The Falcons had two of the best rookies in football in 2022. Drake London broke Kyle Pitts’ record for most receptions by a rookie in Falcons history, and Tyler Allgeier is now the franchise leader in rushing yards by a rookie. Yet neither has received any national recognition; Allgeier’s lack of notice is more disrespectful and egregious.
Allgeier made the Pro Football Focus NFL All-Rookie Team over Kenneth Walker III and Dameon Pierce because he was efficient, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Even more impressive, his 3.58 yards after contact per carry ranked seventh among all qualifying running backs. He finished with 1,035 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 210 carries.
Moreover, 711 of those yards came in the final nine games, averaging 79 yards per contest. Yet, any odds you find have Tyler Allgeier as a long shot to take home the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and he wasn’t among the NFL’s finalists, which included Walker, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. Below were the latest odds before the announcement from the league.
| Kenneth Walker III | RB | Seahawks | -110 |
| Garrett Wilson | WR | Jets | +150 |
| Brock Purdy | QB | 49ers | +500 |
| Kenny Pickett | QB | Steelers | +2000 |
| Christian Watson | WR | Packers | +2500 |
| Chris Olave | WR | Saints | +2500 |
| Brian Robinson Jr | RB | Commanders | +2500 |
| Isiah Pacheco | RB | Chiefs | +4000 |
| Tyler Allgeier | RB | Falcons | +10000 |
The Seahawks running back has posted 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns on 228 carries while adding 165 yards through the air on 27 receptions. Atlanta’s rookie runner has totaled 1,035 yards and three scores on 210 carries, adding 139 yards and one touchdown on 16 receptions. In comparison, Walker has totaled 1,215 yards from scrimmage on 255 touches; Allgeier has 1,174 on 226 touches — 4.67 yards per touch compared to Allgeier’s 5.19 yards per touch.
I’m not advocating for Tyler Allgeier to take home the award, but a highly respected national pundit is — Peter King’s Football Morning in America has the Falcons rookie ahead of Kenneth Walker and Brock Purdy.
Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta. The 151st pick in last April’s draft buttressed his case by averaging 108 rushing yards a game in the last four weeks, with a 5.5-yards-per-rush effort. Tough, tough runner. Jets receiver Garrett Wilson was in my top till Brock Purdy went wild over the past month. Top three:
- Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta.
- Ken Walker, RB, Seattle.
- Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco.
The Falcons rookie deserves to be at least mentioned among the league’s best first-year players. Thankfully, Peter King recognizes that.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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