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USATSI

Wan'Dale Robinson was drafted by the New York Giants with the 43rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. It's the end of a winding road that started in Kentucky, then went to Nebraska before moving back east to Kentucky.  It started when he was a four-star recruit out of Western Hills High School, named Kentucky's Mr. Football in 2018 -- as a running back. He chose Kentucky, then switched to Nebraska, where he played as a receiver. Then after two years at Nebraska, transferred to Kentucky for one more year, when he caught 104 passes for 1,334 yards and seven touchdowns.  

Age as of Week 1: 21 | Height: 5-8 | Weight: 178 | 40-time: 4.44

Comparable body-type to: Isaiah McKenzie

We're breaking down everything you need to know about Robinson from a Fantasy manager perspective, including Dynasty outlook, measurables, scouting report, key stats and an NFL comparison.

Fantasy outlook

Robinson is a curious choice for a Giants team that already has a shifty YAC receiver in Kadarius Toney. They also have a quality slot wideout in Sterling Shepard, though he's on the last year of his deal. The hunch is that the Giants will try to use Robinson as a half-slot, half-gadget type at first and hope he can become a fixture on the inside of the formation while potentially contributing on special teams, though he's inexperienced there. 

Dynasty outlook

It's tough to see a large statistical upside for Robinson. He could evolve into a reliable short-area target for the Giants, but he's slim and could prove to struggle to stay healthy if over-used. His ceiling might prove to be in the range of Jamison Crowder: a slot receiver who has some potential to deliver solid stats on the basis of getting 80 receptions if things break right (and his body doesn't break down) over the course of a season. Don't expect him to win many popularity contests on Draft Day, rounding into a back-half of Round 2 pick in rookie-only drafts. 

Scouting report

Strengths

  • Versatile: used as both a ball-carrier and pass-catcher since high school. Specialized in the slot.
  • Slippery, make-you-miss type of offensive weapon. 
  • Good lateral agility and balance. 
  • Makes the extra effort to catch off-target throws. Specialized in short-area targets. 

Concerns

  • Short and lean, complete with a sub-70-inch wingspan. 
  • Not powerful at all, nor does he deal well with physical cornerbacks. 
  • Fast, but doesn't have top-shelf speed. Was caught from behind on a number of occasions. 
  • Route-running needs further refinement.

Stats breakdown


GRecReYdsAvgTD
202113104133412.87
Career31195224811.510

NFL comparison

There are some serious Tavon Austin vibes here, albeit I'm pretty sure Robinson isn't as fast as Austin was. Austin was revered for his speed and slippery nature, but didn't have any play strength and basically became a part-time role player. Robinson has to prove he can handle the physical punishment of the NFL game while being utilized perfectly by Brian Daboll. It's a stretch to expect Robinson to become one of New York's best players for a long time, but Daboll has worked miracles before.