Getty Geronimo Allison #81 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field on September 26, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The potential was there for Geronimo Allison.
The Green Bay Packers were forced to play without star wideout Davante Adams on the road against the Dallas Cowboys, putting the fourth-year slot receiver in line for more targets in the passing game. And more targets he received, a season-high six of quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ 34 pass attempts.
But the production, as has been the case all season long, was not there.
Allison carried high expectations into 2019 after catching 20 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns in just five games before an injury ended his season, and the room to grow into a larger role was there with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb both in the Packers’ rearview mirror. And yet, he has just 10 catches on the season with no more than four in a single game. His yardage has also peaked at 52 yards against an opponent.
Some of the trouble can be attributed to a middle-of-the-road passing offense that, short of a 442-yard performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, has not surpassed 238 yards in a game. There is also the diversity in receiving options, as six players have been targeted at least 10 times and 12 have caught a pass.
Either way, the ground is shaky beneath Allison’s stock, and it is getting harder and harder to justify keeping the wide receiver on your roster. Does that mean you should keep him out of your fantasy football lineup this Monday night against the Detroit Lions?
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Geronimo Allison Fantasy Outlook vs. Detroit Lions
Allison could still have an effective week regardless of a questionable track record this season. The Lions dwell among the bottom-three passing defenses in the league after being taken for an average of 280.8 yards through four games before their bye in Week 5.
Rodgers has done well in his 18 career matchups with the Lions, touting a 66 percent completion on 553 pass attempts and throwing for 37 touchdowns with just six interceptions. A bridge of trust between him and Allison could see the former Illinois wide receiver heavily featured in showdown No. 19. He does have 10.4 yards per reception on 10 catches this season.
That production, though, could just as easily land in the hands of starting wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling or veteran tight end Jimmy Graham. Or perhaps running back Aaron Jones, who led the team in both catches and receiving yards. Honestly, it could be any number of options. In coping without Adams last week, Rodgers hit nine different targets. What’s worse is wideouts only caught four of his 22 completions with tight ends and running backs hauling in the other 18.
Should You Start or Sit Geronimo Allison in Week 6?
According to FantasyPros, Allison is projected for 10.1 points in PPR leagues against the Lions behind the 11.5 points expected of Valdes Scantling. He is also down to just 34 percent ownership with a grand total of 31.1 points on the season. Other options on the market are showing more upside, including former Packers wide receiver Trevor Davis — who has caught all five of his catches for 70 yards and rushed twice for 74 yards and a touchdown since being traded to the Oakland Raiders a few weeks ago.
Final verdict: Allison could help you if you’re in a pinch with bye weeks in full swing, but a delightful surprise is the best-case scenario for his production this week. He is more of a coin-flip decision than anything. Leave him on the bench if you have other promising options, and maybe consider putting a “For Sale” sign in the yard.
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