Much will be made about Desmond Ridder’s NFL debut, and rightfully so. The quarterback position is the single most important in all of sports. If you have a reliable signal caller, it makes winning games and championships much more attainable, which is why the spotlight will be on Ridder, regardless of how he actually performed. The Falcons are in search of the franchise’s next long-term quarterback, and it might or might not be Desmond Ridder. But it shouldn’t overshadow Tyler Allgeier’s career day.
Despite the highly anticipated debut of Ridder, it was the Falcons fifth-round pick that stole the show. Allgeier may have solidified his role as the lead back with his performance against a stout Saints defense. The BYU product rushed for a career-high 139 yards with a touchdown and two-point conversion, averaging an eye-popping 8.2 yards per carry, including a 43-yard gain early in the second half.
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On the season, Allgeier leads the Falcons in rushing with 743 yards on 148 carries — 5.0 yards per attempt. He’s also been targeted 11 times through the air, hauling in all 11 passes for 84 yards and a score. He’s quickly ascended to a reliable all-around running back, giving the Falcons a menacing two headed monster in the backfield.
To provide even more proof of the rookie’s success, Next Gen Stats has Allgeier’s 76.5% success rate in Week 15 as the highest by any running back in a game this season. He also leads all rookies with +136 rushing yards over expected this season, ranking 7th overall among all running backs. Allgeier isn’t just a good back compared to other rookies; he’s good on the scale of all players at his position.
Desmond Ridder should be covered extensively because he is the potential franchise quarterback in Atlanta, but Falcons fans should give an equal amount of attention to Tyler Allgeier for his career day against the Saints.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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