The Atlanta Falcons have been busy this offseason and are looking to give their talented weapons the QB play they deserve, and a prime beneficiary of this looks to be Bijan Robinson. In 2023, Robinson looked superb in spells but was often taken out at important moments or altogether suffered in an underwhelming offense.
The franchise sacked HC Arthur Smith and went all in on veteran QB Kirk Cousins (barring the Michael Penix draft pick), and the consensus is they can challenge for the NFC South. The decision to give an aging quarterback (36 in August) returning from a torn Achilles a four-year, $180 million deal is a conversation for another day, but presuming Cousins holds up this season, we should see a much-improved Falcons.
This is great news for Bijan Robinson, who is among the most talented running backs of his generation. Presuming a more dynamic offense with HC Raheem Morris and Cousins, Robinson should see more action, particularly in the red zone. Given there were a lot of split carries between Bijan Robinson and Travis Allgeier in 2023, taking Robinson in the first is a gamble. He feels like a second-round pick with potential first-round value, and he is highly unlikely to fall to the third.
Bijan Robinson’s 2024 NFL fantasy outlook: What numbers to expect from the Falcons RB?
Looking at his rookie season and his skill set, Bijan Robinson could be the breakout running back of 2024. What makes him even more intriguing is new HC Raheem Morris and QB coach Zac Robinson came from the LA Rams, who did such a good job with Kyren Williams last season. That bodes well for Robinson, who should be given a bigger share of the load than in 2023.
Last campaign, Robinson rushed for 976 yards and 4 TDs, and added 487 yards and 4 TDs through the air. Those are surprisingly good numbers, especially considering the doom, gloom and confusion that was prevalent in Atlanta in 2023. Looking ahead, it feels reasonable to expect an uptick in 2024, and presuming he stays healthy, 1,100 rushing yards and 7 TDs feels very achievable, as does 600 yards and 5 TDs through the air.
Other Falcons fantasy outlooks include: Kirk Cousins, Kyle Pitts & Drake London.