When James Robinson tore achilles in Week 16 was a brutal blow to an already rock-bottom Jaguars team. It also rocked fantasy football managers everywhere. This injury not only has immediate fantasy implications for championship week, but long-term effects. Let’s take a look at both.
The fantasy football PPR RB19 on the year (including last weeks’ score of 1), Robinson managers who still made it to the championship despite his early exit are likely scrambling. Robinsons’ immediate handcuff Carlos Hyde is on IR and will not be playing Week 17.
Upon Robinson’s exit in Week 16, Dare Ogunbowale came in and and was given 17 carries. He turned that into 57 yards and a touchdown. He also added 2 catches for 15 yards through the air.
Typically a depth pass-catching specialist, Ogunbowale projects as the Jaguars workhorse for Week 17. The only other active running backs on the roster are Mekhi Sargent, Jamir Jones, and Ryquell Armstead.
Ogunbowale projects as a fantasy football RB3. This is based strictly on volume. He also doesn’t have much upside in a horrific offense. Still, he should he added everywhere and started where necessary. That kind of safety at running back is scarcer than ever. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
As far as fantasy football dynasty is concerned, this injury has some unexpected ripple effects.
The Jaguars started 2021 with a two-headed monster in James Robinson and first round pick Travis Etienne in tow. Now they will enter 2022 in total uncertainty. Etienne will be returning from Lisfranc surgery, and Robinson returning from a torn achilles. It’s possible both are ready by Week 1 next year, but what kind of shape either will be in is totally up in the air. There is little history to go off of regarding running backs returning from Lisfranc injuries. There is however, some bleak information to look at regarding running backs returning from achilles tears
Although the reinjury rate may be low, this chart shows that running backs have a extremely difficult time returning to elite status. Due to the nature of the running back position requiring explosive movements, an Achilles tendon injury is devastating. pic.twitter.com/IZPxbdl4JH
— Jose (@ff_injury) July 21, 2021
The talent on that list is iffy at best, but it’s all we have to go off of. D’Onta Foreman seems like one of the few success stories, and that is not ideal. Cam Akers allegedly returning so soon from his achilles tear is encouraging, but it remains to be seem what kind of shape he is in.
James Robinson is a very good all-around running back. He possesses great vision, but relies heavily on his burst to break through for extended gains. Will that burst be a little slower? It seems likely to bet on, unfortunately.
The Jaguars are likely to address the running back position this offseason; a year after paying arguably way too much attention to it. Irony never sleeps. If you have faith in either of these backs returning to full health, it may be a good buy-low situation in fantasy football. The preferred advice here however would be to sell, and completely avoid the situation if possible in dynasty.
