The Falcons may have plenty to sort out elsewhere, but at running back, they’re sitting pretty. Atlanta heads toward the 2026 season with Bijan Robinson as the centerpiece of its ground game, and the star back just picked up another nod to match the production: he’s been named to NFL.com’s all-under-25 team by Nick Shook.
Robinson is heading into his fourth season, and the numbers already tell the story. Shook pointed to his 4,185 scrimmage yards and 26 touchdowns, calling him “the epitome of a high-volume producer every team would want on its roster.” He also labeled Robinson “the NFL’s best three-down back” and said Atlanta should expect even more from him in 2026.
That kind of outlook makes sense given the setup around him. Robinson was already putting up elite production under former head coach Raheem Morris, and now he’s positioned to work in what should be another run-heavy system under new coach Kevin Stefanski. On top of that, the Falcons have the added advantage of the game’s most accomplished offensive line coach now in the building.
There’s also the simple reality of Atlanta’s passing game. With neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Michael Penix having impressed over the last two years, the Falcons could end up leaning even more heavily on the run if that doesn’t change. That would only increase Robinson’s workload and his chances to pile up eye-popping totals.
In fact, the source of this optimism goes even further: Robinson could be in range to challenge Eric Dickerson’s 1984 rushing record of 2,105 yards.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Got The Michael Penix Jr. Update They Feared
Michael Penix Jr. is headed into training camp with his timeline still lagging behind the rest of the Falcons quarterback room, a frustrating reality for a player trying to establish himself after another major knee setback. Penix said his latest ACL issue is the third of his career in seven years, and the team is already bracing for him to miss the kind of full-speed work that usually matters most when jobs are being sorted out in camp.
Kevin Stefanski confirmed Penix will not be ready when camp opens, which leaves Atlanta in a familiar but uncomfortable spot at the most important position on the field. With Penix unable to take part in full contact right away, the Falcons are trending toward starting the season with Tua Tagovailoa under center, and the longer this delay runs, the harder it becomes for Penix to force his way into the picture early. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Camp Has A Quarterback Problem Fans Feared Most
The Falcons quarterback room has been thinned to a point few teams ever want to reach in camp. Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with a back injury, Michael Penix Jr. is still working back from ACL surgery and not yet fit for team drills, and the result has been a scramble for reps that has put the spotlight on depth rather than development.
Atlanta has already moved to patch things together by releasing Trevor Siemian because of a non-football injury and bringing in Cooper Rush, while undrafted Jack Strand has been taking first-team snaps. For a team that expected camp to be about sorting out roles, the bigger question now is simply how long it can keep the offense moving before the quarterback picture settles down. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookie Absence Just Opened A Door Fans Werent Expecting
The Falcons defensive tackle picture got a little more interesting this spring when the team added undrafted rookie Carlos Allen Jr. and then watched a separate rookie, sixth-round pick Anterio Thompson, get slowed before camp even really began. Thompsons absence during rookie minicamp and OTAs has already changed the way the interior line reps are being distributed, and it has created a cleaner opening for a player who arrived without draft-day fanfare but with a chance to make noise.
Allen Jr. now heads into training camp with a real opportunity to press for a roster spot, which is more than most undrafted linemen can say at this stage. Atlanta already has bodies in the defensive tackle rotation, but the combination of Thompsons delay and Allen Jr.s production in college gives the Falcons another name to watch as they sort out who can help them up front. [Read more 🡒]