Johnny

Holton

The move saves Pittsburgh $825,000 against the cap. Primarily a special teams player, Holton totaled 3/21 receiving and returned three kickoffs for 55 yards in 16 appearances with the Steelers last year. The team also released LBs Mark Barron and Anthony Chickillo.

The move makes room for TE Darren Waller, who was signed off the Ravens’ practice squad. Holton had been running behind Marcell Ateman in Oakland.

All six of the Raiders’ players that were listed questionable are active.

Holton (6'1/190) spent two years as a Bearcat after transferring from JUCO, playing special teams and earning sub-package work at wideout. He finished his career with a 46-892-10 (19.4 YPR) receiving line and pedestrian 20.9 yards per kickoff return. Holton’s lack of college dominance combined with his average athleticism -- 4.54 forty, 31 1/2-inch vertical -- make him an NFL long shot barring Pro Bowl-level gunner production.

If you had Holton in your lineup this week you’re A) a liar because he’s zero-percent owned in Yahoo leagues and B) a low-key genius. Holton, who entered this week with two career catches, was left all alone for a 64-yard score late in the first half. He logged 12 snaps on Sunday, the same number he had in his previous three games combined. It could be a while before Holton does anything worthy of a Rotoworld blurb again, but give him credit for scoring against arguably the league’s best secondary.

“Just a valuable football player,” OC Greg Olson said. If/when Holton gets promoted back to the 53-man roster, it will be as a special teamer.

An undrafted sophomore, Holton emerged as a deep threat in 2017, gaining 218 yards with three touchdowns on just nine catches. He could get a chance to develop into more than that if the Raiders decide to cut ties with Michael Crabtree, as has been reported, but he is still a long-shot for fantasy value in 2018.

Holton looked like he had made a positive impact on his first catch of the game late in the third quarter, going for 14 yards on third-and-four, but he fumbled at the end of the run to halt what looked like a promising drive. He made up for it on the next series by making a spectacular toe-tapping grab on the sideline to set Oakland up at the nine-yard line. They scored on the next play. Holton found the end zone himself on the next drive to clinch the game. Despite the score, Holton can be left on the wire with Michael Crabtree and potentially Amari Cooper due back next week.

Holton entered the evening with zero grabs on six targets but was forced into heavy snaps by injury to JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion) and Diontae Johnson (concussion). Inexplicably, Holton led the team in targets. Even if JuJu and Johnson remain sidelined for next week’s game against the Bengals, Holton will be hard to take seriously as a WR5 with Mason Rudolph at the controls.

Holton drew the start, but had just one target despite playing 20 snaps. Holton does deserve credit for helping end the game by downing a punt on the one-yard line before the Chargers’ final ill-fated drive. He’s the offense’s field-stretcher WR with James Washington sidelined, but most of Devlin Hodges’ targets went to James Conner on Sunday night. Perhaps the potential return of Mason Rudolph after the Steelers’ Week 7 bye could give Holton deep-league boom-or-bust appeal.