NFL Thursday: The Rise of CJ0K? Nah.

"I don't want that thing! You keep it."

I've been struggling to determine if there is any competition at all for the Biggest Fantasy Bust of the Year award. Discounting injuries to the likes of Steven Jackson and Ryan Mathews (natch) I can't locate another pick in the first two rounds who has underperformed as dramatically as Chris Johnson has. It could be said that CJ has taken underperforming to the next level. The way he runs into the pack, the way he never avoids being immediately wrapped up, the way he stops and waits while mediocre defenses like the Chargers and Detroit hold him to a combined 41 yards and a decent defense like the Vikings held him to a single fantasy point -- which he only got in PPR leagues.

In my office auction league where I cracked open the vault and made Johnson my most expensive draft pick, I am a morbid 0-5 and the guys in the league just shake their heads and give me a sad, condescending look as I pass them in the office. Their interior monologue screams: "How do they let this guy write about fantasy?" Thanks primarily to Chris Johnson I spend half of my water cooler discussions trying to convince people that I have two teams that are in first place in other leagues...no, really! I swear!

But why would they believe a person who so stoutly endorsed Chris Johnson? So is tonight's game pitting the Steelers' 6th rated rush D against the Titans going to be a spring board for CJ2K? Doubtful. Due to bye week issues I'm forced to start him, thankfully in another league my opponent must do the same, win some, lose some.

Despite this game being played in Tennessee, and despite the Steelers not really being all that awesome, there is no indication that Pittsburgh won't destroy the last fragments of the hope the 1-4 Titans may be holding on to. When they are 1-5 and miles removed from the playoff race, Chris Johnson can feel free to mount his mid-season return to form and no one in Tennessee will care, and neither will any of the fantasy owners who sacrificed their seasons for the worst top pick of all time.

On the plus side these Thursday games have been competitive and better viewing than playoff baseball or anything on NBC. But maybe not as good as Archer reruns.



Gotta Play Big Ben, Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, Rashard Mendenhall and the Steelers D - obviously.