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Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said Tuesday that Johnson would retain the starting role at running back heading into the Week 4 matchup with the 49ers, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
After turning to Kerwynn Williams as the starter in Week 2 in place of the injured David Johnson (wrist), Arians called upon the newly re-signed Chris Johnson to lead the team's backfield in Monday's loss to the Cowboys. Johnson was unable to provide much of a spark on the ground, gaining only 17 yards on 12 carries. In spite of Johnson's lack of production, Williams logged just one offensive snap, signaling that Arians wasn't preparing for another changing of the guard in the backfield. While Johnson will receive another shot at redemption Sunday against a San Francisco defense that struggled to slow down Rams running back Todd Gurley a week earlier, the 32-year-old nonetheless projects as a low-end starting option at the position in most formats. To compensate for the weak running game, the Cardinals will likely utilize another pass-heavy attack in Week 4, as quarterback Carson Palmer has attempted no fewer than 36 passes in any of the team's first three contests. This may mean Andre Ellington will keep a frequent receiving role out of the backfield.
