Countdown to 2021 fantasy football drafts: Allen Robinson No. 33

Allen Robinson is an elite wide receiver talent on a team that has been snake-bit at the quarterback position for a long, long while. That doesn’t mean that he can’t be a fantasy asset, but his upside has been capped due to quarterback play while in Chicago. But the Bears are taking another crack at the position with veteran Andy Dalton and first-round draft pick Justin Fields in 2021.

To commemorate the 2021 NFL season, we’ll be counting down the 75 best fantasy football players in the league. Picking a Top 75 is subjective, especially when you are projecting a whole season of accumulated fantasy points, but that’s part of the fun. We’ll assume what I see as an average league, which is 12 teams, .5 PPR scoring and a roster of 1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, & 1RB/WR/TE. Kickers and defenses need not apply.

Change is the nature of the NFL beast, so trades and injuries will likely impact this list as we go along, but hey, this isn’t rocket science. We’re here to have a little fun and build up some much needed anticipation for a league cast in the shadow by baseball, soccer, hockey, etc. Sarcasm aside, the NFL is addictive and we’re here to give your daily fix as we close in on the season.

The official and often updated fantasy football drafting tiers can be found here.

No. 33, Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears, WR

Robinson had a strong 2020 despite inconsistent quarterback play between Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky. Robinson caught 102-of-151 targets for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns. We don’t know how the combo of Dalton and Fields will work out, but they can’t be much worse than Foles and Trubisky.

Competition for touches

This is where we get the best news for Robinson’s fantasy value. The Bears have Darnell Mooney as their No. 2 receiver, who has upside, but isn’t about to take away looks from Robinson. His lack of competition tied to his ability make for a safe fantasy play year in and year out.

Team offensive expectations

The Bears offense finished 25th in Football Outsiders DVOA rankings last season and for good reason. Dalton and Fields might not be automatic upgrade this season, but there is a real chance they will be an upgrade.

What’s his upside?

Robinson’s upside is tied to his touchdown numbers, as he will be a league leader in receptions and yardage as usual. If Fields or even Dalton can make for a better offense, the touchdowns should move up a tick or two.

What’s his downside?

Robinson’s downside, other than injury, is tied to the offense and touchdown opportunities. Even in above average offenses touchdowns aren’t assured, so some of Robinson’s upside will be tied to luck. On the whole, he is one of the safer fantasy picks in the league.

Projection

105 receptions, 150 targets, 1300 yards, 8 touchdowns