Analyze Wan Dale Robinson's matchup for week 9
With Malik Nabers out for the year, Wan'Dale Robinson becomes the Giants’ locked-in target hog (25-30% share) and a safe PPR FLEX who should see 8-12 looks against a 49ers defense that has been middling versus slot receivers.
San Francisco has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to slot receivers this season, and Robinson now operates as New York’s every-down WR1 after Nabers’ ACL tear. The 49ers’ pass rush could pressure rookie QB Jaxson Dart, but Robinson’s guaranteed volume (he averaged 10 targets per game in Nabers’ absence last year) keeps his floor high in PPR formats.
Breakout efficiency—13.2 YPR (nearly double 2024), 18-27 line for 237 yards and a TD through four games—but volume spiked in Week 2 (8-142-1) then dipped to 4-40 combined in Weeks 3-4.
Robinson’s transformation from gadget player to legitimate WR1 is backed by more than opportunity. His 66.7% catch rate and career-best 13.2 yards per reception show improved route-running and after-catch juice, while his 11.9 PPR-point average reflects a player who no longer needs 12 targets to return starter-level value. The Nabers injury crystallizes his role: in the two games the rookie missed in 2024 Robinson commanded 20 targets, and with Darius Slayton nursing soft-tissue issues and Jalin Hyatt still inconsistent, there is no credible challenger for alpha usage. Expect 25-30% target share and a steady diet of quick, high-percentage throws that neutralize some of San Francisco’s pass-rush advantage. The 49ers’ slot coverage has been exploitable—think 12th-most fantasy points surrendered to the position—so Robinson’s primary alignment keeps him away from Charvarius Ward on the perimeter. While Jaxson Dart’s growing pains cap the ceiling, Robinson’s reception floor (6-8 catches) and red-zone looks should translate to 12-15 PPR points, making him a reliable FLEX during the fantasy playoff push.