What year is it? Can we really be seriously discussing the possibility of Allen Robinson being a viable fantasy option in Week 8 of 2024? I guess so. It certainly helped his case on Wednesday when Dan Campbell stated that Robinson would take on a “heavy load” against the Titans, but is that just coach-speak? We can’t truly be expecting much from a 31-year-old wideout that hasn’t caught a pass yet this season, right? …Right?!
Any sort of buzz for Robinson can be explained by the absence of Jameson Williams, who will serve his two-game suspension for performance-enhancing substances in Week 8 and Week 9. Considering the sophomore WR has played over 80% of the Lions’ offensive snaps this season, it’s pretty obvious that there’s going to be a void to fill by someone against Tennessee.
That being said, it’s difficult to envision Robinson getting the bulk of that newly-created volume. First and foremost, Amon-Ra St. Brown is the No. 1 option in Detroit’s passing attack. Honestly, he might even be No. 1 and No. 2. Coming into Week 8, St. Brown is seeing a target on a whopping 27.5% of the routes he’s run — the fifth-highest rate of any wide receiver with at least 100 routes in 2024. After that, you have Kalif Raymond, who has garnered 10 targets in the last two games even with Jameson available. After that, you have Tim Patrick. Heck, maybe this is the thing that finally gets Sam LaPorta back on track.
The point is this: Regardless of what Campbell said, there’s little evidence to trust Robinson, especially until we even see him catch a pass in a Lions’ uniform. Detroit’s already a run-first team — it has thrown the ball on just 50% of its offensive plays this season — and it is a massive favorite this Sunday versus the Titans, which will likely means yet another run-heavy game script.
If you have an open roster spot or are looking to make a change on your bench, I don’t mind stashing Robinson. Maybe he will be majorly involved in this weekend’s game plan and then you can slot him in your lineup in Week 9. However, I won’t believe it until I see it. All 32 teams are in action in Week 8. I’m confident you can find a better FLEX play than Robinson.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
