Robbie Chosen

Week 4 at Dallas Cowboys

Robby Anderson has disappeared this season, with just five catches on 11 targets through three games. He had a dismal showing against the Texans last week with one catch and eight yards, and rookie Terrace Marshall has actually out-targeted him so far this season. While there’s still time to turn it around for Robby, and the Cowboys are a nice matchup to do it in, it’s hard to recommend starting him until we see him become a more active part of the offense. Sit him unless you’re desperate.

Week 2 vs. New Orleans Saints

Robby Anderson only had three targets and one reception last week against his former team, but that one reception was a 57-yard touchdown. The fact that rookie Terrace Marshall out-targeted Anderson 6-3 is very concerning, but it’s too early to draw huge conclusions after Anderson led the team with 136 targets in 2020.

This week, Anderson faces last year’s 13th-ranked Saints defense in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. The Saints also just completely shut down the Packers’ offense in Week 1, so it’s risky to bank on Anderson producing in this matchup. Fantasy managers should consider him a low-end WR3 option at best, as we have him ranked just inside our top-40 for the week.

Fantasy Upside

Robby Anderson completely changed the nature of his game last season with the Panthers. He went from being considered mostly a deep threat, to a well-rounded receiver. While that made his average yards per reception plummet from a career 14.8 to just 11.5 last year, it also gave him career-highs in targets, receptions and yardage – 136/95/1,096. Anderson thrived opposite D.J. Moore in Joe Brady’s offense and should continue to be featured heavily this year. Sam Darnold will be the new quarterback, but Anderson’s familiarity with him should help the transition.

Fantasy Downside

Anderson only had three touchdowns last season, his lowest since his rookie year, when he had only 78 targets. The Panthers have really struggled to get touchdowns to their outside receivers the past few years, and we’ll be counting on an erratic and still unproven Darnold to improve on that.

2021 Bottom Line

Anderson is a decent low-end WR2 option in most leagues with a little less upside than some of the other guys drafted around him in the eighth round – DeVonta Smith and Courtland Sutton – but plenty to like. His targets should make him a quality every-week starter and if he slides a round or two in your draft, he’s well worth the cost to shore up the back end of your starting wide receiver corps.