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As Sports Xchange insider Len Pasquarelli reminded readers late last month, no one has ever rushed for 2,000 yards in a season two times in NFL history. But at just 26 years old, set to turn 27 only a couple weeks into the season, Chris Johnson is looking to become the first.

"That's definitely the goal," Johnson recently told Pasquarelli, who noted that Johnson's age alone shouldn't be viewed as a deterrent. Barry Sanders rushed for 2,053 yards in 1997 at age 29.

"I think it can be done," Johnson reiterated to the Nashville Tennessean.

But can it? And is Johnson the guy to do it?

According to Pasquarelli, much of the blame for Johnson's drop off the past two seasons, after becoming only the sixth player in league history to run for 2,000 yards in 2009, has focused on the four-year veteran back.

That's natural. Especially after his lengthy holdout in 2011 that followed the lockout.

Johnson dropped from 2,006 yards in '09, to 1,364 yards in 2010, and to a career worst 1,047 yards last season. His average per carry, just 4.0 yards, was also the lowest of his career. And only two seasons after posting seven runs of 40 yards or more in '09, he registered only one.

Johnson realizes he has something to prove this fall.

"Of course, it motivates me and makes me want to do better than last year," the speedy back said of his 2011 season.

But Johnson isn’t the only piece to the puzzle. Indeed, Pasquarelli contends the lockout seemed to affect the continuity and cohesion of the Titans’ offensive line almost as much as it did Johnson.

The unit, previously regarded as one of the best in the league, has not been nearly as good the past two seasons.

It’s not reach to believe their decline has had some impact on Johnson's productivity.

It certainly had some impact on the team's personnel moves this offseason.

The tackle tandem of Michael Roos (left) and David Stewart (right) remains intact but the interior of the unit has been overhauled after a spotty 2011 performance.

Tennessee signed 11-year veteran and seven-time Pro Bowl blocker Steve Hutchinson, and installed him at left guard. Even at age 34, Hutchinson is being counted on to help supply an aggressive attitude that seemed to be missing at times in 2011. Left guard Leroy Harris likely will move to the right side to replace the departed Jake Scott.

And, as if to signal some questions about longtime center Eugene Amato, the Titans visited with five free agents at his position over the course of the offseason. None were signed, but Amano clearly was put on notice.

I’ll go ahead and point out that recent reports have suggested the interior of the line remained a work in progress in offseason practices.

The unit, which Pasquarelli, citing NFL scouting sources, reports did not block nearly as well at "the second level" the past two seasons as in 2009, will clearly be different in its second season under line coach Bruce Matthews, who was in his first season with the franchise last year.

There is probably some credence to the "second level" assessments of NFL scouts in rating the play of the Tennessee line the last couple seasons. In 2009, Johnson had 22 rushes of 10 or more yards, seven of 40 yards or more. The past two years, he has totaled just 24 of the former, five of the later.

But with the presence of Matthews and second-year head coach Mike Munchak, two Hall of Fame guards, one would think the blocking unit would be improved.

And if it is, we'll learn more about Johnson, who maintains he is "still the best back in the league."

Having added 10-12 pounds, and fully committing to the offseason program for the first time in his career, Johnson is undoubtedly motivated to regain his previous form.

More importantly perhaps, offensive coordinator Chris Palmer, who came aboard in 2011, will have a second season, minus a lockout, to put his scheme into place.

According to veteran wideout Nate Washington, Johnson could benefit from an air attack that will feature Kenny Britt, Kendall Wright, Damian Williams, Jared Cook and Washington.

"This year you have so many different types of weapons. With C.J.'s speed in the backfield, I think we are going to open this thing up a little bit for him to show his versatility more, catching the ball and doing some other things and going to some four- and even five-(receiver sets)."

At the very least, as Tennessean staffer John Glennon suggests, it sounds as if Palmer has been busy fashioning a much livelier playbook for 2012.

"Coach Palmer has been in the lab all offseason," Washington said. "He's been licking his chops to get back to us so you can tell on his face that he has some different things up his sleeve. I think this is going to be a pretty explosive offense. Not that we weren't in the past, but Kendall and a couple of guys here will definitely give us some different things that we can do, some versatility to the things that we had. ..."

Remember: The offense has leaned very heavily on Johnson, who has 5,645 rushing yards in his first four NFL seasons. It's the most yardage of any running back in the NFL since the beginning of the 2008 season.

A more determined passing attack would certainly work in his favor and Tennessee has the QBs to pull it off, whether Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Locker winds up under center on any given Sunday.

So the real question for Fantasy owners is when to pick Johnson?

At the very least a rebound from his lackluster season isn't unlikely even amidst a chorus of naysayers suggesting he's lost the explosive burst and 4.35 speed that made CJ2K a first-round pick and put him in Sanders' elite company back in 2009.

I'm not a huge supporter. I advised you to avoid Johnson last summer -- certainly as a first-round prospect. But I'm not as ardently against him this time around. While I'm not looking for a return to 2,000-yard production, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he runs for 1,300 yards and adds another 300 yards as a receiver.

Given all that, I rank Johnson at No. 7 among all running backs right now -- or about two spots below his current ADP. But I’ll be watching for more and adjusting as needed when developments warrant.

Keep an eye on the FootballDiehards Ranking Matrix for more.