Who Should I Start? James Conner or Brian Robinson Jr.

Tuesday, April 14, 5:12 AM

Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson Jr. spent his 2025 season in San Francisco as the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey. While it didn't work out for Robinson's fantasy managers, NFL fans in general were fortunate to see McCaffrey play a full 17-game slate, and Robinson ended the year with career lows of 400 yards and two touchdowns on only 92 carries. He has now signed a one-year deal with Atlanta to back up another of the league's premier backs in Bijan Robinson. While the latter Robinson has not missed a start through his first three seasons in the league, his versatility has allowed for a unique opportunity to have two backs on the field at once. Twice in his career, he has lined up for more than 150 snaps at wide receiver, and his previous backup, Tyler Allgeier, averaged more than 10 touches per game across their three seasons together. The Falcons do welcome a new staff, with head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees leaving behind a Cleveland team that tended to lean heavily on one back when given the opportunity. However, neither has ever coached a player with Robinson's skillset, and they would be wise to take advantage, leading to a safe enough floor for Robinson Jr. to hold standalone value on top of being a must-roster insurance back.