Falcons' Bijan Robinson on Usage: 'I Never Wanna Be the Guy to Talk About Touches'

One of the confusing trends during the 2023 NFL season has been the Atlanta Falcons using rookie running back Bijan Robinson more sparsely than expected after the team selected him with the No. 8 overall pick.

But you won't catch him complaining.

"I never wanna be the guy to talk about touches," he told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "I just know that whatever touches I do get, I have to make the most of it."

The rest of us would like to talk about his touches, however.

Robinson is averaging a healthy five yards per carry (703 yards and three touchdowns in total) and has proven he can be a weapon in the passing game (32 catches for 240 yards and three scores). When he gets 16 or more touches in a game, the Falcons are 4-3. When he doesn't, they are just 1-3.

Despite that fact, Robinson has just six more carries on the season than Tyler Allegeier (141-135), who is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. He is third on the team in targets (49), however, trailing only Drake London (68) and Kyle Pitts (60).

But there's also the eye test, and he passes with flying colors:

Robinson went off in Atlanta's crucial 24-15 win on Sunday over the New Orleans Saints, a rushing 16 times for 91 yards and a score and adding three catches for 32 yards and another touchdown.

But he was quick to credit the offensive line for the team's success.

"I don't know what (the offensive linemen) were on this week, but they were overpowering everything in practice," Robinson told reporters at the time. "They had a different mindset. Just seeing those five guys go out there and dominate the will of a defense, it speaks a lot for how good an O-line can be. Those five guys, the tight ends, the receivers. It was all part of the plan this week to do what we do in the ground game."

But it was also a reminder of how dangerous Robinson can be when he gets a healthy amount of touches. Nobody on Atlanta's offense is more dangerous with the ball in his hands than the rookie running back.

He may not want to complain about touches, and that's admirable. But it's clear Atlanta is a better team when he gets a healthy dose of the rock.