Andre Ellington (knee), is out for Sunday's game in Chicago, leaving Johnson as the likely starter.

EDGE Analysis

Although David Johnson also figures to benefit from some extra snaps in Ellington's absence, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians made it quite clear that he's hesitant to give the rookie a large role, which leaves the elder Johnson to lead Arizona's backfield against a weak Chicago defense. It remains to be seen just how serious Arians is about limiting the rookie's role, but there's at least some chance Chris Johnson will get more snaps than a healthy Ellington typically would, as the Cardinals are likely worried about the younger Johnson's pass-protection skills. On the other hand, there's no guarantee Arians sticks to his anti-rookie stance, as David Johnson is a much better athlete than CJ2K at this point in their respective careers.

ESPN's Josina Anderson relays that Johnson's teammate, Andre Ellington, has has a PCL Sprain that could keep him out two-to-three weeks.

EDGE Analysis

With Ellington sidelined, the Arizona Republic indicates that Johnson -- who gained 37 yards on 10 carries in Sunday's win over the Saints -- is in line to start at RB for the Cards, with rookie David Johnson and Stepfan Taylor in the team's backup mix. Thus, in the short-term, beginning with Week 2's contest against the Bears, both Chris and David Johnson will see boosts in their fantasy value, with Chris Johnson, in particular, worthy of lineup consideration. For his part, coach Bruce Arians previously noted with reference to Chris Johnson possibly filling in for Ellington, "we will feel very confident if he is our lead dog."

Johnson carried the ball 10 times for 37 yards in Sunday's win over New Orleans.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson would not have received so much work, but starter Andre Ellington left the game in the second half with a PCL injury. Meanwhile, rookie David Johnson did not carry the ball, but caught a 55-yard touchdown in the closing minutes to ice the win. It's interesting that Arizona chose to ride Johnson on the ground when Ellington left the game. In any event, Johnson's value is likely to get a major boost, at least in the short term, while Ellington recovers.

Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin said playing time will be distributed between Andre Ellington, Chris Johnson and David Johnson based on game flow in Sunday's regular-season opener against the Saints, the team's official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Andre Ellington will start and get the first chance to lead Arizona's backfield, but he's working on somewhat of a short leash in the wake of his disappointing 2014. Although it's unclear if Chris Johnson or David Johnson will be first to rotate in, all three running backs may get snaps during the regular-season opener. Chris Johnson has the lowest ceiling of the bunch, both for Week 1 and the entire season.

Johnson gained 45 yards on 11 carries and 10 yards on one reception (one target) in Thursday's preseason game against the Broncos.

EDGE Analysis

Making his first appearance with the Cardinals, Johnson started and got plenty of work in the first half. His highlights were a 16-yard run and a 10-yard reception, with the second including a nice juke to make a defender miss in the open field. Johnson's spot on the roster should be secure, but it's still difficult to say how the Week 1 workload will be divided in the Arizona backfield. Though Andre Ellington is the unquestioned starter, both David Johnson and Chris Johnson are candidates to have key roles.

Johnson (hamstring) will start Thursday's preseason finale in Denver, Josina Anderson of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson was already slated for 10-to-12 carries, according to the Cardinals' official site, but they'll occur shortly after kickoff. His performance will go a long way in determining where he stands in the running back pecking order behind Andre Ellington and perhaps rookie David Johnson.

Johnson (hamstring) practiced in full Tuesday, after which head coach Bruce Arians said the veteran running back could receive 10-to-12 carries, the Cardinals' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson sustained a sore hamstring to conclude his first week with the Cardinals, forcing absences from the last two preseason contests. However, he returned to drills Friday and built up to a full practice Tuesday, which bodes well for his availability Thursday. With Andre Ellington likely sitting out, there's a chance that Chris and David Johnson could work in tandem out of the backfield.

Johnson (hamstring) will practice Tuesday and may play in Thursday's preseason game against the Broncos, ESPN's Josina Anderson reports.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson is competing with third-round rookie David Johnson for backup slotting behind Andre Ellington, who is expected to have his workload eased from last season. The former Jet should be fine for Week 1, but his ability (or lack thereof) to play in Thursday's exhibition may affect his role.

Johnson (hamstring) isn't slated to play in Sunday night's preseason game against the Raiders, ESPN's Josina Anderson reports.

EDGE Analysis

Per the report, Johnson is still having issues with his hamstring and while the running back is improving on that front, he is still not ready to make cuts at full speed. Either way, despite the name recognition, Johnson is competing with rookie David Johnson for primary backup duties behind Andre Ellington. In the event that the veteran secures the job, he'd be an Ellington injury away from fantasy utility, but at this stage he remains a speculative option in standard formats.

Johnson (hamstring) is considered a game day decision ahead of Sunday's preseason game against the Raiders.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson has been sidelined for the past week due to a hamstring ailment, but returned to practice Friday. While he's unlikely to play long if cleared for Sunday's preseason game, it would at least be good for Johnson to receive some full-speed snaps with his new team. Nonetheless, the running back's status won't be determined until closer to kickoff.