Week 2 vs. Cleveland Browns
Allen Robinson had a strong Steelers debut mainly because Diontae Johnson was injured. He was targeted a team-high eight times with five catches for 64 yards. With Johnson out for an unspecified time, Robinson's fantasy stock goes up.
It's a tough matchup this week against the Browns but we expect his snaps to go up and his targets to remain high. Robinson is a good waiver wire pickup and if the Steelers get their act together on offense, he could end up helping fantasy managers.
Week 12 at Kansas City Chiefs
The loss of Matthew Stafford has pretty much taken the wind out of starting any wide receivers for Week 12. However, in Week 11 we got to see how the usage might look for Allen Robinson after the injury to Cooper Kupp. Robinson did pace the teams in routes which led to a solid 4-47-1 receiving line. Unfortunately, for Robinson, he didn’t play much on the inside still seeing most of his snaps out wide. Some silver lining for Robinson was he did find some success with Perkins catching 2-32 in the second half. It is nice to see Robinson as the leading man with Kupp out, but unless Stafford returns to the lineup, it will be tough to trust any Rams wide receiver in Week 12 and beyond.
Week 11 at New Orleans Saints
The loss of Cooper Kupp will open a huge void for the other Rams pass catchers rest of the season. The logical player that should immediately see the biggest boost in production is Allen Robinson. Robinson has flourished in the past in a high-usage role and has shown the ability to play in the slot and out wide. This versatility is exactly what the Rams will need as Kupp did a lot of his damage from the slot so far in his Rams career. The first question that should get answered right away is can Robinson still fill that kind of role in any way? The jury is still out on Robinson after following his lackluster 2021 with a slow start in 2022. Either way, the loss of Kupp should provide a big boost to Robinson’s season-long outlook.
Heading into Week 11 the Rams will take on the Saints. The Saints without top cornerback Marshon Lattimore have stepped up over the past few weeks. Since Week 8, the Saints have held notable wide receivers Davante Adams (1-3), Devin Duvernay (1-5), Diontae Johnson (4-63), and George Pickens (3-32). Overall, even in his new role, it will be hard to trust Robinson as anything more than a WR4 this week.
Week 10 vs. Arizona Cardinals
A combination of an injured offensive line, Matthew Stafford struggling, and Cooper Kupp dominating has left very few targets for Allen Robinson this season. After back-to-back games with at least five receptions for 50 yards, Robinson returned to his floor in Week 9 only catching three passes for 24 yards on the day. The entire Rams offense struggled in this contest, but Robinson’s season-long ceiling hasn’t matched his insanely low floor. The one bright spot that fantasy managers could hold onto with Robinson is he is now the clear number two option in this offense. Since Week 6, Robinson has run just nine fewer routes than Kupp and has doubled the targets of the number three option on the team during that span. This has stabilized his production a bit but has proven to be nothing more than a WR4 so far in 2022.
Heading into this week’s matchup vs. the Cardinals, it will be hard to trust Robinson in this game. Back in Week 3 Robinson only caught two passes for 23 yards. However, the Cardinals have sprung a leak vs. outside wide receivers over the past six weeks allowing the seventh most fantasy points on the perimeter. Overall, Robinson hasn’t done enough to trust him in your lineups, but if you are desperate for a WR4/deep flex, Robinson might be able to find some success if Stafford plays in Week 10.
Week 9 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It is hard to find the silver lining in a 5-54 receiving line but hear us out. The 49ers’ defense has had the Rams’ number for the last few seasons. Plus, this year the 49ers have been strong vs. outside wide receivers. Over the past six weeks, the 49ers have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points out wide. This includes holding down Drake London (3-40), D.J. Moore (4-69), D.K. Metcalf (4-35), and of course Robinson himself (2-7). The jump in Robinson’s production from Week 4 to Week 8 alone should have fantasy managers feeling optimistic about his rest-of-season outlook.
In Week 9, Robinson’s matchup isn’t a slam dunk necessarily as the Buccaneers’ secondary has been stronger vs. outside wide receivers than the slot. This season Tampa Bay has allowed the 14th most points in the slot vs. 18th out wide. The Buccaneers have allowed two wide receivers to hit 12 fantasy points in PPR in three of eight games. This matchup doesn’t make Allen Robinson auto-start by any means, but it should put him on the WR3 map for Week 9.
Week 8 vs. San Francisco 49ers
If you have been watching the Rams’ offense this year, then you are no stranger to the struggles that have been plaguing Allen Robinson. In most weeks Robinson looks to be an afterthought as he has taken a clear backseat to Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee. More alarming is at times seventh-round pick Ben Skowronek has outproduced Robinson in a few games this season. Another issue for Robinson is the potential return of Van Jefferson. Jefferson offers much more target competition on the outside than Skowronek which could further diminish Robinson’s role in this offense. The lone reason for optimism is Robinson is coming off his best performance of the year vs. Carolina securing 5-63-1 on six targets. That being said, after a 2-7 receiving performance back in Week 4 vs. the 49ers it is best to keep Robinson on the bench in Week 8.
Week 6 vs. Carolina Panthers
Allen Robinson continued his disappointing season last week, with three catches and 12 yards in a loss to the Cowboys. Also, for the first time this season, Ben Skowronek out-snapped him. Robinson simply hasn’t clicked in this offense or with quarterback Matthew Stafford, and until that changes, he shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups. Sit him, despite a favorable matchup.
Week 5 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Allen Robinson has been once again one of the biggest disappointments early in the 2022 season. Through Week 4 he has only eclipsed three receptions and 25 yards in one game. That contest came back in Week 2 vs. the Atlanta Falcons where Robinson secured 4-53-1. Sean McVay has addressed the Robinson situation a few times chalking it up to how defenses have been playing the Rams. The good news is we have the numbers so let’s see if that’s the case. The Rams have faced the Bills (17th), Cardinals (26th), and 49ers (25th) in fantasy points allowed to outside wide receivers. We could make the argument that Robinson faced a healthier Bills secondary in Week 1 which does prove that his matchups have been difficult.
This week Robinson does get another tough matchup vs. a Cowboys defense that has allowed the 18th most fantasy points out wide. Robinson’s floor has been so low that even an “improved” matchup vs. the Cowboys shouldn’t excite us to start Robinson. We don’t advise that you drop Robinson as he should improve by mid-season. However, until we see him start producing vs. middle-of-the-pack matchups, it’s best to leave him on benches.
Week 4 at San Francisco 49ers
Allen Robinson had a touchdown in Week 2, but he’s been otherwise very disappointing given his fantasy draft capital over the offseason. Robinson has been held to just seven catches for 88 yards through three games, and the Rams’ passing offense has struggled to find the electricity they showed last year during their Super Bowl run.
This week, Robinson has a tough matchup against the 49ers, though Tyler Lockett and Courtland Sutton have put up decent enough fantasy lines in consecutive weeks against them. Still, Robinson is too risky to bank on until he shows he can produce and we have him ranked outside of starter territory this week. Sit him.
Week 3 at Arizona Cardinals
A week after Allen Robinson was an afterthought in the passing game he rebounded nicely in Week 2, securing a 4-53-1 receiving line vs. the Falcons. Robinson nearly had a second TD, but the officials negated the score due to a medical timeout called before the ball was snapped. Still, it was clear the Rams wanted to get Robinson involved, and that his Week 1 performance had more to do with the Bills than Robinson himself. Robinson does still have room to grow in this offense as he was well behind Cooper Kupp (14) and Tyler Higbee (9) in the target pecking order.
This week the Rams will get another solid matchup as they take on the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have allowed double-digit fantasy points to multiple wide receivers in the first two weeks. The downside is the Cardinals have been solid on the perimeter allowing just 17.5 PPR PPG on the outside. This includes holding Davante Adams to a pedestrian 2-12-1 receiving line. Robinson is still a solid option as both Robert Woods (4-48-1) and Odell Beckham (6-77-1) / (4-54-1) played well last year vs. the Cardinals. However, Robinson should be viewed as more of a WR3/flex instead of the WR2 you drafted him as for Week 3.
