{"id":94378,"date":"2020-09-09T06:56:11","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T10:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=94378"},"modified":"2020-09-09T06:56:11","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T10:56:11","slug":"james-robinson-fantasy-football-outlook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2020\/09\/09\/james-robinson-fantasy-football-outlook\/","title":{"rendered":"James Robinson Fantasy Football Outlook"},"content":{"rendered":"

Only two rookie running backs are officially on the top of their respective depth charts: Clyde Edwards-Helaire<\/strong><\/a> and James Robinson<\/strong>. Edwards-Helaire, of course, was the first running back off the board and should thrive in a high-powered Kansas City offense. James Robinson, meanwhile, is an undrafted free agent playing in arguably the worst offense in football. With Leonard Fournette<\/a><\/strong> gone and Ryquell Armstead<\/a><\/strong> on the COVID list, Robinson beat out Devine Ozigbo<\/a><\/strong> for the starting role. What can fantasy owners expect from this unknown running back, and can he be a decent flex play?<\/p>\n

Fantasy Football: James Robinson Outlook<\/h2>\n

James Robinson Scouting Report<\/h3>\n

Despite going undrafted, James Robinson is actually a pretty good athlete. According to PlayerProfiler<\/a>, Robinson tested in the 92nd<\/sup> percentile in Burst Score, 69th<\/sup> percentile in Agility Score, and 89th<\/sup> percentile in SPARQ-x score. Athleticism is very important for running backs, and Robinson has the raw athleticism required to succeed in the NFL. Additionally, he also has elite collegiate production, finishing in the 97th<\/sup> percentile with a 48.7% rushing market share.<\/p>\n

Metrics are nice, but there\u2019s no substitute for actually watching him on the field. As a player, Robinson can read blocks and pick up what\u2019s provided. He makes guys miss in the short part of the field but doesn\u2019t have the long speed to make too many big plays. Once again, his testing backs this up, as he recorded an underwhelming 4.64 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.<\/p>\n

Robinson has the talent to take a decent portion of Jacksonville\u2019s carries, but it\u2019s hard to see him doing much in the passing game. The Illinois State product recorded just 16 receptions for 80 yards as a senior, and he didn\u2019t look particularly special as a receiver. While his pass-blocking was decent enough, it\u2019s not going to earn him too many third-down looks.<\/p>\n

Fit in Jacksonville<\/h3>\n

James Robinson has what it takes to be a decent NFL running back, but that might not be good enough for fantasy football. Situation dictates production more than the actual runner, and that\u2019s especially true said running back isn\u2019t going to be a huge factor in the receiving game.<\/p>\n

The Jacksonville Jaguars boast what is probably the worst roster in the league. The team is blatantly tanking, selling off established veterans on both sides of the ball. This means that Jacksonville will have a hard time scoring and stopping the other team from putting up points. This projected game script is a kiss of death for a player like Robinson, as it means Jacksonville will probably throw early and often to keep up with their opponent. As discussed in the start\/sit article<\/a>, Chris Thompson<\/a><\/strong> is going to see the pass-catching work, so Robinson probably won\u2019t even be the best fantasy back in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n

Additionally, it\u2019s hard to imagine Devine Ozigbo getting completely phased out of the game. Robinson is going to see the majority of the early-down carries, but he\u2019s not going to have complete control of the backfield. These two will split snaps, limiting what is already an underwhelming ceiling.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, James Robinson is a decent talent playing in a terrible situation. Jacksonville\u2019s low-scoring offense means Robinson won\u2019t have touchdown upside, and the terrible defense means that Chris Thompson will probably see most of the pass-catching work. Robinson is a worthy stash on your bench, but you shouldn\u2019t start him unless you\u2019re truly desperate.<\/p>\n

Main photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>