Week 3 at Detroit Lions
Devonta Freeman rushed 19 times for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 2 receptions for 16 yards in the Falcons' Week 2 win over the Packers. Freeman scored both of his touchdowns from the goal line, so while he shares a backfield with Tevin Coleman, he remains Atlanta's clear No. 1 back. It's also noteworthy that after the Packers got within 11 points midway through the fourth quarter and the Falcons needed to milk the clock, Freeman took over. The back is currently averaged 14.18 points in standard and 17.78 points in PPR leagues through two weeks.
The Falcons visit the Lions on Sunday in Detroit. The Lions rank as fantasy's No. 16 fantasy defense against running backs, so it's a good matchup, but not great for Freeman. Ranked as our RB10 for Week 3, view Freeman as a low-end RB1 for Sunday.
Week 2 vs. Green Bay Packers
Devonta Freeman rushed 12 times for 37 yards and a touchdown while adding 2 receptions for 2 additional yards in the Falcons' Week 1 win over the Bears. As expected, Freeman shared the workload with Tevin Coleman, who finished with 12 touches to Freeman's 14. Atlanta's offense was stuck in the mud at times, although there's no reason to panic. The Falcons have a new playcaller in Steve Sarkisian and the Bears looked improved defensively, especially along the defensive line. Better days are ahead for Freeman, who scored 13.11 points in standard and 16.55 in PPR in Week 1.
The Falcons open their new stadium on Sunday night against the Packers, who look improved defensively themselves. Green Bay is fantasy's No. 15-ranked defense against running backs and Freeman is our RB7 for Week 2. Even though he'll continue to share a backfield with Coleman, Freeman remains an RB1.
Week 1 at Chicago Bears
While he wasn't fantasy's RB1 like he was in 2015, Devonta Freeman is coming off another stellar season. Freeman ranked as fantasy's No. 6 running back after rushing 227 times for 1,079 yards and matching his career-high for touchdowns with 11. He also added 54 receptions on 65 targets for an additional 462 yards and 2 scores through the air. Freeman enters 2017 armed with a new six-year, $43 million contract.
Freeman cleared the concussion protocol last week and is set for the Falcons' Week 1 matchup with the Bears. He'll once again share a backfield with Tevin Coleman on a weekly basis, but there are enough touches to go around. The Bears rank as fantasy's No. 26 defense against running backs, so view Freeman as a legit RB1 for Sunday. He's our No. 4 ranked running back for Week 1.
Fantasy Upside
Devonta Freeman followed up his breakout 2015 performance by rushing for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2016. The yards were a career-high and he also matched his touchdown total from 2015. He wasn't targeted as much last season as he was in 2015, which led to 19 fewer receptions and 116 fewer receiving yards. That said, he still finished 2016 with a respectable 54-462-2 line in the passing game. Freeman, who should be armed with a new contract before the start of the regular season, returns as Atlanta's No. 1 back. He'll once again share a backfield with Tevin Coleman, but there are plenty of touches to go around. At 25, Freeman is in his prime and will once again benefit running behind Atlanta's steady offensive line. Just like a year ago, defenses won't have the luxury of keying on Freeman thanks to Atlanta's explosive passing attack.
Fantasy Downside
Freeman finished with 58 fewer touches in 2016 compared to his breakout campaign in 2015. That's because Coleman carved out a significant role in Atlanta's offense. The team has also changed offensive coordinators, as Steve Sarkisian will take over for the departed Kyle Shanahan, who was the architect of the most dangerous offense in the league last season. While Sarkisian was essentially handed the keys to a Ferrari, there's still uncertainty about how his play-calling will impact the skill position players. Finally, as of this writing, Freeman has yet to sign his contract extension. Freeman has vowed to participate in all offseason activities but if discussions sour, the relationship could go south in a hurry.
2017 Bottom Line
Freeman's current ADP in 10-team leagues is 1.09, which is good value for an RB1 that plays a key role in the passing game. Freeman shares a backfield with Coleman, but is the top back between the two and receives plenty of work at the goal line. He's in his prime, Atlanta returns 4/5 of its offensive line, and opponents also have to contend with Matt Ryan and the Falcons' passing game. Freeman is also durable, playing in all 19 of Atlanta's games last season, which includes the postseason. Yes, there is some uncertainty with Sarkisian taking over play-calling duties. But that shouldn't prevent Freeman from having another productive season. He's an RB1 in both standard and PPR formats.
Super Bowl vs. New England
Devonta Freeman rushed 14 times for 42 yards while adding four catches for 42 yards in the Falcons' victory over the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. He once again split the work load with Tevin Coleman and was more effective than his stats would indicate. In two playoff games, Freeman has rushed 28 times for 87 yards and a touchdown while catching eight passes for 122 yards and an additional score through the air. Out of the five running backs we ranked for the Super Bowl, Freeman is our RB1. He has a difficult matchup versus the Patriots and their No. 2-ranked defense against fantasy running backs, but Freeman's usage will be high.
NFC Championship Game vs. Green Bay
Devonta Freeman rushed 14 times for 45 yards with one touchdown, while also catching four-of-five targets for 80 yards in the Falcons' Divisional Round victory over the Seahawks. One of the biggest plays of the game came when Seattle sent an all-out blitz on Matt Ryan, who got the ball off just as Freeman broke free from Michael Bennett's coverage. Freeman then raced 53 yards up the field for a first down inside the red zone. The Falcons eventually settled for a Matt Bryant 31-yard field goal to put them up 29-13 with a minute remaining in the third quarter. Freeman is a key cog in Atlanta's offensive machine and he should have a big game this Sunday when the Falcons host the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. Ranked as our RB2 for Sunday, Freeman is an excellent DFS play.
Divisional Round vs. Seattle
Devonta Freeman finished as fantasy's No. 2 player in 2015, and while he didn't accomplish the same feat this season, he still had an excellent year. He was fantasy's RB6 for the regular season and finished as the No. 7 overall player while rushing for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns on 227 carries. He has a tough matchup on Saturday against the Seahawks, who rank as fantasy's No. 3 defense against running backs. That said, outside of Ezekiel Elliott, there is no better DFS value at the running back position this weekend than Freeman. Ranked as our RB3 for the Divisional round, Freeman is a solid fantasy option this weekend.
Week 17 vs. New Orleans
Devonta Freeman rushed 13 times for 53 yards while catching all eight of his targets for an additional 35 yards in the Falcons' Week 16 win over the Panthers. The yardage totals were disappointing for Freeman, who went off for three touchdowns against the 49ers in Week 15, but PPR owners benefited from his workload in the passing game. He continues to work in a timeshare with Tevin Coleman, but there's plenty of touches for both backs in Atlanta's high octane offense. Ranked as our RB3 for Week 17, Freeman is a legitimate RB1 against the Saints on Sunday.
Week 16 at Carolina
Devonta Freeman rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries, while catching both of his targets for 16 yards in the Falcons' Week 15 win over the 49ers. He also lost a fumble at the goal-line, but that was the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding performance. The 139-yard effort was the sixth time in his career he's hit the 100-yard barrier, and his 12 total touchdowns is tied for fifth in the NFL.
Freeman rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, while adding two receptions for an additional seven yards in the Falcons' first meeting with the Panthers in Week 4. He ranks as our RB7 for Saturday's game in Carolina and should be viewed as a RB1 for your fantasy playoffs.
Week 15 vs. San Francisco
Devonta Freeman rushed just six times for six yards, while catching two passes for an additional 12 yards in the Falcons' Week 14 win over the Rams. It was a highly disappointing day for Freeman owners, especially when you consider Atlanta scored 42 points in the victory. Tevin Coleman out-touched and out-gained his backfield mate, scoring twice in the victory. That said, Freeman owners shouldn't overreact. There's a chance the Falcons wanted to ease off Freeman, who took the bulk of the snaps when Coleman missed multiple games in November. Assuming you survived Freeman's low output in your playoff game last week, the running back is safe to fire up on Sunday when the Falcons host the 49ers (who are dead-last against fantasy running backs this season). Freeman ranks as our RB6 in PPR formats and is safe to keep in your Week 15 starting lineup.
