Bijan Robinson: The King is Dead, Long Live the King
Bijan Robinson
University of Texas
Running Back
5’11”, 215 lbs
2022 Stats: 258-1,580-8 (Rushing); 19-314-2 (Receiving)
Pros
Where do I even begin? Bijan Robinson debuted on KeepTradeCut as the Dynasty RB1. As of this article, he is the 9th most-valued asset in Superflex leagues (3rd in 1QB). A quick scroll through Twitter, Reddit, or Youtube will tell you the same – it isn’t even a question. A genuinely ludicrous proposition, but at the same time, the hype is absolutely warranted. Bijan is that guy.
A five-star recruit out of Arizona, Robinson accumulated over 3,400 rushing yards for the Texas Longhorns, and his college career ended with the 2022 Doak Walker award, presented to the best running back in college football. Beyond the production, the most telling mark of his talent is his consistent presence as a first-round pick in NFL Mock Drafts. We are in an era where the RB position is extremely devalued by NFL teams. However, no mock drafter would dare leave Bijan out of Round 1. He is potentially the best player in the 2023 Draft.
Bijan’s skillset is frighteningly complete. Built as a workhorse back, Robinson had the 10th most attempts in college football in 2022, averaging more than 21 carries per game. Even with this volume, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry. I especially loved this quote from his NFL.com scouting report:
“He has to eat. The more carries he gets, the more damage he does. I know it’s not popular, but I would draft him in the first round and just get him the rock as much as I possibly could. He’s a much tougher runner than Saquon was coming out.”
— Personnel executive for NFC team
He achieves such success with a devastating combination of agility, power, and vision. For his size, Bijan has incredibly quick feet, allowing him to contort himself through non-existent gaps:
While he may not be the fastest running back in the class, Bijan is able to stop on a dime and accelerate the other way with ease. His shiftiness is backed by the numbers, with Robinson forcing 104 missed tackles in 2022, the most among running backs in his class (per PFF). Furthermore, he supplements his physical traits with supreme vision and decision-making. Bijan plays like everyone else is moving in slow motion:
The run above encapsulates his game perfectly, highlighting the rare combination of traits he possesses. I’ll discuss his speed a little later in this piece (spoiler: it is one of the only cons I could scrape together), but Bijan minimizes this weakness with his lateral agility and understanding of space. He always knows which angle to take to beat defenders:
Additionally, I want to touch on something crucial for fantasy football – Robinson’s receiving prowess. He has natural hands and great body control, making him a legitimate receiving weapon. His receiving production was not built on simple dump-offs; rather, Bijan is a natural route-runner:
Bijan is a genuine dual-threat running back, giving him an elite fantasy ceiling. NFL coordinators will continually create mismatches for him with his versatility, and his fantasy managers can sit back and watch the points roll in.
Cons
As I mentioned earlier, a common knock on his game is a lack of high-end long speed. He won’t break those 70-yard runs like a Kenneth Walker or Travis Etienne. This is often why people place him second to Saquon Barkley while reviewing the two out of college. Saquon was a freakish prospect, with nearly unmatchable athleticism. That being said, Bijan quashed any notions of him being slow at the Combine, with a 4.46 40-yard dash. He will still make regular house calls from outside the red zone:
Bijan can certainly refine elements of his game at the next level. I found this breakdown by Matt Waldman, a reputable analyst, extremely insightful:
I believe that the first point on trying to do too much with a play can be a symptom of simply being too good. At times, these elite players have exaggerated trust in their ability to juke defenders and break big plays. Saquon is still guilty of this, even multiple years into his professional career. Sometimes, the best option is to get the easy yardage.
On this note, however, I believe Bijan can be better than Saquon as an NFL player. The mental side of his game is very strong, and this can translate to being more consistent from down to down.
Summary
Bijan Robinson’s arrival to the NFL stage has been long-awaited, and fantasy managers with the 1.01 should be salivating at the prospect of adding him to their teams. He is one of the best running backs to emerge from college football in recent memory, and I believe his status as Dynasty RB1 is strongly warranted. Depending on landing spot, Bijan will climb into the first round in 2023 redraft leagues, and he could be the first player off the board in 2024.
To finish, I want to add that Bijan seems like a truly genuine human being, from his interviews and social media interactions. He displays humility and maturity beyond his years, traits that some superstar athletes can lack. I cannot wait to see where he goes, and how his NFL career unfolds.
As the title reads: “The King is Dead, Long Live the King“.
2023 Dynasty Rookie Draft Projection: 1.01 (Don’t even think twice. Pick him, or trade for a haul)
Ideal Role: Lead back, with 20+ touches per game
Player Comp: LaDainian Tomlinson
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