Booms and Busts: Devonta Freeman, a star is born?

When offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan touched down in Atlanta this year, the expectation was that he’d turn Julio Jones into an unstoppable offensive weapon (and he's done that).

Maybe the same goes for second-year running back Devonta Freeman.

Freeman was slow off the mark in the first two weeks of the year (after a so-so rookie season), but he’s been nothing short of spectacular over the last two weeks, rolling up six touchdowns and a truckload of fantasy points. The latest effort came in Sunday’s romp over Houston, with Freeman collecting 149 total yards and three rushing touchdowns (covering 16, 23 and six yards). Fantasy royalty. DFS nirvana.

Freeman could have done even more against the Texans, but the Falcons put a quick hook on their starters - life when you lead 42-0 by the end of the third period. Unheralded backup RB Terron Ward picked up 19 carries for 72 yards and a score, most of it coming in garbage time.

Freeman’s fantasy stock was fairly low after the initial two weeks - he was sitting on a YPC under 2.0 and many were clamoring for rookie Tevin Coleman. Alas, Coleman came down with an untimely rib injury, while Freeman has been ridiculous the last two weeks. And to be fair to Freeman, his ugly start to the season (22 carries, 43 yards) did come against two elite run-stopping teams, the Eagles and Giants.

As thin as running back is around the NFL, Freeman deserves the RB1 fantasy tag going forward. He should be a strong play next Sunday against Washington and Week 6 at New Orleans, with or without Coleman in the mix. This is an elite offense the Falcons have unleashed on the NFL (thanks Shanahan), and Freeman is making plenty of production on his own, routinely plowing defenders and pushing the pile for extra yardage.

Matt Ryan and Jones weren’t needed to do a lot in Sunday’s lopsided victory, but it was a good day for the secondary Falcons. Leonard Hankerson exploded for a snappy 6-103 afternoon on eight targets, including a short touchdown grab. The Falcons defense scored twice, including a garbage-time runback on the final snap of the game. The only big name locked out of the 4-0 start is Roddy White, who’s been on a milk carton (2-8-0 Sunday, just six catches for the year).

Now for a look around the NFL landscape through the opening eight games . . . 

-- Don’t be misled by the Texans finishing with 21 points. Starting quarterback Ryan Mallett was awful (12-for-27, 150 yards, one pick, 46.8 rating), and all of their scoring came in the fourth quarter. Brian Hoyer did a nifty job in garbage time (17-for-30, 232 yards, two scores) and looks like the sure starter going forward. DeAndre Hopkins (9-157-0, 22 targets) remains unstoppable, no matter the quarterback situation.

Arian Foster’s first game back was a quiet one: eight carries for 10 yards, three catches for 25 yards. There’s assumed risk when you start a player after an extended injury period - you need that one prove-it game before you feel back in business. The Texans have a quick turnaround in front of Thursday’s game against Indianapolis.

-- If you didn’t get up early for the Jets and Dolphins, you didn’t miss anything wonderful. Chris Ivory steamrolled for 166 yards and a score and the Jets were in control through most of the 27-14 victory. Brandon Marshall was a volume monster (7-128-0, 11 looks) while Eric Decker picked up another touchdown.

Lamar Miller was held to eight touches (partly ineffectiveness, partly the game situation) and the Miami touchdowns went to the unstartable Kenny Stills and Jake Stoneburner. Let the Joe Philbin Watch percolate. Both teams, as per NFL custom, will take their bye during the post-London week.

-- Although Andy Dalton needed to throw just 24 times in Cincinnati’s comfortable 36-21 victory over Kansas City, he still managed 321 yards and a score for the day. That’s 13.4 yards per attempt, and he didn’t take a sack, either. The only major killjoy from the Bengals passing game was Marvin Jones: a quiet 1-4-0 day on just two targets. Most of the production went to Mo Sanu, A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert.

Jeremy Hill only had nine rushing attempts, but three of them went for short touchdowns (covering eight, five and one yards). Hill also tacked on a 2-point conversion rush, so he was celebrating all day. There's a ton of power in those legs. Gio Bernard added 13 carries for 62 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown jitterbug.

As for the Chiefs, it was a Very Andy Reid afternoon: 461 yards, zero touchdowns, seven field goals. Apparently Reid knows more than anyone that an offense needs to funnel through placekicker Cairo Santos. Alex Smith finished with 386 passing yards and no picks, but five Cincinnati sacks held the Chiefs back. Stop with the dated KC receiver jokes - Jeremy Maclin (11-148-0, 13 targets) looked terrific throughout.

-- Many fantasy pundits thought Sunday would be Karlos Williams Day (I’m raising my hand), but the Giants rushing defense didn’t get the memo. New York’s front seven was powerful north and south and explosive laterally, holding Williams to a paltry 40 yards on 18 carries - sparking a 24-10 upset in upstate New York.

Williams at least bailed out his fantasy game with a 4-30 receiving line, including a gorgeous 23-yard touchdown catch on a wheel route. Week 4 told me more about New York's defense being nasty than anyting else; Williams certainly isn't a bum. I like him against Tennessee in Week 5. (Until then, Buffalo fans will grumble over 17 penalties, but think positively about TE Charles Clay, who was terrific Sunday.)

-- There’s been plenty of Bear bashing the last two weeks, but if you put Jay Cutler back on the field, Chicago can be a competitive lot. Cutler was a steady hand in Sunday’s 22-20 victory over the Raiders, throwing for 281 yards and two touchdowns. He took three sacks, threw a pick, had a QB rating a shade over 89. We’ll take it.

For the fourth straight week, Oakland’s defense basically escorted the opposing TE down the field and into the end zone. Martellus Bennett finished with 11 grabs on 13 targets, good for 83 yards - and he was shunned like the plague on a five-yard touchdown flip. The Raiders play Denver (Owen Daniels), bye week (mercifully) and San Diego (Antonio Gates or Ladarius Green) the next three weeks.

The Raiders offense had a mildly disappointing day, with much of the blame resting on Latavius Murray. He managed a mere 3.1 YPC; dropped a simple pitchout; and bobbled an easy catch, turning it into a gift interception.

-- Game flow held down Cam Newton during Carolina’s 37-23 victory at Tampa Bay, though he still tossed a couple of touchdown passes, to Steady Teddy Ginn, of all people. Jameis Winston had two late scores in the final 18 minutes - garbage time - but his four interceptions (one a pick six) basically dug a grave for the Bucs.

You probably know how I feel - I think Tampa Bay messed up royally but not selecting Marcus Mariota. But obviously nothing is definitive through a month of play (as I hear from the Winston Truthers every week). If you had the guts (or desperation) to play Doug Martin, you reeled in 143 total yards and a touchdown.

-- The Colts continue to be a team that fortune seems to smile on during AFC South play, with or without Andrew Luck. Although Indianapolis was outgained and largely outplayed by the Jaguars during Sunday’s overtime affair, the hosts snuck out with a 16-13 victory. Jason Myers missed a pair of field goals for Jacksonville, while Adam Vinatieri was perfect on his three attempts, one from 54 yards.

Matt Hasselbeck didn’t post pinball stats in his spot start, but he was competent (30-for-47, 282 yards, one score, no turnovers). Jacksonville's T.J. Yeldon rushed for 105 yards while Allen Hurns posted 116 yards and a score on 11 catches (15 targets).

-- So much for the weather in D.C., and so much for the spotty quarterback play - both Kirk Cousins and Sam Bradford were smooth in Washington’s eventual 23-20 victory. Cousins didn’t have a turnover (and took just one sack) in a 290-yard performance, while Bradford threw three second-half touchdown passes. Washington seemed to be playing keep-away for most of the day, holding the ball for over 41 minutes. If there’s a reliable fantasy running back on either of these rosters, I have no idea who it is.