Should I start Diontae Johnson? Week 8 Fantasy Outlook for Panthers WR

Diontae Johnson has been having a polarizing 2024 fantasy football season in his first year with the Carolina Panthers. He has finished among the top 12 weekly wide receivers in three of his seven games this year, but outside of the top 60 in his other four.

The wide range of results for the veteran receiver makes him a difficult player to trust in weekly starting lineups, but he has also demonstrated his upside in the right situation. Here's how to approach him in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos.

Should you start Diontae Johnson in Week 8?

Diontae Johnson (image credit: Getty)

Diontae Johnson has been on a strong run in fantasy football in recent weeks, finishing as the WR12 or better in three of his past five games. His value was sparked by the Carolina Panthers switching to Andy Dalton as their starting quarterback. Unfortunately for Johnson, they appear to be going back to Bryce Young in Week 8.

In addition to the quarterback change, Johnson will also have to compete with one of the best overall defenses in the NFL when he faces off against the Denver Broncos. He will also have to do so on the road in one of the most difficult stadiums for away teams. All of this suggests that Johnson is better off left on the bench in fantasy football this week.

Diontae Johnson's fantasy outlook for the rest of the 2024 season

Diontae Johnson switched teams for the first time in his NFL career ahead of the 2024 season. He previously spent every year with the Pittsburgh Steelers but joined the Carolina Panthers this season. His first two games on a new team were a massive struggle as he totaled just five receptions for 34 yards.

The veteran then exploded in his third game, finishing as the weekly WR6 after the Panthers made a quarterback change to Andy Dalton. The move seems to have benefited Johnson greatly as he now ranks as the overall WR20 this year. This would normally give him a bright fantasy outlook for the remainder of the season, but the team is reportedly going back to Bryce Young.

It's unclear if Johnson's early struggles were strictly related to Young's poor play, as it may have also been due to adjusting to a new team for the first time. The wide receiver will be difficult to trust in weekly fantasy football lineups until he proves he can be productive with Young, so for now, he makes sense as a bench stash.

Keep an eye on how he does and if the signs are positive, slot him back in your lineup as a WR2/flex option, especially for favorable matchups.