Could Bijan Robinson be the most valuable player in fantasy?

Apologies, Flavor Flav. When it comes to Bijan Robinson, this devoted gamer is 100 percent believing the hype.

In early June, Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris said his plan this season was to “get the ball to Bijan as much as you can in as many ideal situations as you possibly can.” Echoing that sentiment, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said on Saturday that he is “continuing to tailor and tweak things to find creative ways to get Bijan the football.”

Even sexier, the Falcons intend to deploy the 2023 No. 8 overall pick similar to the way the 49ers maximize Christian McCaffrey. Again, the offseason buzz has been deafening.

Last year, Robinson, a popular first-round draft selection in fantasy leagues, was criminally misused by then head coach Arthur Smith. Yes, he averaged 16.0 touches per game and finished RB9 in 0.5 PPR scoring, but the presumed workhorse was often replaced by Tyler Allgeier and was largely underutilized.

While the rest of the league crafted weekly strategies using a fine fountain pen, Smith sketched predictable game plans by lightly gripping a dull pencil — a very, very dull pencil. To fantasy audiences, he was the ultimate boob.

Robinson’s gross mishandling was one of myriad reasons why the Atlanta front office parted with the mustachioed coach after a 7-10 record and third-place finish in the NFC South.

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Last January, fantasy managers who invested a pretty penny in the rookie gazed at his numbers and wondered what could’ve been. After all, Robinson finished top-15 in YAC per attempt (3.10), total missed tackles forced (52) and yards created per touch (3.83). Without question, he deserved 20 touches per game.

Mercifully, it’s a new year and a new regime. As the staff has consistently stated this summer, Robinson is going to get the opportunity to deliver. Could he outpace CMC and others as THE most coveted player in fantasy football in 2024?

In short, yes.

The environment is quite favorable. According to ESPN’s Mike Clay, the Falcons have the fourth-best projected offensive line. Equally important is the arrival of quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is bound to lighten opposing fronts. Last season, Robinson saw eight or more men in the box 20.6% of the time.

With an unintimidating schedule — Atlanta has the 15th easiest SOS for fantasy RBs — and decision makers clearly behind him, he’s a superb value at +1700 (FanDuel) to lead the league in rushing yards. And his 7.03 ADP in early fantasy drafts — the second-highest among RBs — suggests he’s a phenomenal grab for those positioned with the No. 6, No. 7 or No. 8 overall picks.

The Bijan boom is coming. Bank on it.