Denard Robinson's Fantasy Value Worth Monitoring as Workload Increases

Maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars backfield isn't a lost cause after all. Following Toby Gerhart's brutal start to 2014, the Jags appear that they could elevate Denard Robinson into the starting role on a regular basis. And fantasy football owners may want to do the same.

With 127 rushing yards last week against the Cleveland Browns, Robinson jumped ahead of Gerhart as Jacksonville's leading rusher; he's got 221 yards and a touchdown on the season.

His Week 7 performance alone was actually enough to overtake Gerhart:

Adding a running back off the waiver wire is generally a fruitless exercise this late into the season, but Robinson unquestionably has some potential value, and owned in only 7.8 percent of leagues on NFL.com, he's likely available.

It's perhaps not advisable to add Robinson right now. Until the Jaguars firmly commit to him as the starter, it's a bit up in the air how many carries he'll be getting on a weekly basis.

"I think we'll continue to mix and match a little bit," said Jacksonville offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, per ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco. "I don't know exactly how that will all play out yet."

A quote like that is exactly why you shouldn't make a move for Robinson right now. The Jaguars committed three years and $10.5 million—$4.5 million guaranteed—to Gerhart in the offseason, so it would be pretty early for the team to admit it made an expensive mistake like that.

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However, Robinson is worth closely monitoring. One more big week, and you should place him on your roster as fast as you can, especially if you've got Gerhart.

Bleacher Report's Stephen Nelson and Anita Marks discussed Robinson's performance, and Marks labelled him a potential breakout candidate.

Robinson's come a long way from the start of the season. On Sunday, Vito Stellino of The Florida Times-Union wrote that the Jaguars were largely uncertain of how to handle Robinson when they initially drafted him:

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The Jaguars weren’t sure either, labeling him an offensive weapon. There was talk of him being a Wildcat quarterback or a receiver before they settled on running back.

The Jaguars still list him as a wide receiver because he wears his college number 16, which only receivers can wear in the NFL.

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"I came in not even knowing what position I was going to play," Robinson said, per Stellino.

It's hard enough transitioning into the NFL when you have a firm grasp on your role in your team's offense. That luxury wasn't initially afforded to Robinson, but now, it appears that he's found his niche in the Jags' game plan.

Going back to his days at Michigan, Robinson's always been a great runner. He scampered for 4,495 yards and 42 touchdowns in four years at Ann Arbor.

With the Wolverines, he looked less like a quarterback and more like a tremendous athlete who happened to dabble in quarterbacking. It's kinda the critique ESPN's Bomani Jones had for Jake Locker:

Some college QBs can't make the transition to another position in the NFL. To see Robinson adapting so well at running back is only encouraging.

Looking ahead to the next few weeks, Sports Illustrated's Michael Beller believes that Robinson could have a chance to truly shine:

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After suffering through a terrible month and change with Gerhart as the starter, the Jaguars owe it to Robinson to see what he can do. Their upcoming schedule -- Miami, Cincinnati and Dallas -- isn’t bad for a running back. Both the Bengals and Cowboys rank in the bottom-third of the league in run defense, according to Pro Football Focus. If the Jaguars can keep the games at least somewhat competitive, the touches will be there for Robinson. Furthermore, he’s a respectable receiver who can flourish in Jacksonville’s screen game. He may not be the key to a fantasy championship, but he can be a solid depth back, and potential RB2 in the right matchup.

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Expectations should obviously be tempered. Jacksonville's offensive line isn't strong enough to sustain a consistent RB1. As Beller wrote, though, Robinson could slot in as an RB2 or a flex at the very least if he gets the carries.

His performance in Week 8 could go some ways toward establishing whether last Sunday's outburst is at all sustainable.