Bijan Robinson to make preseason debut for Atlanta Falcons vs. Bengals

Atlanta Falcons fans who have been waiting to see rookie running back Bijan Robinson in action will soon get the opportunity to do so.

Robinson is set to make his preseason debut this week, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Monday. The former Texas star won’t get a huge workload, but he is expected to get some opportunities when Atlanta hosts Cincinnati on Friday. Kickoff for Atlanta’s second preseason game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“We’re not going to go crazy. We just need the reps,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said, according to ESPN. “We need to get our bread-and-butter concepts in there and he’ll see his tracks. We’re not going to sit there and show everything but we need to execute well.”

Robinson and several other Falcons starters sat out for the Week 1 preseason matchup against the Dolphins this past Friday. Atlanta won the game 19-3.

Expectations are high for Robinson entering his rookie year after he put together an incredible career at Texas.

The 2022 Doak Walker Award winner had 258 carries for 1,580 yards in 12 games last season, while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He rushed for 18 touchdowns and also caught 19 passes for 314 yards and two scores.

Bijan Robinson ranks fourth all-time at Texas with 3,410 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns. He was drafted by the Falcons in the first round, No. 8 overall, in the 2023 NFL draft.

Bijan Robinson listed as third-string running back on Falcons’ depth chart

While plenty is expected of Bijan Robinson during his time in Atlanta, the Falcons aren’t simply handing him the starting running back job.

The Atlanta Falcons released their first unofficial depth chart last Tuesday, and to the surprise of many, Bijan Robinson wasn’t listed as RB1 — or even RB2m for that matter.

Robinson, the eighth overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, was listed as RB3 behind Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier. The key word, however, is unofficial, which means it’s still very likely that when the Falcons trot onto the field in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, it will be Robinson lined up behind or next to quarterback Desmond Ridder.

Also of note, since head coach Arthur Smith’s arrival in 2021, rookies have routinely sat near the back of the depth chart. Yes, that includes 2021 fourth overall pick Kyle Pitts and 2022 eighth overall pick Drake London.

Robinson has certainly earned the seal of approval early on from general manager Terry Fontenot.

“He’s a true professional already, just the way he handles himself,” Fontenot said this past week, via the team’s website. “We put a lot on these rookies’ plates — a lot on all these players’ plates. But the rookies, it’s a transition. … Bijan is doing a lot of different things for us. It’s taxing, but he’s handled everything so well and he is just even and consistent. He always has that $1 million smile on his face. We appreciate Bijan, and maturity is a good word to describe him.”