Every season, there are players who break out onto the scene who may not have been dominant the season before, whether they had limited snaps, dealt with an injury or just improved as a player in the offseason.
This is the first story in a five-part series counting down the top Chargers players who I believe are most likely to have a breakout season in 2021.
Coming into the 2020 season, there was the question of who would be the receivers that would establish themselves as reliable pass-catching options behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
One of those players was Johnson.
Johnson, an undrafted rookie from 2019 out of Oklahoma State, flashed in spurts throughout the year, but showed his true potential when injuries to Allen and Williams led to extended playing time.
In 12 games, Johnson amassed 20 receptions for 398 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and three touchdowns, with zero drops. Four of his first five receptions in the NFL went for 50 yards or more.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Johnson will be a part of a crowded position group that returns Jalen Guyton, who had 28 catches for 511 yards and three scores in 2020, along with the addition of Josh Palmer, the team’s third-round selection.
While it may seem like it will be a battle for him to get more playing time than he did last year, Palmer’s skillset coupled with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi philosophy of enforcing different personnel packages depending on the defenses they’re facing, could lead to high production.
Therefore, if the team wants speed and reliable hands, Johnson is their guy.
The bottom line is that Johnson has the opportunity to become one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s go-to targets because of how well he does in the intermediate and deep parts of the field, which is where the signal-caller is pinpoint-precise.