Falcons HC reveals pick for 'best player in football' — stats, oddsmakers support his take

Third-year running back Bijan Robinson is once again serving as the most valuable offensive player for the Atlanta Falcons this season.

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris delivered a confident answer when asked whether or not Robinson is currently the NFL's best player. 

Bijan Robinson is "definitely the best player in football"

"He's definitely the best player in football, without a doubt," Morris responded, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN. "He's unbelievable. I love the kid. I love everything about him. I love watching him with the ball. I love his confidence. I love his demeanor. I love his mindset. I love the leadership. I love everything about him."

According to the StatMuse website, Robinson finished the 2024 regular season ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,887 yards from scrimmage. While Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles led the league with 2,283 yards from scrimmage en route to earning Offensive Player of the Year Award honors for the campaign, he told Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated during the summer that he feels Robinson "is the most talented" running back in the NFL today. 

More recently, Robinson tallied 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in Atlanta's disappointing 23-20 Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 7. He then went for 143 rushing yards on 22 carries in a 22-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings this past Sunday night. Only Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts accumulated more total yards from scrimmage (313) than Robinson (292) over the first two weeks of the ongoing season. 

Bijan Robinson the quarterback?

"Unique skillset," Morris added about Robinson. "Unbelievable vision, unbelievable teammate, speed, physicality. Like you come across when you first meet him, you think he's a scat back, but he's really just everything. He has the ability to get out of the backfield, run receiver-like routes. He can stay in the backfield and block whichever linebacker you decide to bring. He just does it all. And we might line him up at quarterback this week, who knows?"

As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Robinson and Barkley tied for second among the betting favorites at +850 odds to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award for this season. 1-1 Atlanta next plays at the 0-2 Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday.