2022 Fantasy Upside
Brian Robinson was a 3rd-round draft pick, and the sixth overall running back taken in this year’s draft, meaning he’s not just some deep round depth chart add by Washington. Robinson was a solid contributor at Alabama, averaging 5.0 yards per carry on 545 attempts. He ranked fourth in missed tackles and eighth in 10+ yard runs last year, per PFF. He’s a big back (6'2" 224 lbs) who could see goal line work, in addition to short-yardage carries, this season.
2022 Fantasy Downside
Robinson joins a crowded backfield that features Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic. Gibson had the fourth-most touches by a running back a season ago, and McKissic has the third-most receptions by a running back over the past two seasons. Those are a lot of touches Robinson is going to miss out on, and it’ll likely be difficult to see enough playing time. If Robinson was a 1st-round back, we could see Washington trying to force some more touches to him, but as a 3rd-round back, he doesn’t carry enough weight to demand extra playing time.
2022 Bottom Line
Robinson will likely get enough playing time to annoy Gibson owners, but not enough to make him a viable option in fantasy. His biggest strength is that he’ll likely see a lot of goal line work, and that could lead to some big scoring days if he’s able to find the end zone multiple times. But he also could have games where he rushes five times for eight yards with no touchdowns. Robinson will be a great addition if Gibson ever goes down with an injury and could be viewed as a late-round handcuff. But in most leagues, he’s safe to go undrafted.
