Arizona Cardinals

Can Chris Johnson boost the run game for the Cardinals?

Published Aug. 17, 2015 8:02 p.m. ET

foxsports

Chris Johnson is just one of seven players in NFL history to record 2,000 rushing yards or more, accomplishing the feat in 2009 as a member of the Tennesee Titans.

Since then, however, Johnson's production has steadily declined. He failed to top the 1,000 yard mark for the first time last season in New York, though he only carried the ball 155 times.

Bruce Arians has stated that Andre Ellington is still the featured back and expects to get him 20 touches per game.

But can Ellington's body hold up?

Last season, Ellington battled injuries all season before his season was cut short due to hernia surgery. In training camp, he had been nursing a hamstring injury, but suited up vs. Kansas City on Saturday.

The Cardinals drafted David Johnson, a four-year player out of Northern Iowa. But Johnson has also been slowed by a hamstring injury, which now opens the door for CJ2K.

Will he split carries with Ellington throughout preseason? Will he be used in situational downs?

The Cardinals ranked last in yards per carry (3.3) and second-to-last in rushing yards per game (81.8) last year. As for Johnson, he topped 100 yards just once, and has surpassed the century mark just three times in the last two seasons. He split carries with Chris Ivory in 2014, though it was clear Ivory was the better back.

The East Carolina product will get a chance to show what he can do.

Whether it's enough for the club to keep him come fall is the big question.

(h/t AZCardinals.com)