to run the ball early and often
• Johnson is sure handed and can make plays in the middle of the field...Johnson flourishes in the middle, finding a way to get open in tight coverage. He has good body control and strong hands, essential for making grabs with a safety or linebacker bearing down on you

Some seem to be concerned that Keyshawn can't handle someone else being the spotlight; or more accurately handle being a team's 2nd receiver. Yet, that was his role in Dallas a year ago. It would be one thing if Johnson wasn't going to get his targets, but the Panthers don't have a TE that can catch passes, and don't make a habit of throwing to their tailbacks much. As a result, there are going to be plenty of targets coming Johnson's way even if Steve Smith remains the league's most targeted receiver.

Positives

• Johnson is as reliable as they come; he understands his role, has good hands and doesn't hesitate to make plays over the middle
• The Panthers don't have any RBs or tight ends that are likely to rob targets from Keyshawn or Steve Smith
• He's never finished lower than 28th in a healthy season, yet is being drafted 38th among fantasy WRs

Negatives

• Steve Smith is the star and focal point of the offense, can Keyshawn handle being a media afterthought?
• The Panthers win games by running the ball, playing tough defense and letting Steve Smith make plays; Johnson isn't going to surprise with a blockbuster year (i.e., his upside is limited)
• The Panthers have a difficult schedule versus the pass

Final Thoughts

Keyshawn Johnson isn't going to give you top-10 numbers. But he's also not going to finish worse than his ADP; and that's all you can ask for with a later round backup. Johnson hasn't finished worse than WR28 (save for the season in Tampa when he was suspended for a few games) and yet his current ADP = WR38. Don't go out of your way to draft Keyshawn; stick to your projections and rankings. But if he's the best player available, don't talk yourself out of grabbing him for fair value.

Quotations from the Message Board Thread

To view the entire Player Spotlight thread (there's a ton of fantastic commentary in there), click here.

Aerial Assault:
This is an interesting spotlight. I'm going to guess that the running game this season will be about the caliber of 2005's ground attack, and that Keyshawn will siphon off some of Smith's catches - - Smith just had no competition to speak of last year (and it's a credit to him that he did so well anyway). The third options are not outstanding, nor are the TEs, nor are any of the RBs particularly skilled pass catchers, so it seems like Johnson will see plenty of balls as the #2 and the designated possession guy.

Boysenberry:
This is definitely a tough nut to crack. Best comps I could find is Muhammy's stats from 2003. The experience level is the same and Muhammy's speed differential is offset by his crummy receiving skills. Based on this, I see Keyshawn posting something around 60-780-4. I see very little upside above this and a very good possibility of numbers closer to 50-650-3. Proceed with caution.

Cowboys#1:
I really like Keyshawn in Carolina, he is a fantastic possession receiver and should work very nicely with Steve Smith and Jake Delhomme. His td #'s have never lit the world on fire (1,5,6,6) in the last 4 full seasons but his yardage #'s are nice, i think he will finish as RB #25-29 and would be a decent #2 or an excellent #3.

Keyshawn Johnson Projections

SOURCE	RSHYD	RSHTD	REC	RECYD	RECTD
Jason Wood	0	0	66	880	5
Message Board Consensus	0	0	62	786	6