There was one Dallas Cowboy that blew up my Twitter feed last night. It wasn’t Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray or Miles Austin. And it wasn’t Jason Witten and his spleen. It was Kevin Ogltree.

Who?

If you’re a fantasy football and/or NFL nerd, you know the guy.  But if you’re a casual watcher, and one who is just starting to get into pretend pigskin, you may be curious as to how some no-name wide receiver hauled in 8 catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns during the 2012 NFL opener.

This happens. Players have big games. And in the case of Kevin Ogletree, his career game came at the right time, in front of millions across the country.

This is No Laurent Robinson Situation

Many want to compare Ogletree’s coming out party to the 2011 performance of Dallas receiver Laurent Robinson. I’m not one of them

Last season, if you are unaware or simply don’t remember, Laurent Robinson scored 11 times, simply dominating the second half of the fantasy season. He was a must start towards the end of the year, and has since been rewarded with a contract in Jacksonville.

But there are plenty of reasons we can’t compare Ogletree to Robinson. Aside from pure talent, Laurent’s workload increased with the absence of Miles Austin. A hamstring had gotten the best of the once-stud Cowboys’ receiver, and he played in just 10 games last season because of it. And while Austin rested, Robinson produced. Just take a look at the numbers:

Robinson’s numbers with Austin in the lineup:

8 games – 26 receptions, 435 yards, 6 TDs.
Per game: 3.25 receptions, 54.4 yards, 0.75 TDs

Robinson’s numbers with Austin out of the lineup:

6 games – 28 receptions, 423 yards, 5 TDs.
Per game: 4.67 receptions, 70.5 yards, 0.83 TDs

Moreover, the first game that Miles came back from injury (a game that would be listed for Robinson as one of the 8 with Austin in the lineup), Robinson posted a 4 reception, 137 yard and 1 touchdown game. It was Laurent’s highest yardage total of the season. Why is this important? Well, guess who it was against? The Giants. The same team that Ogletree was able to torch in last night’s game.

The fact is, Laurent Robinson’s success last season was a direct result of Miles Austin not being on the field. He put up nearly identical numbers in two fewer games when Number 19 wasn’t playing. And the one game that he did blow up with Austin on the field, it was against the Giants – the same team that Ogletree produced against last night.

More Austin is Less Ogletree

If you’re desparate for a wide receiver, feel free to pick up Kevin Ogletree off the wire next week. He may be a flex play at times in deeper leagues, so I do think he has some value moving forward. Just not Laurent Robinson-like value.

Given Robinson’s highest yardage total came against the Giants last season, it wouldn’t be ridiculous for you to think Ogletree has reached his max. If you end up getting him off the waiver wire, there’s a chance someone in your league will be in love with him. So what do you do? You trade him.

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