Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson finished his rookie season with 976 rushing yards on 214 attempts. This is a solid season by rookie standards, but the Texas product was not your typical rookie. Widely regarded as the best running back prospect since at least Saquon Barkley, most expected the Texas product to take the world by storm in 2023.
Unfortunately, then-head coach Arthur Smith had a different idea. Despite selecting him with the eighth overall pick in the draft, Smith had Robinson split snaps with former fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier all season long. With Smith out of the picture, Bijan Robinson thinks he can reach 2,000 rushing yards.
“I want 2,000 yards rushing,” Bijan Robinson said, via Daniel Flick of SI.com. “I know those are big expectations, what we can do as an offense, with all the weapons, our O-line, with Zac [Robinson] being at the helm, it can be something special. I think it’s going to be one of those special seasons that Atlanta’s been waiting for us and all of us as players have been waiting for.”
Bijan Robinson Wants to Run For 2,000 Yards In 2024
Bijan Robinson will be in rare company if he reaches 2,000 rushing yards. Throughout the entire history of the NFL, only eight players have ever reached that impressive mark. The most recent player to do it was Derrick Henry in 2020, and he needed a staggering 378 carries to record his 2,027 yards.
Chances are, Bijan Robinson is not going to reach 2,000 rushing yards. However, he should be able to easily eclipse the 976 he recorded as a rookie. While Allgeier is a solid runner, he lacks Robinson’s elite athleticism. Everyone with eyes could see Robinson was the superior talent, but Smith simply refused to use him in a three-down role.
Chances are, Raheem Morris will be more willing to use Robinson as a workhorse back. While he’d still need historic usage and efficiency to hit 2,000 rushing yards, Bijan Robinson has a legitimate shot to lead the league in rushing yards – especially if they land the right quarterback.
The Quarterback Factor
The Atlanta Falcons are in the quarterback market and are likely to end up with either Kirk Cousins or Justin Fields. Both players are better than Taylor Henicke, so that should help Bijan Robinson in pursuit of his 2,000 rushing yards. However, if Fields ends up being the guy, then Robinson might have a somewhat legitimate shot at making history.
It’s no secret that rushing quarterbacks help running backs with their overall efficiency. Defenses usually have the upper hand on running plays against pocket passers, as the quarterback can’t do anything once he hands off the ball. In essence, the plays are fundamentally 11 defenders versus 10 offensive players. That’s not the case with mobile quarterbacks, as defenses need to respect the quarterback’s ability to possibly hold on to the ball and take off for a quick gain. Justin Fields is one of the most elusive and electric quarterbacks in the league, and sharing a backfield with him will help Bijan Robinson get more rushing yards per touch.
Additionally, Fields is not a volume passer. While Chicago’s weapons have never been great, Fields has routinely been at the bottom of all passing volume categories. Perhaps his passing output goes up a little bit in a new environment, but he’ll never see Tom Brady’s passing volume. Once again, this is good news for Bijan Robinson, as more carries mean more rushing yards. 2,000 yards would still be unlikely due to how insane a feat it is, but this would give him his best shot at joining an elite group of NFL players.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – USA Today Sports
