Getty Green Bay Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison is looking to have his first healthy season of his NFL career in 2019.
Geronimo Allison averaged a first down and a half every time he caught the ball during the 2018 season. While only two of his 20 receptions were taken for touchdowns, he finished with 303 yards in five games before an injury shut down his entire season for the Green Bay Packers.
The problem is that’s now three seasons, or a total of 18 games, the former University of Illinois wideout has lost to injuries since entering the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2016. He looks healthy — and really good — in this year’s training camp, but how his body holds up is an unavoidable concern when considering Allison for a fantasy football roster.
The other worry when it comes to his fantasy stock is whether Allison or newly-minted starter Marquez Valdes-Scantling will develop into a reliable No. 2 behind Davante Adams this season for the Packers. Valdes-Scantling will start opposite Adams while Allison will fit into the slot, but the elite arm of Aaron Rodgers could make either one of them a breakout contender in 2019.
Follow the Heavy on Fantasy Sports Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Geronimo Allison Fantasy Outlook: Matchup vs. Bears
Allison’s totals from 2018 speak louder than his career numbers against the Bears, but it can’t be ignored that he has just six catches for 76 yards and a touchdown in four games against the Packers’ NFC North rivals. A busy Bears secondary will cause problems for all of the Packers receivers, while Allison also has to contend with Adams and Valdes-Scantling for production.
Allison may be ready to turn a corner. Only once in his career, though, has he finished a game with more than 100 receiving yards — and that performance didn’t yield a single touchdown. Does that mean he won’t change that during the 2019 season? Not at all, but relying on him without anything more than positive preseason whispers is a big gamble in Week 1.
Should You Start or Sit Geronimo Allison in Week 1?
Let’s cut some of the negativity. Allison was on pace for a 1,000-yard season before disaster struck last year and returns healthy to a new system that will favor Rodgers’ passing prowess. He was a recommended late-round fantasy draft pick for a reason and could develop into a FLEX option or even ascend to a regular presence at WR2.
The Bears will also put a heavy focus on Adams, which should naturally create opportunities for both Allison or Valdes-Scantling. The offense could go any number of ways against a Chicago defense that led the league in a number of categories last season. And that’s just the problem with counting on Allison in your lineup.
Allison hovers around the same sixth-tier talent as teammate Valdes-Scantling, according to Fantasy Pros’ projections. As far as sleepers go, he remains a better option than Dallas’ Michael Gallup or Pittsburgh’s Donte Moncrief, but another week of sleeping should be expected.
Final verdict: Allison could light up the charts against the Bears in Week 1, but it is just as likely he’s a dud with so much still to learn about how the Packers’ new offense will use its weapons. A safer bet would be to sit Allison the first week or so until either he or Valdes-Scantling proves the winner of Rodgers’ affection. Don’t let G-Mo go, though. His sleeper potential, should he get back on track, is through the roof.
READ NEXT: Will Sleeper WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling Go Off Week 1 at Chicago?