Falcons: Injury to veteran could lead to more opportunities for rookie

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The Falcons are gearing up for their Week 2 matchup on the West coast, taking on the 0-1 Rams in SoFi Stadium. Atlanta opened as 10.5-point underdogs because they have a significant rest disadvantage, and Los Angeles’ roster is superior in most facets. The Rams suffered a couple of injuries along the offensive line, which was already a shaky unit. On the other side, the Falcons are coming out of the season opener pretty healthy, with only one veteran appearing on the injury report, which could lead to more opportunities for a rookie.

After watching the Saints game, it’s clear the top two backs were Damien Williams and Cordarrelle Patterson, while Tyler Allgeier was surprisingly a healthy scratch. The rookie out of BYU was inactive because special teams sometimes take a higher priority when filling out the final active roster spots.

Unfortunately, Williams went down with a rib injury, forcing Patterson to carry the load as Avery Williams took over the supplemented role. However, entering Week 2, Allgeier could garner a significant role behind Patterson since Williams will miss the Falcons’ matchup this week.

Patterson carried the ball a career-high 22 times against New Orleans, but I wouldn’t expect that trend to continue. When Williams is healthy, fans can expect him to assume a portion of those carries. Allgeier’s role could expand as the season progresses, and it may not be a large one at first, but he’ll get his chances. His performance with those opportunities will determine future usage, particularly in pass protection.

Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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