The Atlanta Falcons and their opponent, the New Orleans Saints, need to win this week and root for a loss by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the NFC South division. That will probably mean a solid ground game.
But which Falcons RB should fantasy football managers start this weekend? Here’s a look at Atlanta’s two running backs and their fantasy outlook for this huge matchup.
Should You Start Bijan Robinson in Fantasy This Week?
When these two teams met in Week 12, Bijan Robinson had arguably the best game of his rookie season. He rushed for 91 yards (on only 16 carries) and added 32 receiving yards, giving him 123 total scrimmage yards.
He also added touchdowns on the ground and through the air — the first multi-TD game of his career.
Robinson has had a very productive season overall. He’s coming off back-to-back games with at least 70 rushing yards — just the second time this season he’s had consecutive games with that many (Weeks 10 and 12).
Robinson has also been a workhorse for the Falcons this season, with 254 total touches, which ranks fourth in the NFL among running backs. He now has a chance to finish as just the fourth rookie since 2018 to end with at least 250 touches and average at least five yards per touch (5.2).
The other players on this list are some of the biggest names at the RB position: Jonathan Taylor (2020), Josh Jacobs (2019), and Saquon Barkley (2018).
Robinson has also been very productive vs. the NFC South. In three of his five divisional games, Robinson has finished with at least 80 scrimmage yards and at least one touchdown.
Should You Start Tyler Allgeier in Fantasy This Week?
Tyler Allgeier has had his moments this season, one of them coming in the first meeting vs. the Saints, when he rushed for 64 yards on just 10 carries.
However, Allgeier simply hasn’t had enough opportunities for any fantasy manager to trust, as long as both backs are healthy. In four of his last five games, he’s been on the field for fewer than 20 offensive snaps.
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Allgeier has scored a touchdown in each of his last two games, so there is some potential there. And with the Falcons in must-win mode, it’s conceivable that both Robinson and Allgeier will get plenty of opportunities.
Using Pro Football Network’s Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Robinson is the player to start. His projected 15.4 points include 86 rushing yards, with two receptions for 14 yards. His projected stat line easily outperforms that of Allgeier (7.4 points).
Allgeier is projected to finish with 45 rushing yards, with one reception for eight yards.
My ranking for the two running backs aligns with the consensus. Robinson is the Falcons’ go-to guy at the RB position, and he’s going to see the majority of opportunities this weekend.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
