Falcons coach Raheem Morris has repeatedly called running back Bijan Robinson the best player in the NFL.
It’s getting harder and harder to disagree.
Robinson, in only his third NFL season, leads the NFL with a career-high 2,255 yards from scrimmage. Via NBC Sports research, he needs only 145 yards on Sunday against the Saints to become the third player in NFL history with 2,400 yards from scrimmage in a single season.
Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk gained 2,429 in 1999 for the Greatest Show on Turf Rams. In 2009, Titans running back Chris Johnson became the NFL’s only 2,500-yard man, with 2,006 rushing and 503 receiving.
With 229 yards from scrimmage on Monday night against the Rams, Robinson moved to 5,605 for his career. That’s the most any player has gained before his 24th birthday.
His performance makes getting Robinson signed to an extension the No. 1 priority for the Falcons in the offseason. Because Robinson, who’s due to make only $3.74 million in 2026, should refuse to set foot on the practice field next year until he gets the second contract he has earned.
Saints Clips
Sunday’s game between the Falcons and Saints may wind up determining who wins the NFC South and the Falcons announced several changes to their injury report on Saturday.
Cornerback A.J. Terrell and two other players have been added to the injury report due to illness. Terrell, defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro, and long snapper Liam McCullough are now listed as questionable for Sunday’s home game.
The Panthers will win the NFC South by beating the Bucs on Saturday. If they lose, they will still be the division champs if Atlanta beats the Saints.
Wide receivers Drake London and Darnell Mooney were already listed as questionable. Tight end Kyle Pitts has the same designation and knee injuries are the reason all three players are on the list.
The Falcons also announced that safety DeMarcco Hellams and defensive lineman Sam Roberts will not be activated from injured reserve this weekend. Punter Trenton Gill has been elevated from the practice squad.
The Saints will eventually play a regular-season home game in Paris. It may not be happening in 2026.
Via Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times Picayune, ongoing negotiations may not be concluded in time to allow a game to happen during the next regular season.
“There is no agreement in place with any cities or countries beyond the ones that have been officially announced,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Duncan. “We have a process. There is no definitive timeline (for an announcement). It depends on discussions with local countries, cities and stadiums.”
Saints president Dennis Lauscha said in November 2025 that the team and the league hope to play a regular-season game at Stade de France in 2026.
The Saints will have nine home games in 2026, eight in 2027, and nine in 2028. It makes sense to host an overseas game in a year that otherwise would have eight games that count in the Superdome.
Whenever the Saints host a game in Paris, it’ll be the NFL’s first ever game in France.
The Saints placed four players on injured reserve Friday, two days before their season ends in a game against the Falcons.
Wide receiver Mason Tipton, special teams gunner Michael Davis and tight ends Jack Stoll and Zaire Mitchell-Paden end their season on the IR list.
In corresponding moves, the Saints signed rookie defensive end Fadil Diggs, wide receiver Ronnie Bell and wide receiver Samari Toure to the active roster from the practice squad.
The Saints could promote quarterback Jake Haener to the active roster on Saturday.
Backup quarterback Spencer Rattler (finger) is among the players listed as questionable to play. Linebacker Demario Davis (calf) and left guard Dillon Radunz (knee) are also questionable.
The Saints ruled out running back Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle), receiver Chris Olave (illness), defensive lineman Bryan Bresee (knee) and defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd (knee/ankle).
Olave has a blood clot in his lung that required hospitalization earlier this week. He was released from the hospital on Thursday.
“Obviously, he’s going to be on a journey here,” coach Kellen Moore said, via Luke Johnson of nola.com. “There’s a process he’s going to have to go through. Chris has had really good spirits through this whole thing.”
Kamara has not practiced since injuring his knee in a November game against the Falcons. He played in a career-low 11 games and finished with 657 yards from scrimmage, the first time in nine NFL seasons he didn’t reach 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
The Falcons have three key offensive players questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Saints, which could decide the outcome of the NFC South.
Atlanta has listed receiver Drake London (knee), tight end Kyle Pitts (knee), and receiver Darnell Mooney (knee) as questionable for the contest.
However, via Tori McElhaney of the team’s website, head coach Raheem Morris expressed optimism on Friday that all three will be available for the season-ending contest.
London, Pitts, and Mooney were all limited for Friday’s practice.
Additionally, safety DeMarcco Hellams (hamstring) and defensive lineman Sam Roberts (knee/ankle) are questionable. Cornerback Clark Phillips (triceps/illness) and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus (hamstring) have been ruled out.
Saints linebacker Demario Davis will wrap up his 14th season with Sunday’s game against the Falcons and he doesn’t need to take any time to figure out if he wants to come back for No. 15.
Davis said on Thursday that this is probably “the earliest that I know I want to continue to play” and added that he’s “looking forward to returning” to the Saints. Davis does not have a contract for 2026, but said that isn’t something causing him any concern right now.
We’re in a game where contracts do matter, but that’s such a small part of your career,” Davis said, via Matthew Paras of NOLA.com. “That happens in a little small window in the offseason, once every other year or every couple years. And when that time gets here — man, in 14 years, that’s always worked itself out. It has always worked itself out. I’ve never had to really negotiate a contract. They’ve always negotiated themselves. So when that time gets here, that’s very low on my concern meter right now. I’m focused on finishing the season strong.”
Davis has started every game this season and has 137 tackles, a half-sack, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery on the season. He said he feels like he’s “accelerating through the finish line” and that should leave him with suitors in the event he and the Saints can’t work out a new deal.
The Falcons placed cornerback Mike Hughes on injured reserve, the team announced on Thursday.
Hughes injured his ankle in the first quarter of the Falcons’ Week 15 win over the Buccaneers. He has missed the Falcons’ past three games.
C.J. Henderson and Cobee Bryant have seen more reps in Hughes’ absence.
In a corresponding move, the Falcons signed edge rusher Khalid Kareem to the 53-player roster from the practice squad. Kareem was elevated from the practice squad for the past two games and for three games this season, so he was out of elevations.
He has five tackles and a pass defensed this season.
The Falcons also announced they signed punter Trenton Gill to the practice squad.
He didn’t get his first start until Week 9. And he has done enough since then to put himself in position to get a trophy next month.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has landed firmly as one of the top two candidates for offensive rookie of the year, based on the current betting odds. Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan remains the favorite at -140. Shough has moved to +140.
In 16 games, McMillan has 66 catches for 929 yards and seven touchdowns. He has a pair for 100-yard games. Most recently, McMillan caught one pass for five yards in a 27-10 loss to the Seahawks.
Shough has been coming on strong of late. He completed 22 of 27 passes for 333 yards, two touchdowns, an average per attempt of 12.3 yards, and a passer rating of 142.7 in a 34-26 victory over the Titans.
Also, Shough has won four in a row. Two of his five wins (a franchise record for a rookie quarterback) have come against McMillan’s Panthers.
Shough can essentially defeat the Panthers for a third time on Sunday. If the Bucs beat Carolina on Saturday, a Saints win over the Falcons on Sunday would deliver the NFC South title to Tampa Bay. An Atlanta win would put the Panthers in.
The postseason won’t matter to the voting; the ballots are due next week. The closing arguments from McMillan and Shough in a pair of high-stakes games could end up making a big difference.
The Saints will reportedly be without wide receiver Chris Olave for their Week 18 game against the Falcons.
Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports that a blood clot was discovered in Olave’s lung. The issue was caught quickly and Olave’s long-term outlook is good, but he will not be in the lineup on Sunday.
Olave was listed as out of practice on Wednesday with an illness.
Olave has already set career highs with 100 catches for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns this season. He had 27 catches for 382 yards and four touchdowns during the team’s current four-game winning streak and his connection with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough is one reason for the Saints to feel excited about what’s to come in 2026.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 has its list of 15 finalists, including four players who are eligible for the first time this year: Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and Jason Witten.
Four more players advanced to the finalist stage automatically because they reached the Final 7 for the Class of 2025: Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri.
The other seven finalists are Jahri Evans, Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Darren Woodson and Marshal Yanda.
Up to five of those modern era players can be selected to the Class of 2026, and five other candidates have already been put on the Class of 2026 ballot: coach finalist Bill Belichick, contributor finalist Robert Kraft and senior finalists Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood.
