FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Training camp is set to begin later this month for the Atlanta Falcons. To prepare for the first camp under head coach Kevin Stefanski, we're running our season preview series, which will take a closer look at each position group coming out of the offseason.
This series will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between now and July 22, which is one week before the Falcons' first training camp practice on July 29. Tori McElhaney will be helping me write these previews, which will include any offseason personnel changes, notable stats from the 2025 season and key questions entering training camp.
Camp Preview: Special Teams | Offensive Line | Defensive Line | Outside Linebacker | Inside Linebacker
Bijan Robinson is back and fresh off a career-best season in which he led all NFL players in scrimmage yards. For the first time in his career, though, Robinson won't be sharing the backfield with Tyler Allgeier, who is now in Arizona. Instead, the Falcons will have Brian Robinson Jr. in the complementary role to provide physicality.
Let's take a closer look at the Falcons' backfield setup.
Join us as we take a look back on our favorite photos from Monochrome Monday during the Atlanta Falcons' 2025-2026 season.
RUNNING BACKS
Coaches:
- Michael Pitre — Running backs coach (fifth season with Falcons)
Returning contributors:
- Bijan Robinson — Fourth season with Falcons
- Nathan Carter — Second season with Falcons
Notable newcomers:
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Tyler Goodson
Rest of the roster:
- Cash Jones
Offseason departures:
- Tyler Allgeier
- Carlos Washington Jr.
3 key questions for Falcons running backs
1. Can Bijan Robinson top his 2025 season?
There's no question that Robinson is the Falcons' superstar. He's a unique player in the league's history thanks to his Neo-like perceptive abilities and rare body control. His 2,298 yards from scrimmage — 1,478 rushing yards and 820 receiving yards — were the 12th-most in NFL history and the most all-time by an Atlanta player. Robinson has carried a sizeable workload, however, and has more touches than any other player in the league since the Falcons drafted him in 2023.
"I try to just go home and put the playbook away for a little bit, play video games," Robinson said when asked how he stays fresh. "I just chill, get my body right because I know when I come out here, I give 100%. So, I try to keep my body just chilling as much as possible. When I do come out here, I'm all the way ready to go. But yeah, I mean, it's fun, man. Me going out there and running routes, running the football, doing all that stuff, I don't even think about my body. It's just go out there and have fun doing it. So it's a blessing."
Robinson is 24 years old heading into the 2026 season and is firmly in his prime. In a new offensive scheme, can he continue to ascend and top what he did last year? If he does, Robinson will continue to assert himself as one of the most gifted offensive players in NFL history with plenty more runway left in his career.
2. How much use does Brian Robinson Jr. get?
Whether or not Bijan Robinson gets the opportunity to top last season's total could depend on what the coaching staff has in mind for Brian Robinson Jr. Bijan has had at least 365 touches in each of the last two seasons, but Brian has proven capable of handling more than 200 carries in his career. Tyler Allgeier has averaged around 150 touches over the past two years, so it will be interesting to see how the workload is divided.
Last season, as the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco, Brian logged 100 touches and gained 425 yards from scrimmage. A former third-round pick, he has the size to command short-yardage and goal-line touches, areas in which Allgeier excelled.
While in Cleveland, Stefanski also had an elite running back in Nick Chubb. The 2022 season was the last time Chubb started all 17 games, and he logged 329 total touches that season, while backup running back Kareem Hunt had 158 touches. That would seemingly track with how the Falcons have divided their backfield workload over the last couple of seasons. We will get a better idea of whether that vision will hold here in Atlanta during training camp.
3. Who emerges as the third running back?
Nathan Carter operated as Atlanta's third running back last year and carried the ball nine times for a rock-solid 60 yards. A majority of his snaps came on special teams, which is always an area a team's third back should take seriously. Carter will compete for this job once again in camp, however, after the Falcons signed free agent Tyler Goodson and brought in undrafted free agent Cash Jones out of the University of Georgia.
Goodson, who played high school football at North Gwinnett High School, gained 367 yards and scored two touchdowns in three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and looked good during offseason workouts. He adds experience as a kick returner and special teams value, which will help his case. The same holds for Jones, who was a special teams standout for the Bulldogs, but also adds versatility as a wide receiver and gadget-type player on offense.
It might not be a very big role during the season, but the battle for Atlanta's third running back spot could be one of the more underrated ones during training camp.
