Three weeks ago, Bijan Robinson looked like the obvious Offensive Player of the Year favorite after gashing the Buffalo Bills on primetime for 238 scrimmage yards. But after the Atlanta Falcons dropped back-to-back games, the superstar running back is losing his grip on the award.
In Week 8 against a Miami Dolphins defense that has been flat-out absymal against the run, the 23-year-old was held to just 25 rushing yards and a season-low nine carries—though the negative game script heavily factored into that.
The 34-10 defeat saw him be held to under three yards per carry for the second straight week, and it's clear that defenses are beginning to adjust against the former Texas star. Additionally, Kirk Cousins did nothing to take the burden off of the generational young back, making for a frustrating Sunday.
It hasn't helped that the Falcons are struggling through the air, but amid his struggles, these three players have lapped Bijan in OPOY talks.
3 players ready to challenge Bijan Robinson's Offensive Player of the Year campaign
1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
If you told most NFL fans before the season that the Colts would be leading the AFC at 7-1 with Daniel Jones as their starter, they wouldn't believe you. For as well as Indiana Jones has played since leaving New York, star running back Jonathan Taylor has done just as much to help elevate this offense to among the best in football.
Taylor's 850 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns are both leading the league, which should come as no surprise. He ran for a league-leading 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns back in 2021, but injury problems have impacted him over the last few seasons.
However, the two-time Pro Bowler returned to form after a healthy 2024, but 2025 has seen him return to the top of running back debates. In Week 8 against the Titans, the former Wisconsin star enjoyed his fourth 100-yard game of the season and has scored in five of the last six games.
Bijan might be a superior receiving back, but nobody's more dangerous than JT on the ground right now.
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
There has been no receiver in the NFL that has enjoyed a more rapid rise this season than Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The 5-2 Seahawks are tied with the Rams for the NFC West lead, and the rapport between Sam Darnold and JSN is a big reason as to why.
Not only does the ex-Buckeye lead the league with 819 receiving yards, he's amassed over 100 yards more than Ja'Marr Chase—who is second in the league. Moreover, he leads the NFL with a staggering 38.5% target share, which goes to show how important he is to the Seattle offense.
The 23-year-old is on pace to break the NFL's single-season receiving record set by Calvin Johnson, and has shined as a WR1 after Seattle traded DK Metcalf to Pittsburgh. And that's only been aided by three consecutive games with over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown. Talk about consistency.
3. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
As much as JSN is a problem, Ja'Marr Chase remains the most dangerous wide receiver in football. Even after Joe Burrow went down, the superstar receiver has continued to produce at an elite level, as his immediate rapport with 40-year-old Joe Flacco has revived an offense that looked lifeless with Jake Browning.
The 2021 first-round pick out of LSU leads the NFL with 70 receptions on 99 targets, and only Smith-Njigba and Garrett Wilson have logged a higher target share. Across his last two games with Flacco, Chase has been targeted a staggering 42 times—and dazzled against Jalen Ramsey and the Steelers back in Week 7.
Chase's 720 receiving yards are second in football, and his elite campaign is continuing to prove that he will thrive regardless of who's throwing him the ball. Unforunately, the Bengals' defense has consistently let him down.