The 2023 NFL Draft was an exciting draft to watch. There were so many trades up and down the board. One name in particular that gained a lot of traction beforehand was Bijan Robinson out of Texas. His freakish athleticism mixed with his patience to run behind his blockers had him ranked first in his position during the draft. Analysts were comparing Robinson’s athletic abilities to Saquon Barkley or Josh Jacobs. He was praised in almost every aspect of his position.
When the Atlanta Falcons chose Bijan Robinson with the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, he was the first running back off the board, and for good reason. The Falcons just hired a new head coach Arthur Smith, who loves to run the ball. Smith, who has a “run the ball first” mentality, was a match made in heaven combined with his newly drafted running back, right? WRONG!
It was assumed that Robinson would get a ton of work being an early draft pick and the best in his position coming out of the draft. Fantasy Football managers who drafted Robinson were hyped and ready to go! Smith seemed to have other plans as he would use a running back committee at times, which confused and frustrated fantasy football owners. Using Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson throughout the games boggled the minds of fantasy managers. Why would you draft a running back so high if you are going to use him in a running back committee?
All of that is now behind us and the Falcons moved on from Smith, hiring a new head coach Raheem Morris. The curse has been lifted and Bijan Robinson will finally have his time to shine. Here are the reasons why.
Bijan Will Be A Top Five Fantasy Running Back in 2024
Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson
After the Falcons hired their new head coach Raheem Morris, a great offensive mind came with that selection. Zac Robinson was hired as the new offensive coordinator. Morris and Robinson are extremely familiar with each other, both working with the Los Angeles Rams for the past three years. In fact, they would engage in offensive and defensive chats as their offices were not far from each other.
In an interview with Fox 5 Atlanta, Robinson compared Robinson’s role in the new offensive scheme to that of Christian McCaffrey and the San Francisco 49ers. The new offensive coordinator sees exactly what he has in his star running back and plans to use him accordingly.
Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins hit free agency this year after his stint with the Minnesota Vikings. It did not take long for the Atlanta Falcons to pitch a more than generous contract. Cousins was offered a four-year deal worth up to $180 million, with $100 million guaranteed. Cousins’ final year with the Vikings was cut short in a game against the Green Bay Packers when Cousins suffered a torn Achilles. Even though reports are positive in Falcons camp, there are still whispers that Cousins is still improving from his injury.
The idea of a 36-year-old quarterback signing with a new team and still coming back from a serious injury would be a perfect scenario to utilize one of the team’s most dynamic weapons, Bijan Robinson. This approach would take pressure off of Cousins while giving him time to get back to normal.
Strength of Schedule
Fantasy owners should take note that the Atlanta Falcons have a favorable schedule this year according to the Strength of Schedule. Some of the toughest battles for the Falcons look to be in the quarterback and tight end room. Ranking their quarterback and tight end schedule as a middle-of-the-road type of schedule with the 15th and 14th hardest. The wide receivers are about to enter a season with the fourth-easiest schedule. Kirk Cousins can easily lean on the run game with Bijan Robinson facing the sixth easiest schedule of the season for running backs while nursing himself back to full health.
Bijan Robinson is set to have a magnificent season. His athletic ability is there, along with a new offensive coordinator that wants to utilize him. The Falcons are setting the bar high with how they want to use Robinson and the expectations they have as a team. He is being drafted in most leagues in the first round. The odds of him slipping into the second round are slim to none unless it is a beginner league or an eight-team league. Robinson has the potential to be ranked as a top-five running back this year in fantasy football. This type of player is someone who can be a stamp in your lineup that you will not regret.
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