Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson was a highlight factory during his rookie season, and all reporting suggests that we will see even more of the former Longhorn this year. How much growth should you be penciling in (2023: 1,463 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns), and does he deserve consideration with the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy football leagues this summer?
Bijan Robinson’s 2024 Fantasy Outlook
- PPR Fantasy Points: 404 (311 non-PPR)
- Rushing Yards: 1,562
- Rushing TDs: 7
- Receptions: 93
- Receiving Yards: 780
- Receiving TDs: 6
Bijan Robinson’s footwork is INSANE 😳
Some NFL scouts reportedly believe Robinson could be a “dark horse” MVP candidate this season.
Robinson was already a Top-5 RB in the NFL last season.
And now he gets to pair up with a Top-10 QB in Kirk Cousins.
The Falcons sophomore RB… pic.twitter.com/ILxqvvXkzY
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) July 3, 2024
These are PFN’s consensus projections, correct as of August 16. The most up-to-date projections can be found in our Who Should I Draft Tool.
Should You Draft Robinson This Year?
What a difference a year makes.
“To me, it’s what he can handle,” Option A said. “You try not to do too much to overload one player … it’s the little things that you guys don’t see.”
“Seeing him play in person, up close, I was like, ‘This guy is unbelievable,’ Option B said. “There’s nothing he can’t do. I’ve got goosebumps thinking about it.”
Let’s forget football for a minute. If you had a friend go on two separate blind dates, and these were the scouting reports you got back, which one are you betting on for a second date?
Option A feels like someone who is losing confidence in the dating scene altogether and is just happy to have been set up with a partner who successfully located the restaurant.
Option B, to me, sounds like marriage material — not only is a second date on the books, but an extended vacation is on the table, and meeting the family isn’t out of the question.
Option A was Arthur Smith around Thanksgiving last season about Robinson, and Option B was Zac Robinson after a few training sessions with his star tailback.
Robinson managed to put up viable numbers as a rookie despite less-than-optimal usage. He was a fantasy asset with just two carries inside of the 5-yard line, instead having to rely on his elite athleticism to net splash plays (20+ yard gain in nine different games last season).
The Michael Penix Jr. draft pick was laughed at, but for Robinson, I think it’s a positive. It tells me that the Falcons are going to stop at nothing to upgrade his offensive environment and are admitting that what they ran out there last season around him was unacceptable.
Could Robinson be peak Dalvin Cook, a star running back who thrived with Kirk Cousins under center? From the start of the 2019 season through the end of the 2020 season…
Cook’s per-17-game production
- 2,169 total yards
- 18 TDs
Our projections aren’t far off of that. With a finishing kick of the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Carolina Panthers, he might not only be the reason you’re in your fantasy Super Bowl, but he could be most productive when all the chips are in the middle of the table!
There’s no such thing as drafting Robinson too early in 2024, and I expect that to be the case for the next handful of seasons!