Korey Smith will make his first start for Bristol City since April in tonight's game at West Brom.
The fan-favourite midfielder has been out of action since breaking two bones in his foot and tore a ligament against Reading in mid-April last season, and has managed just six appearances for City in the last 18 months due to undergoing knee surgery at the start of the campaign last year.
Smith previously featured on the bench in the Robins' goalless draw with 10-man Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
"It's a huge plus," Johnson said to Sky Sports.
"Obviously you try and build a side and I think Korey Smith brings the attributes that help other players flourish when you see the likes of Kasey Palmer in the side.
"We've built that ingenuity of Korey Smith and Adam Nagy in the team, then Kasey Palmer's ability and agility to go past players.
"It's not easy, managers moan when they've not got enough players and moan when they have too many, and, at the moment, we've got strength in depth in all positions.
"Tomas Kalas and Jay Dasilva are the only ones to return and obviously Benik Afobe's out for the season."
It is an interesting line-up for the Robins, with Tomas Kalas out injured - much to Johnson's frustration - and only places on the bench for Tommy Rowe and Han-Noah Massengo.
There are two changes to the side that drew Forest, with Rowe and Famara Dhiedhiou dropping to the subs' bench and Smith and Kasey Palmer replacing them.
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