Falcons Star Ranks as NFL’s 9th Most Intriguing Figure Despite Team Struggles

ESPN recently ranked all 32 NFL teams by how fun they are to watch, and the Atlanta Falcons landed at number 28. This seems wrong when you look at the roster. The Falcons have Bijan Robinson, a player who is must-see TV all on his own. Yet the team gets a low score while Robinson stands out as the ninth-most intriguing figure in the entire league.

Mike Jones at The Athletic broke down this list of 26 top figures heading into the new season. He observed that Robinson ensures the Falcons remain a draw regardless of how poor the quarterback situation becomes. The ranking ignores the sheer talent one player brings to the field every single Sunday. You cannot ignore a player who dominated his third year with numbers that defy logic.

Robinson produced 1,478 rushing yards and 820 receiving yards last season. That adds up to 2,298 all-purpose yards, leading all offensive players in the NFL. The Falcons rewarded this performance with a three-year extension worth $66.75 million. The deal includes $51.6 million in guaranteed money. This is the kind of investment teams make when they know a player is special.

With uncertainty at the quarterback position, new coach Kevin Stefanski will likely lean heavily on Robinson again. The question is whether he can become the NFL’s first player to rush for 1,500 yards and catch for 1,000 yards in one season. Some experts believe the current numbers might actually sell Robinson short.

Should the squad fail to secure a true second wide receiver behind Drake London, Robinson’s burden will grow even heavier. He was only 15 targets behind Kyle Pitts last season. He could end up leading the team in targets if the receiving corps does not improve. Our assessment is that he can reach 1,800 rushing yards and 1,200 receiving yards.

Those numbers would shatter the yards from scrimmage record set by Chris Johnson in 2009, which stood at 2,509. Robinson is more than just a talented running back. His uncommon athletic ability positions him to become a pop culture icon akin to Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders. He is the reason to watch the game even when the rest of the team struggles.

The drama around Robinson is matched by the chaos at the quarterback position. Michael Penix Jr. has narrowed the gap on Tua Tagovailoa within the race for the starting role. Ian Rapoport at NFL Network reported that Tagovailoa initially had a big-time lead after impressing in the offseason. That advantage now seems to face significant strain.

The Falcons verified that both quarterbacks would share first-team reps once Penix received clearance for 11-on-11 drills. Rapoport explained that Tagovailoa had been inconsistent in both practice and games. He noted that while Tagovailoa seems to be practicing better lately, the door is open for Michael Penix. This competition reaches a boiling point as the season gets closer.

Penix underwent surgery on a partially torn ACL in his left knee during the week of November 24, 2025. Before that injury, he completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,982 yards with nine total touchdowns. He is facing pressure to reclaim the starting role he was set to compete for before the injury. Tagovailoa is on a one-year deal, making this a critical chance to prove he belongs. Penix told reporters, according to Yahoo Sports, “As far as a pocket, I can do everything.” He added he is waiting for his doctor to be comfortable with him taking hits.