Fantasy Soccer Booms and Busts: Bijan Robinson is likely to be a league-winner in spite of everything

For a lot of the fantasy soccer season, Bijan Robinson has been a irritating participant. He’s tied to a maddening offense, a mercurial coach and an erratic function.

However there’s no ignoring the Robinson rampage from Week 12. He’s beginning to appear like a league-winner.

Robinson was the dominant fantasy participant in Sunday’s early window, rolling up 123 whole yards and a few touchdowns in a 24-15 victory over New Orleans. Robinson had one landing by floor, one by air, and succeeded in various Atlanta offensive units. Generally the Falcons had been beneath middle, typically within the shotgun or pistol. The offensive line pushed New Orleans round, and when Robinson has time to get a head of steam and decide his lane, thrilling issues occur.

Peruse the Robinson tape, see what you make of it. Robinson wasn’t touched on his first landing, a mixture of dynamic blocking and Robinson’s world-class burst. The second rating was a nifty timing throw from up-and-down quarterback Desmond Ridder, which changed into the game-clinching factors.

Robinson posted loads of stable fantasy video games earlier than this week, however we had been nonetheless ready for that monster efficiency. His finest half-point PPR grading by the primary 10 weeks had been a few RB8 showings within the first two weeks. Sunday’s 25.8 factors slotted him because the RB3 in Yahoo scoring as we go to press, trailing simply Christian McCaffrey and Kyren Williams on the week.

Robinson was a typical title talked about in Sunday’s start-sit discussions. That’s in all probability come to an finish now. The Falcons are leaning into him for the stretch run, and the remaining schedule seems pleasant. 4 of Robinson’s subsequent 5 opponents — the Jets, Panthers, Colts and Bears — rank within the prime 10 in fantasy factors allowed to operating backs. The one tough mark on the schedule is the Week 14 house date in opposition to Tampa Bay — and heck, the Buccaneers didn’t maintain Jonathan Taylor down Sunday.

Robust to belief different Falcons

I want I may emphatically endorse the remainder of the Atlanta offense. It’s nonetheless a hit-and-miss group. Drake London was spectacular on a 5-91-0 afternoon, absorbing seven targets. That’s 33% p.c of the passing-game pie right here, but it surely’s a small pie — the Falcons tried solely 21 passes. Desmond Ridder threw a few dangerous picks, and also you get the concept the Atlanta coaches view Ridder as a quarterback who must be fastidiously managed.

And with London and Robinson combining for 13 targets, there wasn’t a lot room for different Atlanta gamers. Kyle Pitts caught each of his targets, for 22 yards. The Falcons haven’t unlocked him all 12 months. He is not a fantasy consideration in most swimming pools.

Missed alternatives for Saints

The Saints offense had no bother transferring the ball (444 yards, 22 first downs), however left a bunch of factors on the sphere, failing to get into the tip zone. Accidents didn’t assist. Chris Olave was dominating (7-114-0, 9 targets) earlier than a third-quarter concussion ended his day. Rashid Shaheed (2-9-0, 5 targets) suffered a second-quarter hamstring harm and didn’t return, both.

Alvin Kamara is caught on three touchdowns, however at the very least quantity carried him to a satisfactory fantasy rating (15-69 dashing, 4-50 receiving). Derek Carr killed one drive with a pick-6, and Taysom Hill misplaced a fumble.

The Falcons and Saints at the moment are tied for the NFC South lead, each groups at 5-6. Though the Buccaneers nonetheless have a shot, only a recreation again, it’s seemingly the New Orleans-Atlanta rematch Week 18 shall be for the divisional title, maybe flexed into the night slot.

Perhaps watching Arthur Smith coach in prime time is not your thought of a celebration. However Bijan Robinson is able to take a tragic tune and make it higher.

Velocity Spherical

• Spreading the video games out on Thanksgiving week is a double-edged sword. It is good to have six stand-alone video games for the week; we are able to get extra eyes on extra gamers, extra groups, extra conditions. It is good for scouting. However with the Lions, Cowboys, Niners, and Dolphins all off the menu earlier than the weekend hit, the early window Sunday felt skimpy, an Italian grinder with out the meat.

• For weeks Rashee Rice has been the effectivity darling in Kansas Metropolis. Sunday they lastly gave him the amount and a predictable line adopted — 8-107-1 on 10 targets. Andy Reid did not rush Rice, however he cannot unsee one of these manufacturing. Rice is a simple begin the remainder of the season.

• We do not want Aidan O’Connell to be nice, we simply want him to be ok to assist the three fantasy-playable Raiders, Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, and Jakobi Meyers. AOC wasn’t sharp down the stretch in opposition to the Chiefs, however he had his finest begin of the 12 months Sunday. We are able to belief the Vegas triplets.

• It is onerous to know what to do with gamers in nebulous harm conditions. Cooper Kupp began Sunday, however seemingly wasn’t near full well being. Kyren Williams returned after a multiple-week harm. Outcome: Williams ran wild like a Professional Bowler, whereas Kupp was basically a decoy. There’s quite a lot of guessing to the video games we play. Royce Freeman ultimately obtained his backfield work, too, within the blowout, however I anticipate Williams to have a dominant workload share within the shut video games.

• James Conner is the lead again in Arizona however with Kyler Murray operating aggressively — and even Clayton Tune will get some occasional dashing probabilities — the goal-line fairness flies out the window. And it isn’t just like the Cardinals typically play with a positive recreation script; they’re 2-10 for a cause. The protection was embarrassed by an extraordinary Rams staff Sunday. In case you have championship desires, you want beginning backs higher than Conner.

• The Browns and Broncos are basically the identical staff — superb protection, credible talent expertise, and a recreation of hide-the-quarterback. The comp is not a seamless overlap — Russell Wilson is best than the remaining Cleveland quarterbacks, and the Browns protection is best than Denver’s — however the framework is similar.

Most AFC contenders would like to see both staff make the playoffs, if it saved the Payments out. Buffalo now sits at 6-6, regardless of a -plus101 level differential. I understand it is a deceptive recreation to say this, however Buffalo is not more than 10 performs from being undefeated. Alas, the Payments at the moment are longshots to make the AFC event.

• Keenan Allen has the right setup — he is the one downfield choice the Chargers belief, however his common achieve is so modest, defenses do not feel obligated to throw all sources in direction of stopping him. Fantasy managers love the 14-106-0 line that Allen posted Sunday. The Ravens see 106 yards on 16 targets — that is a modest 6.63 per try — and doubtless conclude “that is not beating us.” The Chargers completed with 10 measly factors.

• Derrick Henry wanted two landing runs to take advantage of out of 18 carries for 76 yards in opposition to Carolina, the worst staff in soccer. The Titans do not play one other dangerous staff the remainder of the 12 months: Colts, Dolphins, Texans, Seahawks, Texans, Jaguars. Henry clearly has little receiving function and might get misplaced within the recreation script when Tennessee falls behind. He isn’t an automated starter for the fantasy playoffs.

• Pat Freiermuth toyed with the Bengals for 3 hours, a 9-120-0 magnificence that featured a wide range of routes. However everybody within the Pittsburgh passing recreation is normally preventing over one Kenny Pickett landing move, and on this Sunday, Pickett did not throw any. Pittsburgh’s present blueprint is rarely going to vary — let’s attempt to maintain Pickett from dropping the sport, let’s management the clock with two respectable backs, and let’s examine if T.J. Watt and the protection can win it for us. There isn’t any scarcity of candidates, however possibly that is the time Mike Tomlin lastly wins Coach of the 12 months.