Falcons: Tyler Allgeier snubbed in ESPN rookie rankings

Associated Press voters got the Rookie of the Year voting wrong, outside of Peter King and potentially a few others, and ESPN has joined them. Multiple Falcons didn’t appear in the outlets’ final NFL rookie rankings, making the ‘just missed’ category, none more egregious than Tyler Allgeier.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1616131527926071296?s=20&t=UdqbrCh7lrxZxA3HTuP-Mw

Here is what ESPN said about Drake London and Tyler Allgeier just missing the top 10:

Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons (No. 8 pick): He found some momentum in the Falcons’ run-heavy offense down the stretch. Over the final six contests, London averaged north of 13 yards per catch in four games and saw at least eight targets in five. He closed out the season with 120 receiving yards in Week 18. — Legwold

Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta Falcons (No. 151 pick): Allgeier set the team’s rookie rushing record (1,035 yards), and while he didn’t break tackles quite like Pierce did, his contact balance was evident week after week (2.6 yards after first contact per rush, tops among rookies). — Legwold

My gripe isn’t necessarily with London being on the outside; my problem is with Allgeier being left off. Here is how the Falcons’ fifth-round pick stacks up with the other two rookie runners who have continued to be mentioned without Tyler Allgeier included.

Dameon Pierce, Hoston Texans

Stats: 220 carries, 939 rushing yards, 30 catches, 165 receiving yards, 5 total TDs

Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks

Stats: 228 carries, 1,050 rushing yards, 27 catches, 165 receiving yards, 9 total TDs

Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

Stats: 210 carries, 1,035 rushing yards, 16 catches, 139 receiving yards, 4 total TDs

That is absolutely ridiculous. Pierce has totaled 1,104 yards from scrimmage on 250 total touches; Walker has totaled 1,215 yards from scrimmage on 255 touches; Allgeier has 1,174 on 226 touches — 4.42 and 4.67 yards per touch compared to Allgeier’s 5.19 yards per touch.

I mean, what’re we even doing here? I understand Pierce was injured, but Allgeier deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those two runners. There isn’t a single metric where Tyler Allgeier isn’t neck-and-neck with the other highly touted rookies.

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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire