When to Target the Atlanta Falcons in Fantasy Drafts

RB Tevin Coleman

Round 7; Projection – 610 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns, 460 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 1 fumble lost: 147.0 fantasy points

Tevin Coleman isn’t your traditional fantasy football handcuff. Instead he has standalone value following a season in which he was the RB17, ahead of first round picks such as Lamar Miller and Todd Gurley, despite missing three games to injury.

Coleman will continue to be utilized in the Falcons offense, and will continue to put a cap on Devonta Freeman’s ceiling, keeping the Florida State man from being the team’s bellcow like he once was in 2015. The third year man from Indiana will have flex appeal in 12-team leagues, and will immediately vault to a high end RB2 if Freeman is forced to miss any games.

These projections are a forecast for Coleman playing out the full season in good health. He’s expected to total more receiving and rushing yardage as a result (over 1000 yards from scrimmage), but will score less fantasy points than he did in 13 games last season due to touchdown regression.

Last year, of Coleman’s 8 rushing touchdowns 6 were scored from outside the redzone. With Freeman toting the rock as the team’s primary goal-line back, it’s not feasible to project another double digit touchdown season for Coleman.

If you want Coleman on your team then you will more than likely have to spend a 6th round pick on him. That’s a bit of a reach, especially if teams’ first option WRs such Kelvin Benjamin and Pierre Garcon, or a starting RB such as LeGarrete Blount, are still on the board. The 7th round is better value for Coleman.