Fantasy Football: This Year’s Best Robin Receivers
By Sean Dardine
The start of the NFL season is still two months away, but we already have a decent idea of who the top receivers will be in 2019. Names like DeAndre Hopkins, Davante Adams, and Julio Jones are expected to be at the top of Fantasy Football rankings year after year.
You’d be happy to have any of those guys on your team – but this year, you’ll want to pay close attention to the second-option guys…. the sidekicks, if you will.
Last year, there were 5 teams who had multiple receivers finish in the top-25 of their position in PPR Fantasy Football scoring. A handful of receivers who were listed as second on their respective depth charts would put up WR1 numbers throughout the season.
Players like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyler Boyd, and Calvin Ridley showed that a receiver doesn’t have to be the #1 option to provide solid fantasy value.
Because we love clichés (and Batman), we’ll refer to these stellar-sidekicks as Robins.
This year, there will be a new class of Robins – and they’re going to make or break your fantasy season.
You should probably write these names down.
Fantasy Football ‘Robin’ Receivers: Geronimo Allison
Injuries derailed a potential break out season for Geronimo Allison in 2018. In the 4 weeks that he was healthy, he had the 25th most fantasy points of all Fantasy Football receivers (28th in PPR).
Even with the veteran Randall Cobb on the team, Allison was beginning to look like the clear Robin to Green Bay’s Batman (Davante Adams).
Allison’s injuries (groin, concussion) shouldn’t have any effect on his performance this year. Last season aside, he’s been relatively healthy throughout his young career.
With Cobb now in Dallas, early reports say that Allison will probably be the slot receiver in Matt Lafleur’s offense. This could bode well for his fantasy value, especially in PPR formats.
Having a fully healthy Aaron Rodgers doesn’t hurt either.
He will need to secure his spot on the depth chart ahead of young receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown, but Geronimo Allison should be ready for the breakout season that eluded him last year.
Fantasy Football ‘Robin’ Receivers: Chris Godwin
We know that Bruce Arians expects big things from Chris Godwin this year. In a recent interview, the Buccaneers new head coach said he expects Godwin to be a “100-catch guy” in 2019.
That doesn’t sound too crazy when you consider the departures of DeSean Jackson and Adam Humphries – who combined for 117 total receptions last season.
Godwin finished as the 25th best receiver in standard scoring last year (27th in PPR), and barring any major surprises, an increase in production is almost guaranteed. The third-year receiver could potentially be a fringe WR1 this season.
Even if Jameis Winston continues his propensity for interceptions, it shouldn’t hurt Godwin’s value too much. Just like last season, Tampa Bay will air it out regardless of how many picks Winston throws.
There will be plenty of big-play opportunities for Godwin in 2019 – and he has the talent to take full advantage.
Fantasy Football ‘Robin’ Receivers: Mike Williams
The 6’4”, 220 lbs Williams sneakily finished as the 20th best receiver in standard scoring last season (32nd in PPR). The second-year wideout emerged as one of Philip Rivers‘ favorite red zone targets and led the Chargers in touchdowns with 10.
He’s still the second or third option behind Keenan Allen and Melvin Gordon – but Williams could be a fantasy stud in ’19 if he expands his role beyond that of the “red zone threat”, and improves his overall yardage and reception totals.
The departure of Tyrell Williams and his 65 targets from last year should lead to more opportunities for Big Mike. Although the return of Hunter Henry might cost Williams a few looks in the end zone.
Only 24 years old, Williams has yet to reach his full potential – and with the health of San Diego’s Batman (Keenan Allen) always uncertain, it’s not hard to imagine Williams as the Chargers #1 receiver by season’s end.
We could be talking about Mike Williams as a top-15 receiver this year.
Fantasy Football ‘Robin’ Receivers: JARVIS LANDRY
It’s not really fair to compare Landry to other Robins when he’d clearly be the Batman on a handful of other teams. Pro Football Focus ranked Landry and Beckham Jr. as the second best pass-catching duo this year behind Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
Landry had a great year playing for the Browns in 2018 when he led the team in targets (149), receptions (81), and receiving yards (976). He also broke the record for most receptions by any player in their first five seasons.
After finishing as the 18th best receiver in PPR formats, the question is whether the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. hurts or helps Landry’s production.
Having Beckham on the field should create more single coverage situations for Landry, but you can still expect the ex-Giant to get a large share of targets. This could be problematic for Landry’s fantasy stock as his value depends on high reception totals.
Beckham claims he would rather “be in the playoffs then go for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns…”, which contradicts his mentality in New York, where he publicly talked about not getting enough targets – amongst other things.
Perhaps Beckham’s mindset has changed since then, but if Cleveland’s Batman still expects 20+ targets a game then that’s bad news for Robin. Landry remains super-talented, but there’s a risk that he won’t be a top-25 receiver in ’19.
Fantasy Football ‘Robin’ Receivers: Michael Gallup
The only Robin on our list who was a rookie last year, Michael Gallup wasn’t overly impressive in his first NFL season. However, there’s reason to believe 2019 could be his year.
Every Robin needs a Batman, and Gallup found his after a mid-season trade sent Amari Cooper to Dallas. As opposing defenses focused on Cooper and Ezekiel Elliot, things began to click for Gallup.
The rookie receiver’s chemistry with Dak Prescott improved and Gallup saw his target share increase steadily in the second half of the season. Gallup’s best game came in the divisional round loss to the Rams when he had 6 catches for 119 yards.
Many receivers break out in their second or third years, and Gallup should be ready for a big season in ’19. With the departure of Cole Beasley, Gallup’s role as Amari Cooper‘s Robin seems all but set.
Can Gallup join the ranks of other elite sidekicks and be a breakout star?
The unpredictability of fantasy football can make it really fun, or really frustrating. To avoid it being the later, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with receivers outside the top tier of DeAndre, Davante, Julio, etc.
Other notable Robins:
Robin Hood
Robin Williams
Burt Ward
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Even though Batman tends to get the glory, it might actually be Robin who saves your fantasy season.