With Puka Nacua sidelined for at least four weeks due to a knee injury in Week 1, Demarcus Robinson is poised to step in as the Rams’ WR2 heading into Week 2.
Nacua was unable to return in the second half of Week 1, leaving a significant gap in the Rams’ receiving corps. While Tyler Johnson rotated into the Nacua role and even had a 63-yard reception, Robinson is the more intriguing and sturdy Waiver Wire pickup due to his rapport with Matthew Stafford.
Robinson closed out last season strong in his role and rarely left the field. That continued in Week 1, when he was targeted seven times total and once in the end zone—though the play was disrupted by pass interference—indicating he’s again on Stafford’s radar.
With Cooper Kupp still commanding a significant (21 targets!) target share, Robinson could carve out a sizable role, making him a sneaky fantasy flex starter for Week 2 and beyond, depending on how long Nacua rehabs on injured reserve.
With Demarcus Robinson’s fantasy outlook ascending at the moment, he is currently rostered in 27% of Yahoo leagues and 43% of Sleeper leagues. Grab Robinson now before he’s snatched up in your league.
DEMARCUS ROBINSON FLOURISHED IN 2023
Known as a consistent journeyman, Robinson has carved out a role in Los Angeles, where he is the clear WR3 on a Matthew Stafford-led offense that deploys 11-personnel at a ridiculous rate. Last season, with Kupp not at 100% for a chunk of the season, Sean McVay still trotted out 11-personnel an NFL-high 93.1 percent of the time, allowing Robinson to have a significant role.
Over his final five full games of last season, Robinson averaged 15.4 PPR fantasy points per game, making him a top-12 fantasy wide receiver, and that was with Robinson operating as the WR3 alongside both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
From Weeks 12 to 15, Robinson found the end zone. He also saw two games with 10-plus targets and finished those final five weeks with 319 yards and 21 receptions on 34 targets. Plus, Stafford trusted him downfield, averaging a career-high 14.27 yards per catch last season.
It’s clear that Stafford trusts the veteran in his role, and the targets should continue with Nacua’s gaping target share (160 targets in 2023) out of the lineup.
SUMMARY: DEMARCUS ROBINSON FANTASY OUTLOOK (WEEK 2 & BEYOND)
With Puka Nacua on IR, Demarcus Robinson is the Rams’ receiver you’ll want to target as his Rams’ replacement. Robinson played an impressive 92% of the Rams’ snaps, thanks to their heavy reliance on 11 personnel (three WR sets).
In their Week 1 matchup against the Lions, Robinson saw seven targets, tied for second on the team behind Cooper Kupp’s whopping 21, positioning him for a larger role with Nacua’s absence freeing up a 29% target share.
While some of those targets may shift to TE Colby Parkinson—who led all TEs in routes run with an 88% snap rate—Robinson and Tyler Johnson become the primary receiver options behind Kupp. In Sean McVay’s pass-heavy offense, led by Matthew Stafford, Robinson’s elevated role could translate into serious fantasy value.
Don’t miss the opportunity to add Robinson, as his production could surge in Nacua’s absence. He gets a leaky Cardinals secondary in Week 2, making him a startable Flex option immediately if needed.
The Wolf is higher than the experts on Robinson, shuffling him in at WR44 (+4 vs ECR) on his Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings. He’s also high on Tyler Johnson, who slides in at WR67 (+5). Johnson, who also had seven targets on Sunday Night Football, is a decent stash with upside in deeper leagues. Johnson is available in roughly 75% of Yahoo and Sleeper leagues.
But as Sean McVay said during his weekly podcast, “We’ve got Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson” without Puka Nacua.
