Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman missed just about all of this past season as a result of knee and groin injuries, the latter of which would ultimately require surgery.
But now, Freeman is on the mend and should be ready to go for Week 1 to try and reclaim his status as one of the better all-around running backs in football.
Freeman will no longer be sharing a backfield with Tevin Coleman, as his former teammate signed with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this offseason, so Freeman should get a whole lot of touches in 2019.
Here are three numbers for Freeman to target this coming season.
3. 55 Receptions
There was a time when Freeman was one of the best receiving backs in the league, particularly back in 2015 when he hauled in 73 receptions for 578 yards and three touchdowns.
But since then, Freeman has been on the decline as a pass-catcher, catching 54 passes for 462 yards and a couple of scores in 2016 and following that up by snaring 36 balls for 317 yards and a touchdown in 2017.
It would great for the Falcons' offense if Freeman can come close to regaining the form he had as a receiver back in 2015, but at the very least, he should be shooting for around 55 receptions.
With Coleman gone, Freeman will likely see his usage increase, and even if Atlanta has a ton of other weapons in the aerial attack, Freeman will be a key for Matt Ryan.
2. 1,000 Yards
Freeman posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns in 2015 and 2016, so we know that he is fully capable of rushing for 1,000 yards again.
The last full season Freeman played in 2017, he totaled 865 yards in 14 games in what was a down year for him overall, so as long as he is healthy, Freeman, who is still just 27 years old, should be able to get back to racking up three zeroes in 2019.
Again, with Coleman playing elsewhere, Freeman will likely take on more responsibility, even if Ito Smith looks promising as his backup. Expect increased touches for Coleman this year, which should lead to more yardage overall.
It's not like this is too high of an expectation, either.
1. 10 Touchdowns
During those back-to-back seasons in which Freeman totaled 1,000 yards both times, he also registered 11 rushing touchdowns in both years, which resulted in consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.
So, obviously, Freeman can certainly rack up touchdowns, and he should be given ample opportunities to score touchdowns in the Falcons' offense.
That is certainly something to keep in mind when it comes to Freeman's production, as Atlanta should be one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL and should score a whole lot of points. For that reason, Freeman might have a ton of chances to punch in scores.
Even in 2017 when Freeman had a “down” year of sorts and when the Falcons' offense wasn't as terrific as it was in 2016, he still managed to tally seven touchdowns in 14 games.
Atlanta should be one of the top offenses in the NFL again in 2019, and as a result, Freeman should reap the benefits.
Follow Us
Subscribe