Despite the turbulence that 2023 brought for the Falcons, the gifted young back managed to have a successful rookie season.
Naturally, the Bijan Robinson hype machine went crazy. After an incredible career at Texas that resulted in the Atlanta Falcons selecting him at No. 8 overall, expectations were quite high for a player that, in my opinion, most of us felt was truly exceptional. It was going to be difficult to live up to that in the first season, and it’s reasonable to say that Robinson wasn’t nearly the game-changing player we had hoped for on a weekly basis.
Even though his first season did not live up to our expectations, it was still a very successful one, especially considering how inconsistently he was used in Arthur Smith’s frustrating offense. In addition to ranking third in team history for a rookie, Bijan’s 976 yards of rushing were 15th in the NFL.
Bijan Robinson first career NFL touchdown is a HIGHLIGHT.
Whoop!pic.twitter.com/BhvnYacORE
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 10, 2023
Among running backs, he had 58 receptions for sixth place and 487 receiving yards for fourth place. Regarding yards from scrimmage, he was tied for 33rd in the NFL and ranked 10th overall. Overall, it was a fruitful season with a few jaw-dropping moments that showed what Robinson might continually accomplish if given the chance.
Robinson is a finalist for Pepsi’s Rookie of the Year, which is not surprising considering the anticipation and the outcome. Among the six rookies vying for the honor are explosive backs Jahmyr Gibbs and De’Von Achane, tough and extremely prolific receiver Puka Nacua, gifted tight end Sam LaPorta, and the future great NFL quarterback, C.J. Stroud.
The nominees for the @pepsi Rookie of the Year are here!
Vote now at https://t.co/aSx1vIAlIh pic.twitter.com/0s2zP1Roun
— NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2024
Although I believe he will finish in the top three or four, Robinson deserves to be mentioned in the conversation even though he shouldn’t win—Stroud definitely should. With all of the experience he has under his belt, it’s hard not to fantasize about what he could accomplish in year two as a more polished receiving option and what he can do as the dynamic runner he will be in 2024 in a stronger offense. For now, we’re happy about Robinson’s acknowledgment and look forward to even greater excellence from him the next year.