5 Reasons to trust James Robinson in Fantasy Football in 2022
By Devin Lange
Fantasy football drafts and NFL football are right around the corner. We will be examining one player in particular, James Robinson
It’s finally August, which means fantasy football drafts and NFL football are right around the corner.
Here we will be examining one player, Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson, who you will want to draft this season.
James Robinson is a trustworthy fantasy football option in 2022
Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson will be entering his third year in 2022. In 2020, the undrafted free agent out of Illinois State impressed in his rookie season, breaking the NFL record for most scrimmage yards by an undrafted rookie.
In 2021, he suffered from a sophomore slump. 2021 is also the year the Jaguars selected former Clemson running back and Trevor Lawrence teammate Travis Etienne with the 25th pick.
We never got to see the two running backs coexist in 2021, as Etienne suffered a foot injury in the preseason that required season-ending surgery.
Under new head coach Doug Pederson, we will get to see this one-two punch in 2022 and the fantasy implications for both running backs. More hype surrounds Etienne, who has a higher floor, while Robinson has a higher ceiling. There are still reasons to have hype for Robinson, as well.
Currently going as RB39 in drafts, Robinson has the opportunity to outperform his ADP and become a quality starter in all fantasy formats. On draft day, players can use these five reasons to talk themselves into drafting the 23 year old running back.
1. James Robinson is currently listed as the Jaguars’ starting Running Back
In week 16 of the 2020 season, Robinson suffered a torn Achilles, ending his season indefinitely. Since then, Robinson has been on a positive trajectory with his rehab, working hard all spring and summer. He did not start training camp on the PUP list and started camp by performing individual drills. Since then, he has been cutting and running routes in team drills.
Pederson is hopeful that Robinson will be fully cleared by mid-August, which is a good sign for his Week 1 availability.
Ahead of the Pro Football Hall of Fame game, the Jaguars released an unofficial depth chart that listed Robinson as the No. 1 running back, ahead of No. 2 Travis Etienne and No. 3 Snoop Conner.
It’s still too early to tell, but there is reason to believe that the team views Robinson as this season’s RB1, with Etienne coming in for a change of pace or third-down situations.
He has been the starter for nearly two seasons, except for when he fell out of favor with former head coach Urban Meyer, which is now a non-issue. The new coaching staff believes in him and likes his skillset.