Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier lead RBs

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have boasted a top-10 rushing attack in each of the last two years, but there are differences heading into 2024.

At the top of the team, the Falcons replaced head coach Arthur Smith with Raheem Morris. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, previously the Los Angeles Rams’ quarterbacks coach, is now in charge of player selection. Cordarrelle Patterson, who had 50 carries last year as the Falcons’ No. 3 rusher, left for the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent.

There is, however, plenty of continuity. Atlanta returns its top two rushers, Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, as well as its entire starting offensive line. Running backs coach Michael Pitre also returns to the team this fall.

Expectations are high and with Atlanta set to enter training camp on July 24, FalconsSI has previewed each position group. To read the quarterback preview, click HERE.

Here’s what you need to know about the Falcons’ running backs heading into the new season.

Depth chart

1. Bijan Robinson
2. Tyler Allgeier
3. Avery Williams
4. Jase McClellan
5. Carlos Washington Jr.
6. Robert Burns

The Biggest Questions

1. How is Bijan Robinson used?

The consensus — from Morris, Bijan and Zac Robinson — has been the idea of ​​using the 2023 first-round pick in the same way the San Francisco 49ers deploy star running back Christian McCaffrey.

Bijan had a solid rookie season, rushing for 976 yards and four touchdowns on 214 carries, while adding 487 yards and four more touchdowns on 58 receptions — but he has his eyes set on bigger performances this year. Those numbers have him ranked 10th in the NFL in total rushing yards.

The 22-year-old told Sports Illustrated before the Super Bowl that he was aiming for 2,000 rushing yards, and with the new staff, he appears to be a focal point.

“In the simplest form possible, it’s about getting Bijan the ball as much as possible in as many ideal situations as possible,” Morris said. “For him, he’s so talented. You don’t want to limit the things he can do, but you also don’t want to dilute him to the point where he doesn’t do anything he can do well.

“When you have the ball in his hands, he makes people miss, he gets extra yards, he’s able to fight for extra yards, he breaks tackles, he’s fast, he’s explosive, he’s strong.”

2. How does Allgeier’s role evolve in the new attack?

After setting a franchise rookie record with 1,035 rushing yards in 2022, Allgeier has become the Thunder to Robinson’s Lightning in 2023. It’s a role the former fifth-round pick has handled well, taking 186 carries for 683 yards and four touchdowns.

But the Falcons intend to become more pass-oriented than before under new quarterback Kirk Cousins, and if Robinson is to be prioritized in the way the staff has suggested, Allgeier could see his workload diminish.

Allgeier told reporters during OTAs that the new staff wants him to work on his pass catching, and after catching 18 passes for 193 yards and a score last season, he has a lot to prove in 2024 — and may need to immerse himself as a pass catcher to remain an important part of the offense.

3. More Clichés: McClellan or Williams?

Perhaps the biggest personnel change from last year to this year involves Williams, who was on the roster but missed the season after tearing his ACL in the summer of 2023, and McClellan, a sixth-round pick in April’s draft.

During OTAs and minicamp, Williams was Atlanta’s top running back in the rotation behind Robinson and Allgeier, but McClellan missed the entire month of practice with an undisclosed pre-draft injury.

Williams is expected to handle the return for Atlanta, making him a key player. McClellan’s role is unclear — he hasn’t played since being drafted, after all — but the Falcons like his four-down skills and believe he can contribute.

Assuming McClellan returns to training camp as scheduled, the leader who will be the Falcons’ third rusher will likely emerge in the team’s three preseason games rather than on the practice field.

Extracurricular activities

While the Falcons’ playbook is new, their run scheme will not be. Zac Robinson runs a wide-zone attack that mirrors Smith’s style. Falcons offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford said he hasn’t had to change much about what he teaches when it comes to run-blocking styles.

Atlanta has two undrafted free agents in 2023 at the bottom of its running backs depth chart, with Washington Jr. and Burns each competing for spots on the practice squad. Washington Jr. was on the Falcons’ practice squad last year while Burns did the same with the Chicago Bears.

The Falcons ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing attempts per game last season with 30.7, while the Rams — whose offense will largely devolve to Robinson calling the plays — finished 13th in the league with 27.4 carries.

Between the new coordinator and an expected substantial increase in quarterback numbers with Cousins, Atlanta’s carries could drop by about three to five per game. However, the Falcons plan to make more plays and play with the advantage more often in 2024, which could even out the final number.

The Falcons will hold two open workouts this fall, one on July 27 and one on August 2. Additional information on the schedule, location and tickets is available HERE. For the Atlanta training camp schedule, click HERE.