Whether it’s stemming from a game plan or out of necessity, the Atlanta Falcons are running the ball more than at any other point this season.
With so much attention heaped on Atlanta’s running game, should fantasy football managers look to start Bijan Robinson or Tyler Allgeier this week? We’ll give you the fantasy outlook for each player.
Should You Start Bijan Robinson or Tyler Allgeier This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Robinson is the player to start. His projected 13.2 points include 74 rushing yards, two receptions, and 12 receiving yards. That projected stat line easily outperforms the consensus projection of Allgeier’s 7.8 points.
My ranking for these running backs aligns with the consensus. Robinson has been too productive over the last month to not be the choice to start over Allgeier, who has been reduced to backup duties.
Fantasy Outlook for Robinson This Week
The Falcons have had 41 rush attempts in each of the last two games, the first time in over a dozen years — since September 2010 to be exact — that they have had 40 or more rush attempts in back-to-back games. Overall, Atlanta is third in the NFL in rush attempts (32.0 PG) and fourth in rush yards (139.3 YPG).
Robinson has been the main benefactor of the team’s attention to the run game lately. He has had at least 15 carries and 90 rushing yards in each of his last two games, the first time all season he’s had consecutive games with 90 or more rushing yards.
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Robinson has not been talked about enough when discussing the NFL’s best rookies this season. Robinson leads all rookies with 943 scrimmage yards, and his 703 rushing yards are eight best in the NFL and No. 1 among rookies.
He is also getting end zone after an extended scoring drought. Robinson, who did not have a rushing touchdown over the first seven weeks of the season, has one rushing TD in three of his last four games. Not to mention, he also has a team-leading three touchdown catches.
Last week, he had his first multi-touchdown game of his career.
Considering the New York Jets allow the second-most rushing yards per game defensively (140.3) and they have allowed at least 130 rush yards in eight of 11 games, starting Robinson in your fantasy lineup seems like a good — and easy — decision this week.
Fantasy Outlook for Allgeier This Week
Allgeier also benefited from the Falcons’ increased attention in the run game, as he had 64 yards on 10 carries last week, his most rushing yards since Week 1 vs. the Carolina Panthers (75).
However, this should not be an indication to fantasy football managers that Allgeier is ready to take over control of the Falcons’ ground game. For one, he still isn’t seeing a lot of time on the field — he’s failed to log even 20 offensive snaps in three of the Falcons’ last four games.
The other item that should not be overlooked is the Cordarrelle Patterson factor. Patterson carried the ball eight times for 43 yards last week, and it would not be a surprise to see him get some more opportunities from scrimmage in coming games. Such a development would reduce Allgeier’s time on the field even more.
The PFN Start/Sit Optimizer projects Allgeier to finish with 48 yards with one reception for eight yards.
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