Though Falcons fans might not want to admit it, Bijan Robinson has still been one of the best rookies in football. Due to a lack of touches near the goal line and recency bias, fans think Arthur Smith hasn’t brought the Ferrari out of the garage all season. That’s just not the case, though.
Bijan Robinson hasn’t totaled fewer than 15 touches this season outside of the Week 7 game where he managed one touch due to migraines. He’s averaging just under 18 touches per game outside of the anomaly in Week 7, so the Falcons are still getting him the ball at a consistent rate.
Now, fans do have a valid reason to be upset with Arthur Smith’s play design and calls in the red zone, especially last week’s sequence that started at the 1-yard line. It’s reasonable to be upset about certain facets of the Falcons’ shortcomings, but Bijan Robinson’s touches haven’t fallen off a cliff. His involvement in the most critical junctures in the game is concerning, though.
There’s a lot of season to play, and Bijan Robinson is still among the best rookies in football. The 8th overall pick made The Athletic’s Midseason All-Rookie Team.
Robinson’s earning another unanimous nod (as he did after the season’s first quarter) is no surprise. He’s leading all rookie backs with 103 attempts, and he’s averaging a tick over 5 yards per carry. He’s also seeing an eight-man box on 37 percent of his rushes but has still produced 12-plus yards 12 percent of the time.
Robinson isn’t the only first-year player to be recognized, though. Matthew Bergeron made it as an honorable mention. The second-round pick has had typical rookie struggles but has improved each week.
According to PFF, Bergeron is coming off the best game of his career, not allowing a single pressure on 43 dropbacks against the Vikings. The Falcons have had struggles with their second round picks since the new regime took over, but it seems Matthew Bergeron is trending in the right direction.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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