Bijan Robinson surpassing Christian McCaffrey as top dual-threat back headed into Falcons-49ers game

SANTA CLARA. Calif. (AP) — Christian McCaffrey has long been the standard when it comes to dual-threat running backs in the NFL with his ability to run routes like a receiver on the outside as well as being able to thrive as a runner for the San Francisco 49ers.

McCaffrey has been surpassed early this season by his offseason training partner Bijan Robinson, who is off to a near record-setting start this season for Atlanta headed into the Falcons’ game Sunday night against McCaffrey and the 49ers.

“He’s amazing,” McCaffrey said. “When you see it in person, you realize why he is who he is.”

The rest of the NFL is seeing what McCaffrey saw in the offseason and what the 49ers (4-2) must deal with this week. Robinson leads the NFL with 822 yards for the Falcons (3-2), the sixth most ever through five games.

Robinson joined Thurman Thomas (1991) as the only players ever with at least 300 yards receiving and 450 yards rushing through five games and has a chance to join McCaffrey as one of four players with at least 1,000 of each in a full season.

“That’s a huge compliment,” McCaffrey said of comparisons to Robinson. “I watch him move, watching him make a lot of these plays and it’s inspiring. He’s definitely somebody that when you watch him play that any chance you get you can try to emulate some of the stuff he does.”

Robinson needs 178 yards against the Niners to become the first player since Marshall Faulk in 2000 to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards through six games. He’s averaging 164.4 after rushing for 170 yards and catching six passes for 68 more in last week’s win over Buffalo.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris called Robinson “the best player in football,” but Robinson knows he still has plenty of work to do to achieve his goals.

“I don’t want to be the guy that’s saying I can’t be stopped,” he said. “That’s not who I am. I’ve got to continue to get better every single day. I have to continue to get better every single game, because when you start thinking you can’t be stopped or you’re the best player, then that’s when you start playing bad.”

QB questions

Quarterback Brock Purdy returned to practice on a limited basis this week after missing the past two games for San Francisco with a toe injury. But Mac Jones still got more work early in the week and is likely to make his fifth start of the season although a final decision hadn’t been made.

Ironman streak on the line

Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews has started 183 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL and the most in team history. Matthews left Monday night’s game with an ankle injury and was listed as unavailable on the team’s estimated injury report on Wednesday, when they did not practice.

Right guard Chris Lindstrom isn’t counting Matthews out.

“I’ve seen him overcome so many things,” Lindstrom said. “He’s a machine.”

Kittle’s comeback for 49ers

The 49ers could get a big boost with star tight end George Kittle expected to return after missing five games with a hamstring injury. Kittle is a big part of both the passing game, which is missing several key receivers, and the running game that has struggled to get going this season.

“Just having him back in the pass game, I think is huge,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Just having an explosive athlete out there who can run away from people. But both, just having him on the field on every offense play helps.”

Loyal to Indiana

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. wore his Indiana sweatshirt to his news conference on Wednesday. Penix began his college career at Indiana before playing two seasons at Washington.

“People say I’m jumping on the bandwagon,” Penix said, referring to Indiana’s No. 3 ranking in the AP Top 25. “Call it what you want. I got a degree.”

When asked who accused him of being a bandwagon fan, Penix confirmed it was teammates in the locker room. “I got a lot of that.”

Penix said he graduated from Indiana in December 2021 with a degree in sports marketing management.

Bethune fills big shoes

Second-year player Tatum Bethune will get his second career start in place of four-time All-Pro Fred Warner, who went down with a season-ending ankle injury last week.

Bethune, a seventh-round pick, got his only real work on defense before Warner’s injury in a meaningless Week 18 game last season against Arizona. He had played only 16 other defensive snaps outside of that game and knows he has a heavy responsibility stepping in as the defensive signal caller at middle linebacker.

Bethune had 10 tackles on Sunday, but there were also some communication errors after he entered the game.

“It’s always a challenge coming behind Fred,” Bethune said. “He’s the best in the league, probably a future Hall of Famer. So that’s big shoes to fill, honestly, and everybody knows that. … I’m here for a reason. They understand my traits and attributes and that’s what I’m going to do.”

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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Flowery Branch, Georgia, contributed to this report.

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