Fantasy football impact of Jacksonville Jaguars signing UDFA RB James Robinson

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t select a running back in the 2020 NFL Draft, but addressed their need for one by signing Illinois State running back James Robinson as an unrestricted free agent. He could carve out a starting role for himself in year one.

Robinson rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of his last two seasons at Illinois State. After totaling 1,290 rushing yard and 12 rushing scores in 2018, he returned to finish with 1,917 rushing yards and 18 scores as a senior.

Scouting Report

Robinson’s best assets are his vision and patience. He finds running lanes effectively and is willing to let space develop before he makes a move. However, his lack of burst limit his big play potential. He needs to be more decisive and learn to contribute more as a pass catcher out of the backfield in the pros.

Reliable runner with good feel for run-lane development but just average burst. Robinson’s feet, finesse and vision allow to probe from gap to gap against conference competition, but tighter NFL running lanes mean he’ll need to be more physical and more urgent to succeed between the tackles. — NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein

Fantasy football impact

The Jaguars have been actively shopping starting running back Leonard Fournette, who accounted for 68.1 percent of their rushing attempts and 67.4 percent of their rushing yards. None of the backup running backs on Jacksonville’s roster were nearly as accomplished as Robinson was in college. If Fournette is moved, Robinson could very well become a starter. He might not have top 10 fantasy football potential at his position, but he could very well crack the top 30 if Fournette is traded.