Pro Football Focus (PFF) writers Dalton Wasserman and Trevor Sikkema spent the last week releasing a list of the 50 best players in the NFL heading into the 2025 season. Three Atlanta Falcons players made the list: safety Jessie Bates (No. 40), running back Bijan Robinson (No. 35), and right guard Chris Lindstrom (No. 29).
Earlier Sunday, PFF shared a graphic via X that showed the teams with the most players on listed on the PFF 50.
Atlanta was tied for fifth with three players on the list; the only teams with more players were Super Bowl participants Philadelphia Eagles (6) and Kansas City Chiefs, as well as NFC powers Detroit Lions (4) and San Francisco 49ers (4).
Bates was PFF’s 40th-ranked player and the first Atlanta Falcon to be revealed on the list. He was their 3rd-ranked safety and 6th-ranked defensive back.
“Bates earned an 81.4 coverage grade in 2024, marking the fourth season of his career with a coverage grade above 80.0. Over the past two years, he’s excelled in a free safety role, posting a 93.0 coverage grade in that alignment. Since 2020, Bates also ranks fifth among all safeties in WAR,” PFF wrote.
During the 2024 season, Bates recorded 102 total tackles (62 solo, 40 assisted), one sack, four interceptions (tied 5th), and a league-leading four forced fumbles. Bates was the only player in the NFL last season, at any position, to record four or more forced fumbles and four or more interceptions. Per PFF, he had six pass breakups, tied for the fifth most in the NFL
The second Atlanta Falcons player on the list was Bijan Robinson as the 35th-ranked player in the NFL. He was the 3rd highest running back on the list.
“Robinson made the leap to elite in 2024, earning a 92.1 rushing grade and an 82.2 receiving grade, both ranking in the top 10 among running backs. He topped 1,400 rushing yards, with 920 of those coming after contact, and his 0.23 missed tackles forced per attempt also ranked top-10 at the position. With one of the league’s best run-blocking offensive lines paving the way, the sky’s the limit for Robinson heading into 2025,” PFF wrote.
In 2024, Robinson recorded 1,866 total yards (1,456 rushing, 410 receiving) alongside 15 total touchdowns (14 rushing, 1 receiving). He was fourth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage and tied for third in the NFL in touchdowns last season.
The third and final of Atlanta’s players to be revealed on the list was Chris Lindstrom as the 29th-ranked player in the NFL. Lindstrom was the 8th-highest ranked offensive lineman on the list, and the highest rated guard.
“The Falcons led the NFL in team rushing grade last season (89.2), and Lindstrom was a driving force behind it. He’s earned blocking grades above 87.0 in each of the past four seasons, including elite run-blocking marks of 93.1 in 2022 and 94.6 in 2024. As a pulling blocker, he posted a staggering 38.7% impact run-blocking rate last season and hasn’t dipped below 22.0% in that metric over the last three years. Even with the loss of center Drew Dalman, Atlanta still has a bulldozer up front in Lindstrom for 2025,” PFF wrote.
Lindstrom had another great season in 2024, giving up just one sack, eight quarterback hits, and 21 hurries.
PFF has been very high on the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, ranking their offensive supporting cast as the best in the NFL, tied with the Detroit Lions, earlier this summer.
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