Falcons Bijan Robinson Predicted to Take Home Serious Hardware in 2026

The cornerstone piece of the Atlanta Falcons offense is expected to follow up his strong year with another big push for top honor

Next season is expected to be a big one for the Falcons running back | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

With the 2025 NFL season officially in the books, the focus shifts toward what’s next, and it’s not too early to start projecting storylines for 2026. ESPN’s panel of NFL experts recently rolled out their early predictions of the upcoming season, and one Atlanta Falcons star is already generating serious buzz.

Running back Bijan Robinson was tabbed as a candidate to take home major hardware in 2026, with NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler choosing the Falcon as his early pick for MVP.

“Maybe Raheem Morris was right in saying that Robinson is the league's best player. He's truly breathtaking, and another season of 2,000-plus total yards will give voters something to think about -- especially if Atlanta makes a playoff push. Robinson should prove impactful in Kevin Stefanski's wide-zone system.” Fowler wrote.

Robinson finished the 2025 season as the NFL’s yards from scrimmage leader with 2,298 total yards, over 170 more yards than second-place Christian McCaffrey. It was the most yards from scrimmage by any player in the last six seasons.

Robinson led the league in total games with 150 or more yards from scrimmage, with seven such games. No other player had more than four. His 93-yard rushing touchdown against the Rams in Week 17 stood as the longest run of the 2025 season, and his 81-yard score against the Bills was the third longest.

For his efforts, the Falcons’ star earned Pro Bowl honors, was named First Team All-Pro and finished fourth in Offensive Player of the Year voting, capping off a stellar campaign that firmly placed him among the league’s elite offensive playmakers.

With a new head coach in place, one whose offensive system has consistently maximized running back production in recent seasons, the ceiling for Robinson only continues to rise. In fact, Fowler went a step further, predicting the Falcons’ star not just to thrive, but to emerge a sthe best player in football.

If Robinson reaches that MVP level, individual accolades may not be the only thing coming the Falcons’ way in 2026.

Another expert at ESPN believes that Atlanta will end its nine-year-long playoff drought in 2026.

“The Falcons will win the NFC South, as Kevin Stefanski immediately steps in as a quality head coach with a roster that just needs competent coaching and quarterback help. But Stefanski can scheme an offense around a quarterback well, and he pushes the Falcons to 10 wins.” Benjamin Solak writes.

Atlanta has flirted with a division title in each of the last two seasons, finishing top two both years. In 2024, the Falcons jumped out to a hot 6-3 start, holding a two-game lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before ultimately fizzling out, winning just two of their final eight games.

In 2025, they finished tied first in the NFC South, but dropping two to the Carolina Panthers would ultimately keep them out of the playoffs.

The pieces, however, are clearly in place. With Robinson emerging as one of the most dynamic players in football and a new coaching staff bringing renewed optimism, expectations in Atlanta are certainly rising.

If ESPN’s projections prove accurate, the Falcons will likely have another MVP taking them to the postseason, a decade after Matt Ryan won the franchise’s first MVP award.