Devonta Freeman will not be as dominant for Atlanta Falcons in 2016
Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman was incredibly productive last season, but signs point toward him taking a step back in 2016.
There is no other way to put it, Devonta Freeman was one of the best running backs in the NFL last season. He ran for 1,056 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns, while also catching 73 passes for 578 yards and three touchdowns.
He was an extremely productive back who exceeded anyone’s wildest expectations for him last season. That being said, I do not think this is the kind of success that is going to last.
Freeman looked great at times last season, particularly at the start of the year. Freeman did not even enter the season as the Falcons’ starting running back, but an early injury to rookie Tevin Coleman opened the door for Freeman to come in and make his mark.
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With Coleman hurt, Freeman took over a huge majority of the carries for the Falcons and really shined over a five game stretch starting in Week 3. Through those first five games as the Falcons’ primary back, Freeman rushed for 578 yards and a whopping eight touchdowns for an impressive 5.3 yards per carry average. He was absolutely unstoppable on the field.
That being said, his production really started to slip down the stretch for the Falcons. Freeman continued to get ample opportunity, but he did nothing to capitalize on it. Through the last seven games of the Falcons’ season, he ran the ball 113 times for only 347 yards and two touchdowns. His 3.07 yards per carry average over that span leaves a lot to be desired.
Freeman did continue to be a strong receiving threat out of the backfield for the Falcons down the stretch, but his production as a runner fell like a rock as the league started to catch up to him. Looking at his numbers as a whole, Freeman was great, but that lack of production down the stretch is concerning.
While Freeman does have some nice quickness in and out of his cuts, he is not a special player in open space nor is he a particularly powerful runner. He really seemed to benefit from open holes in the Falcons’ rushing attack last season, partially from the explosive passing game led by Julio Jones and Matt Ryan.
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Any NFL running back can come in and make plays with room to run, but there is a difference between an average runner in a good situation and someone like Adrian Peterson and Todd Gurley. Freeman is a talented player with some nice ability, but he is never going to reach the level of those kind of players, regardless of what his numbers look like.
I am not saying that Freeman is a bad player. I am just saying that based on the eye test and his lack of production last season, I do not think he is anything better than above average.
I truly believe that Tevin Coleman is the most talented running back on the Falcons’ roster, and in the end, his raw ability will shine through. An established runner with fantastic receiving skills, Freeman is undoubtedly a great guy for the Falcons to have around.
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That being said, do not expect those kind of numbers again. Elite-level production does not match the kind of player that Freeman is.