Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson Jr.: Which RB should I start in Week 1 Fantasy Football 2025?

The first week of the NFL season is upon us, which means that Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson will be key parts in all fantasy leagues in the world. The superstar running backs are among the best in their position, and both are first-round picks in all NFL fantasy leagues due to their talent.

As such, having the correct player on your roster could be a big difference not only for Week 1, but for the entire season. Let's understand who is the best option for your team.

Is Saquon Barkley a good pick for fantasy football Week 1?

The Philadelphia Eagles running back had a fantastic season in 2024, rushing for over 2,000 yards in the season, the 9th running back to ever do so. However, higher volumes for a running back often mean a drop in performance for the following season.

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However, Barkley is still playing behind one of the league's best offensive lines, with four of their five starters from 2024 returning. He'll also play against a Dallas Cowboys defense that allowed 4.8 yards per carry last season and just traded Micah Parsons, losing a great run defender on the edges.

Is Bijan Robinson a good pick for fantasy football Week 1?

On the other hand, many analysts expect Bijan to flourish in 2025, along with the strong offense built by the Atlanta Falcons. He exploded for 1,887 yards and 15 total touchdowns last year. Robinson, considered the No. 2 running back in many fantasy football drafts, is a key piece for Raheem Morris' team.

It's worth noting, however, that he did not have great games against the Buccaneers in 2024, with just 124 yards in two games, although he managed a receiving touchdown. Tampa Bay made improvements in its defensive line, but a healthy Robinson in Week 1 could be too much for them.

Who to pick between Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson for Week 1?

Bijan has the edge in this duel against Saquon

portskeeda's Who Should I Start tool puts the Falcons running back as the most likely to have a good performance in Week 1. This happens mainly due to his projected impact in the passing game, with five receptions projected.

With the Falcons starting the inexperienced Michael Penix Jr., Bijan is likely to be the focal point of the offense, giving him the edge in this battle

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

Know More

Falcons Nation! Check out the latest Atlanta Falcons Schedule and dive into the latest Falcons Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Henrique Bulio