Defensive trends around the NFL are nothing if not cyclical, and two-high safety sets are now once again the standard. That has forced quarterbacks to throw underneath more often and teams to invest more in their ground game. Therefore, having a quality starter and solid backup at running back is as important as it's been in 20 years.
The Atlanta Falcons may not have their starting quarterback situation settled, but they are as blessed as any team in football at this position. Bijan Robinson has a real chance to be the most-productive skill player in the entire league and Brian Robinson is a very-solid No. 2 option.
Together, this running back tandem has been ranked the best in the NFL by Jared Dubin at CBS Sports.
"As mentioned above, Bijan Robinson
is arguably the best running back in football... He can do everything there is to do on the field, and seemingly do it with relative ease. Brian Robinson Jr. ran for at least 733 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons before landing in San Francisco last year, where he still managed to get to 400 despite playing only 17% of the offensive snaps. In a larger role behind Bijan, he could do more with his opportunities."
Solid though their RB2 may be, this is a bit like saying that Michael Jordan and John Paxson were the NBA's best guard duo of their time. Bijan won't have Tyler Allgeier stealing his red zone carries anymore and he finished last season with 103 targets as a receiver, totaling 820 yards and four touchdowns. He led the league in yards after catch and total yards from scrimmage, and should only produce more going forward.
In Bijan the Falcons have a rare commodity: a superstar running back who's only just entering his prime years. Expect them to ride him as a true three-down back, with Brian Robinson only coming in occasionally to give Bijan a breather.
Free agent pickup Tyler Goodson should serve as the No. 3 option and Atlanta is expected to roster only three running backs during the regular season. If there's an outlier, it's undrafted free agent Cash Jones out of Georgia, who should have a shot at the initial 53 if he can impress more than Goodson as a receiver.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons RB duo ranked No. 1 in the NFL ahead of 2026 season
