Khalil Herbert DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Atlanta Falcons running back Khalil Herbert will step into the backup role in place of Brian Robinson (hamstring) this week, with the latter set to miss Week 7 due to injury. Herbert will spell Bijan Robinson against the 49ers, but expectations for fantasy should be tempered. Though Brian Robinson was able to find some success in recent weeks around the goal line, Herbert's opportunities could be few and far between this week as the fifth-year pro makes his 2026 debut. He played in just seven games last season for the Jets, totaling a meager 16 carries all season for 52 yards and no touchdowns. 2024 wasn't much more bountiful, earning just 36 carries all season as a member of both the Bears and the Bengals. The Virginia Tech product may be worth a bench stash in the event Brian Robinson's injury turns into a multi-week absence, or if anything were to happen to Bijan Robinson, but as for this week, Herbert isn't on the starting radar in most leagues. He could be a DFS tournament stab in the unlikely case he vultures a touchdown, but as RotoBaller's No. 68 running back overall this week, the 28-year-old shapes up as an RB6 or desperation Flex play in deep leagues.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Friday that Khalil Herbert will be Bijan Robinson's backup running back on Sunday in the Week 7 contest against the visiting San Francisco 49ers, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. The Falcons' RB depth will be tested this weekend after the team ruled out Brian Robinson due to a hamstring injury. Herbert, a former sixth-round pick by the Chicago Bears in 2021 from Virginia Tech, will be making his first appearance on the team's game-day roster on Sunday versus San Francisco. In his five NFL seasons, he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry for 1,957 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in 63 games played (13 starts), adding 54 receptions for 316 yards and two receiving scores. The reality of this weekend is that the Falcons will likely just lean more heavily on star running back Bijan Robinson as they try to give the 49ers their first loss of the 2026 season. In seven games last year with the New York Jets, Herbert had 16 carries for 52 yards and zero touchdowns on the ground. Fantasy managers should not consider him a realistic starting option this weekend.

San Francisco 49ers running back Khalil Herbert handled four carries for 17 yards and caught his lone target for no gain in Thursday's 41-17 drubbing of the Los Angeles Chargers. He also handled one kickoff for a 29-yard return. The five-year veteran showed flashes of talent with the Bears in the first years of his career, but timeshares and injuries barred him from fully breaking out. In 2025, Herbert appeared in seven games with the New York Jets. Now with the 49ers, Herbert is among a handful of running backs vying for the team's RB2 role behind Christian McCaffrey. Aside from the touchdown on Thursday night, Herbert has done little to set himself apart from the rest of the group. He will have one more chance to do so in San Francisco's preseason finale on August 27.