Falcons Continue To Build Offense Around Bijan Robinson
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was slowed by a left-ankle sprain in the offseason, but he'll be fine for training camp and is ready for the team to put more on his plate in his sophomore season. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and head coach Raheem Morris haven't been shy about saying the plan is to use Robinson like the 49ers use RB Christian McCaffrey. He finished 15th in the league in 2023 with 976 rushing yards while also adding 58 receptions for 487 yards and eight total touchdowns. With a more diversified attack on offense after Atlanta stuck with a wide-zone rushing attack in 2023, there's plenty of room for growth for Robinson as a high-end RB1 in fantasy, especially with quarterback Kirk Cousins now leading the offense. "I'm going to be more of a runner that does everything else," Robinson said.
The Atlanta Falcons' new offense under head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will clearly run through second-year running back Bijan Robinson. "In as simple of a form as you can possibly make it," Morris said, "it's 'get the ball to Bijan as much as you can in as many ideal situations that you possibly can.'" Robinson's 214 carries for 976 yards and four touchdowns made him the top-rushing rookie in 2023, and he also caught 58 passes for an extra 487 yards -- the fourth-most among RBs -- and also had four receiving TDs. His 272 touches ranked 12th among NFL players last year, and Robinson finished 10th with 1,463 total yards from scrimmage. The 22-year-old expects to be more of a runner than pass-catcher in 2024, and with more total touches likely coming his way, he should easily be considered a top-three fantasy RB.
During an interview at organized team activities on Monday, Atlanta Falcons second-year running back Bijan Robinson said the plan this year is to use him as a runner first, kind of "like how they use Christian (McCaffrey) down there in San Francisco," while still being creative with how they use him out of the backfield as a pass-catcher. It will be hard for Atlanta to be more run-heavy on offense than they were last year under head coach Arthur Smith, but the bottom line is that to no one's surprise, Robinson is going to be a focal point for the new offense run by Zac Robinson, a Sean McVay disciple. In an offense that should be able to sustain more drives with quarterback Kirk Cousins, Robinson has high-end RB1 upside going into his sophomore season after totaling 1,463 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in his first year in the NFL in 2023.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (ankle) is taking part in organized team activities on Monday. It's great to see that Robinson is already recovered from a minor ankle injury that he suffered during OTAs in May. After being taken with the eighth overall pick in the first round in last year's draft out of Texas, Robinson carried the ball 214 times for 976 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and four touchdowns, adding 58 receptions on 86 targets for 487 yards and four touchdowns through the air in 17 games in his first year in the league. Tyler Allgeier remains in Atlanta's backfield, but the 22-year-old Robinson is the clear lead back and should be able to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in his sophomore campaign if he stays healthy in 2024, especially with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins taking over an offense that should look to prioritize getting the ball in the hands of its best playmakers more often.
Bijan Robinson Expected To Be Full-Go For Training Camp
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (ankle) will be limited throughout the team's organized team activities while dealing with an ankle injury. However, he's expected to be ready to go for training camp, which begins in late July. At this point in the offseason, organizations are careful with minor bumps and bruises, so his injury should not affect his fantasy football value -- barring a setback. After being the highest running back drafted since Saquon Barkley in 2018, Robinson enjoyed a solid rookie campaign. He rushed 214 times for 976 yards and four touchdowns to go along with 58 receptions for 487 yards and four more scores. Fantasy managers are expecting him to take the next step in 2024 with quarterback Kirk Cousins running the Atlanta offense, so he's a consensus first-round pick in all formats.
Atlanta Falcons running backs Bijan Robinson (ankle) and Jase McClellan (foot) were not at practice on Tuesday at organized team activities. It's notable, but shouldn't affect Robinson's 2024 fantasy draft stock. The 22-year-old former first-rounder is expected to be back on the field for the team's mandatory minicamp. As long as Robinson's ankle isn't bothering him once he returns to practice, it should be a non-factor by the time the 2024 regular season begins. Now that quarterback Kirk Cousins is in town, Robinson will be even more attractive as a high-end RB1 in fantasy. The former eighth overall pick in 2023 out of Texas is a do-it-all back that had 976 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 214 rushing attempts in his rookie season, adding 58 receptions for 487 yards and another four TDs in 17 games (16 starts) in 2023.
Zac Robinson Views Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts As Versatile
New Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson expressed his excitement about working with both running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts in 2024, but he didn't go into specifics about how they'd be used. "I view those guys as versatile," Robinson said. "We will have formational versatility to move them all over and try to get the most out of what they do." Former head coach Arthur Smith was often criticized for not employing Robinson and Pitts the right way last year. Robinson, a first-round pick, fell just short of 1,000 rushing yards but made up for it with 58 catches, 487 receiving yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season. Pitts, also a former first-rounder, worked mostly out of the slot and finished with 53 catches, 667 yards and three TDs. With what's expected to be a much more aggressive offense under Robinson, both Robinson and Pitts will be more attractive in fantasy.
Bijan Robinson Has Impressive Receiving Performance
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson wasn't quite as dominant as many expected heading into his rookie campaign. Despite that, Robinson was still productive and posted a solid outing in the regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints. Robinson struggled on the ground with only 28 yards on 11 carries in the loss. However, he salvaged his fantasy value with seven receptions on eight targets for 103 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. Robinson will finish his rookie season with 976 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 214 carries. He also added an additional 487 yards with 58 receptions and four touchdowns as a receiver. Robinson has the tools to be an elite back, but head coach Arthur Smith doesn't appear to know how to unlock them. It sounds like Smith will return next season, which makes Robinson a risky RB1 in fantasy leagues.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has looked good on the ground over the last two weeks. In fact, Robinson has rushed for over 70 yards in each of his last two games. The rookie back has also hauled in 10 receptions during that span. It appears the Falcons are finally committed to keeping Robinson involved in the offensive gameplan. That trend should continue versus the New Orleans Saints in Week 18. Robinson rushed for 91 yards and scored a touchdown during their last meeting. Given the Falcons quarterback troubles, DFS players should feel safe taking Robinson in what should be a run-heavy gameplan.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was the clear lead back during Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. The rookie back saw 15 carries that he turned into 75 yards on the ground. Robinson also hauled in three receptions for an additional 11 yards on the ground. It was a decent day on the ground for Robinson who has seen his usage increase during the second half of the season. The Falcons are having an awful time passing the ball, so they'll likely stick to a run-heavy approach against the New Orleans Saints next week. Robinson should be able to carve out RB2 value for that game.
