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The Detroit Lions were more than just grateful that WR “Megatron” Calvin Johnson had a breakout superstar season in 2011.
The Lions were so grateful that they gave Johnson $132 million over eight years. An astounding $60 million of that contract is guaranteed. So a big contract brings big responsibilities.
“Megatron” is at the top of many fantasy football boards this season and justifiably so. His 96 catch season for 1,681 yards put him on a different level than most wide receivers.
Johnson was only the third receiver in NFL history to catch at least 95 passes along while amassing 1,600 yards in a single season. The other two were WR Randy Moss when he was with the Minnesota Vikings and the great San Francisco 49ers WR Jerry Rice. Not too shabby to say the least.
Even Arizona Cardinals wide out Larry Fitzgerald said that people should “Pick Megatron over me in fantasy football” last week on ESPN. That is a big statement from another one of the league’s premier wide receivers and a perennial top choice for receivers in many fantasy football drafts.
The question here is not whether or not Johnson deserves to be the first WR picked in a fantasy draft, but more so if he can duplicate his ridiculous production from 2011.
Calvin Johnson is the first WR on my board and I would not have a problem picking him in the first round if other viable quarterback and running options were not still on the board.
I would not draft him over the likes of Baltimore Ravens RB Ray Rice or Houston Texans back Arian Foster. There are several quarterbacks I would choose above him as well like Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and New England Patriots QB Tom Brady. I would even take his teammate QB Matthew Stafford before I would pick him, but that’s no slight to Johnson at all.
Chances are Johnson will not have as big of a year as he did last season, but at his age, the talent he has and the offense that he is in it is most certainly a possibility. Let’s just hope that he avoids the so-called “Madden cover jinx” in 2012.
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