Speaking With the Enemy (Draft Edition): Atlanta Falcons

Nov 17, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Antone Smith (35) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 41-28. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Devonta Freeman could never really get it going and Antone Smith had an incredible run…in fantasy football. How confident are you in the Falcons’ backfield? 

HN: Antone Smith’s season was remarkable, before a broken leg shut his season down early. I’ve genuinely never seen anything like it – two, three, four touches a game and he’d go off for 50+ yards and a TD. One of the biggest sources of frustration in a poor season was the reluctance to turn over a larger part of the offense to him considering his effectiveness. As for Devonta Freeman, he showed glimpses but never really got a fair chance to produce. Steven Jackson, who is no longer with the team, gobbled up most of the ground work in a pass first offense. Worth noting is that with the addition of Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons will be switching to a zone blocking run scheme, which should net some positive results for a flagging ground game.

The backfield is still slightly up in the air, with most fans wanting a running back on the second or third day in the draft. Jay Ajayi and David Cobb are two of the more popular choices amongst the fan base. In terms of confidence, a mix of Freeman, Smith and a rookie should suffice in a wide open Shanahan offense. It likely won’t be the team’s biggest strength, but it also won’t need to be.