Alright, let’s talk about this Etienne or Bijan thing. I actually spent a good chunk of time wrestling with this one myself not too long ago, right before my main fantasy draft.
Getting Started
So, there I was, staring at my draft board, couple of picks away. Both Travis Etienne and Bijan Robinson were sitting there, looking mighty tempting. My league mates were starting to buzz, you know how it gets. My gut initially kinda leaned towards Etienne. We’d seen him play a full season, saw that burst, knew he could catch the ball with Trevor Lawrence slinging it.
Digging In a Bit
But then, the Bijan hype train was impossible to ignore. Top-10 pick, everyone talking him up like the next big thing. So, I started digging. Pulled up some stats, watched some highlights again.
- For Etienne: I remembered his rookie year was a wash ’cause of injury, but last season he looked pretty solid. Good yardage, involved in the passing game. My main worry was that touchdown count wasn’t huge, and sometimes they pulled him near the goal line. Still, felt like a safer floor maybe?
- For Bijan: Man, the college tape was impressive. Kid looked like he could do it all. And Atlanta, they love to run the ball, right? Arthur Smith’s system usually feeds one guy. But, he was a rookie. You never really know how quickly they’ll adapt. Plus, the Falcons’ QB situation felt a bit shaky, could defenses just stack the box against him?
The Back and Forth
Honestly, I went back and forth like crazy. One minute I’d think, “Okay, Etienne, proven commodity, good offense.” The next, “But Bijan… the potential is massive! He could be the RB1 overall.” It felt like choosing between a pretty reliable car and a sports car that might be amazing but could also spend time in the shop.
I looked at strength of schedule, projected touch counts, all that stuff. Some folks I talked to were all in on Bijan, saying draft capital meant he’d get every chance. Others warned about rookie walls and trusting Arthur Smith’s usage patterns (remember Cordarrelle Patterson?). It was a real head-scratcher.
Making the Call
In the end, the clock was ticking down. I had to make a move. I thought about my team build. Did I need the home run swing or a consistent point-getter? I already had a couple of solid, maybe slightly boring, players. I felt like I could afford a bit more risk for a higher ceiling.
So, I did it. I clicked the button.
My Choice
I went with Bijan Robinson.
My thinking was basically this: the draft capital was just too significant to ignore. Atlanta didn’t pick him that high to have him sit or just be a role player. I figured they’d force-feed him the ball, even if the offense wasn’t perfect. I decided to bet on the talent and the expected volume, hoping he’d overcome the rookie hurdles and questionable QB play. It felt like the higher upside play, and sometimes you gotta swing for the fences in fantasy.
It was a tough call, could have gone either way really. But yeah, that’s how I ended up with Bijan on my squad this year. We’ll see how it plays out!
