Diontae Johnson injury update: Latest on Steelers WR for Fantasy Football Week 2

Diontae Johnson has been the most consistently productive wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the past three years. He has exceeded 85 receptions and 900 total yards in each of past three seasons.

He will once again wish to be a major part of their offensive scheme for the 2023 NFL season, but that may be delayed by his hamstring injury.

The Steelers wide receiver started in Week 1, so the injury occurred during the course of the game. This is a major blow to their offense moving forward, as well as for fantasy football teams, especially considering he's officially doubtful for their Week 2 contest.

Diontae Johnson's injury update

Diontae Johnson

Diontae Johnson has officially been diagnosed with a hamstring injury. While the exact severity of the concerning situation hasn't been made publicly clear, he's reportedly in danger of missing multiple weeks. This means the Pittsburgh Steelers must come up with an alternative plan to replace his consistent production. This is also true for fantasy football teams, who likely have him as a WR2 or WR3 on their rosters.

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For managers looking to trade for a Johnson replacement, make sure to use Sportskeeda's fantasy football trade analyzer.

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According to head coach Mike Tomlin when asked about Johnson's availability:

“It’s reasonable to expect he won’t be available to us this week. I feel comfortable about our in-house people.”

It doesn't sound like Johnson will make an appearance in the Steelers' Week 2 matchup against their AFC North division rivals, the Cleveland Browns. While Tomlin declined to comment on how long he thinks his star wide receiver will be out, multiple reports have suggested it could be for multiple weeks.

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Make sure to use Sportskeeda's Start/Sit optimizer when replacing Johnson in fantasy football lineups.

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Luckily for the Steelers, their roster is relatiely deep at wide receiver. George Pickens will be elevated to their WR1, while Allen Robinson, Calvin Austin, and Gunner Olszewski could see an increased workload while Johnson recovers.

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What happened to Diontae Johnson?

Diontae Johnson

Johnson was injured during the second half of the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 1 match-up against the San Francisco 49ers. It was later reported that he suffered a hamstring injury and could miss multiple weeks. Prior to being ruled out for the remainder of the game, he recorded three receptions for 48 yards.

In his first four years with the Steelers, Johnson has proven to be extremely durable and reliable. He has appeared in 63 of a possible 64 games, missing just one game due to an injury all the way back in the 2020 season.

How long is Diontae Johnson out for?

Diontae Johnson

While the Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to release an official timetable for Johnson's return, it's highly unlikely he will be available in Week 2 and he could be out for multiple games. He's currently listed as doubtful for Week 2 and Mike Tomlin already indicated that he probably won't play.

Hamstring injuries can linger for a while and can be difficult to overcome, especially for wide receivers. If he does in fact miss time, Kenny Pickett will need to rely more on his other options, rather than the heavily-targeted Johnson. Fantasy football managers will also need to come up with an alternative plan, at least for the short term.