Bijan Robinson has established his value in this league, both for fantasy managers and the Falcons, and this contract extension is simply further proof of that. The term “generational talent” gets used too much in today’s world, but the case could be made for him to hold that title given the first three seasons of his career and potential growth as he enters the prime of his career.
But managers have one question about him: is he the 1.01?
Fantasy Football Rankings: Bijan Robinson’s Case for 1.01 Honors
As the summer has progressed, I’ve settled on there being a top tier of four players when it comes to redraft leagues in 2026: Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Ja’Marr Chase, and Puka Nacua.
Realistically, you could shuffle them up in any order you want and make a convincing argument, but I’m siding with Atlanta’s RB1 because of the weight of his responsibilities to this team.
In Detroit, Gibbs is joined by another fantasy first-rounder (Amon-Ra St. Brown), a TE with a path to top-5 production (Sam LaPorta), and a receiver in Jameson Williams who could explode for the type of monster season that his pedigree suggests is possible at a moment’s notice.
CHECK THEM OUT: 2026 Fantasy Football Rankings
Chase heads a lethal Cincinnati attack that includes a receiver in Tee Higgins who, at times, has earned targets ahead of him, and a running back in Chase Brown who I think has a legitimate chance at returning Round 1 value in 2026.
Nacua’s supporting cast isn’t on the level of Detroit or Cincinnati, but Davante Adams and Kyren Williams were both put on this planet to score touchdowns, and that’s the quickest way for a star player to underperform.
In Atlanta, Robinson and Drake London do the heavy lifting weekly. If you’ve rostered Kyle Pitts at all, you know the rollercoaster ride that is and no other pass catcher is even considered draftable in most formats.
Robinson (the leader in 20-point PPR games since 2024 among flex players) is coming off of consecutive seasons north of 1,400 rushing yards and 60 receptions. That type of production is impressive without any context, but when you consider that Atlanta ranks 24th in scoring over that stretch, it’s nothing short of phenomenal.
The rushing production and efficiency are usually what gets dinged in projection systems when the team isn’t very good, but Robinson has risen above that, so that’s not a major concern of mine entering 2026.
Instead, his growth as a pass catcher is something that opens the door to peak Christian McCaffrey-type production. Last season, Robinson set career highs in average depth of target, target rate, and red zone target rate. He’s not exactly functioning as a receiver (yet), but in terms of the position, he’s well ahead of the curve, and it’s clear that Atlanta is focused on weaponizing their most talented player.
Like I said, the WR depth isn’t exactly in a spot to stop this growth.
- Jahan Dotson (failed to catch 20 balls in both seasons with PHI)
- Olamide Zaccheaus (has never earned 70 targets in a season for a career that stretches 105 games)
- Zachariah Branch (5’10”, 79th overall pick, nine scores across three collegiate seasons)
There is certainly a tier at the running back position after Gibbs/Robinson and the top-heavy nature of that position has them going 1-2 or 2-1 in most of my runs through our FREE Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator.
If you need a nudge, it’s there for you in the fantasy postseason:
- Week 15 at Commanders
- Week 16 vs. Buccaneers
- Week 17 vs. Saints
