Falcons rookie needed one carry to convince fantasy owners the hype is real

Fantasy football owners are probably going to draft this Atlanta Falcons rookie rather high before the start of the season.

When looking at the 2023 draft class, Texas running back Bijan Robinson was one of the top overall prospects. The thing is, since he’s a running back and the position has been devalued in recent years, drafting him high would be considered a risk or bad move. The Atlanta Falcons didn’t listen to any of the noise, deciding they were going to take Robinson eighth overall in the draft, thus adding another talented player to their offense, alongside wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.

On Friday night, Robinson made his preseason debut for the Falcons in their game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Robinson received his first carry from quarterback Desmond Ridder on a first-and-10 and took it for 12 yards.

Not only are Falcons fans going to like what they see from Robinson, but also those who play fantasy football, looking to find some talent at the running back position. Let’s just say, some fans are already going to circle Robinson’s name as a player to draft in their preparations.

Fantasy football owners ready to draft Falcons rookie Bijan Robinson after preseason debut

But wait, there was so much more than Robinson did that won over fantasy football players.

The talk ahead of the NFL Draft was that while Robinson was a dominant runner out of the backfield, he could also contribute to the passing game on the opening drive. Well, he showed just that on Friday night.  Robinson made a one-handed grab on a screen pass from Ridder for a six-yard gain.

Unfortunately for Falcons fans, there were no points scored on the opening drive. On third-and-goal, Ridder threw a pass intended for Scotty Miller, but it was tipped in the air by cornerback Mike Hilton and intercepted by Bengals defensive lineman Joseph Ossai.

Robinson picked up 20 rushing yards on four carries and caught his lone target for six yards against the Bengals.

So far, so good for Robinson in his very first NFL game. Now, Falcons and fantasy football fans wait and see if he will play in the team’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Aug. 24, or be held out until their regular season opener against the Carolina Panthers.