I highly doubt that this kid was promised anything beyond the opportunity to compete for the starting job.
Does the fact that he has a few years in Charlton's system give him an advantage? Of course it does.
Does that fact that Roberson a) is not quite twelve months removed from an injury that normally takes at least a year to physically heal from and from many accounts, another couple of months to psychologically believe you are fully healed and b) has a new minor ailment that could well be the product of favoring his injured knee help? I imagine it did.
I personally believe that as it took this long for the starter to be announced, there really wasn't one guy who was clearly in the lead. I imagine we'll see a good amount from both Fagnano and Roberson this season.