No team has frustrated fantasy football managers more than the Atlanta Falcons have this year. At multiple times this season, managers have been frustrated with the lack of targets for Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Now, it has trickled down to the running backs, especially on the touches for Bijan Robinson.
Robinson, the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has had only one carry inside the 5-yard line. Will he get the ball much more this week after all the media talk? And how should that influence fantasy managers choosing between Robinson or his teammate Tyler Allgeier in Week 10?
Should You Start Bijan Robinson or Tyler Allgeier This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say that Robinson is the player to start. His projected 12.3 points include a projection of 68 rushing yards, two receptions, and 12 yards. That doesn’t seem like a big stat line, but it outperforms Allgeier’s consensus projection (8.5 points).
MORE: Soppe’s Week 10 RB Rankings
Three weeks ago, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Robinson had one carry for three yards. But despite the multiple instances this year that have been frustrating, I’m definitely siding with the optimizer on this.
Nevertheless, this weekend should leave his managers happy. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and say that Robinson will have a top-five performance this week.
Robinson is currently the RB12, while Allgeier is the RB30. The Falcons are getting to the point where they have to start winning some games to stay competitive in the NFC South. Look for head coach Arthur Smith to use Robinson like managers have been hoping for, as he could finish with 130+ total yards of offense and one touchdown.
Robinson’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Robinson was expected to have a monster rookie year, as many people (myself included) took him with their first-round pick. He’s a three-down back who is capable of making big plays either running the ball or catching it out of the backfield. He’s also shown his receiving ability multiple times, as he has five games with at least four catches.
MORE: Which Washington Commanders RB Should You Start in Week 10?
Atlanta is going up against the Arizona Cardinals this week, who have struggled to stop opposing ground games. The Cardinals rank 26th against the run (128.7 rushing yards per game), but they did a good of holding the Cleveland Browns to 113 yards on 40 carries last week.
Squaring off against a team that is pretty much tanking, this is a game the Falcons have to win. Atlanta drafted Robinson for this type of game, so look for him to be heavily involved.
Allgeier’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Last year, Allgeier was spectacular in his rookie season. He rushed for 1,035 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. This year, though, he hasn’t been nearly as efficient. He currently has 371 yards and is averaging only 3.2 ypc.
Last week, Allgeier was finally able to get back in the end zone, as he scored a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. He hadn’t scored since scoring twice in the season-opener.
Allgeier isn’t nearly the receiver that Robinson is, as he has only 11 catches while Robinson has 28. Expect him to still get carries against the Cardinals, but his inability to score touchdowns makes it tough to play him.
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