Michael Turner
Michael Turner | Atlanta Falcons | RB
Height: 5-10 Weight: 244 | Born: 2/13/1982
2011 Experience: 8th season
Fantasy Football Outlook: It’s time to be a little concerned that Michael Turner isn’t a RB-1 for fantasy football, as the Falcons are likely to use an aggressive passing attack this season, and the re-signing of Jason Snelling did Turner no favors.
While Turner is still in the later part of his prime, the team will rest him if he should show signs of an injury, as they can go to Snelling as a comparable back in the short term. You could make the case that if the Falcons have more success in the passing game (especially down the field) it would force the safeties to play back, thus giving Turner opportunities for bigger runs, and a better yard per carry average.
That better be the case, as Turner only posted a 4.1 yard per carry average in 2010, and that was down from his normal average in his first two year with Atlanta. My problem with Turner is that he’s the type of running back that gets better as you feed him the football throughout a game, as any true bell cow would be. When you start to limit his carries to around 17 a game, runners like Turner fail to give you all they have to offer, and that should be a hit on his value. Again, Turner should post respectable numbers by years end, just expect him to have some slow stretches throughout the season.
One other thing to consider is that Turner has been horrible at the beginning of each of the past two seasons. In the first five weeks of the season, Turner does get a couple nice matchups but he will play the Bears, Packers and Eagles in that time. This should be another slow starting year for Turner as the Falcons attempt to establish Matt Ryan as an elite quarterback.
| Rushing Stats | Receiving Stats | |||||
| Attempts | Yards | TD | Rec | Yards | TD | |
| 2011 Projected Stats | 305 | 1,228 | 11 | 8 | 66 | 0 |
2011 NFL Fantasy Football Draft: ADP Values | Rankings | Mocks | Cheat Sheets + Auction Values
| Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Lng | Rec | Yds | TD | Lng | YScm | Fmb | ||||||
| 2008 | 26 | 16 | 16 | 376 | 1699 | 17 | 70 | 4.5 | 106.2 | 23.5 | 6 | 41 | 6.8 | 0 | 18 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 1740 | 3 |
| 2009 | 27 | 11 | 11 | 178 | 871 | 10 | 58 | 4.9 | 79.2 | 16.2 | 5 | 35 | 7.0 | 0 | 10 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 906 | 4 |
| 2010 | 28 | 16 | 15 | 334 | 1371 | 12 | 55 | 4.1 | 85.7 | 20.9 | 12 | 85 | 7.1 | 0 | 19 | 0.8 | 5.3 | 1456 | 2 |
Career |
102 |
43 |
1116 |
5198 |
45 |
83 |
4.7 |
51.0 |
10.9 |
34 |
232 |
6.8 |
0 |
30 |
0.3 |
2.3 |
5430 |
11 |
|
More Fantasy Football Player Profiles
QB | RB | WR | TE | K | Team Defense | IDP – DL | IDP – LB | IDP – DB
To help you get ready for draft day you will notice articles for ADP advice, cheat sheets, mock drafts and projected stats for Michael Turner here. During the season, you can also find regular weekly ranking articles at this section as well.
Below we have selected some of our favorite videos found on the web (mainly from YouTube), and we hope you enjoy this insightful, visual information.
June 2011
Michael Turner’s numbers are probably a little miss leading as the end result is respectable but in the first half of the season, Turner was a real bust for fantasy owners. In the first six games, Turner failed to run over 75 yards in four (three games 50 or less) and he only scored one rushing touchdown. In 2009, Turner had a slow start as well but in that year, he was still averaging a touchdown per game.
Even worse for fantasy owners, Turner isn’t a threat to catch the football so it’s understandable if many fantasy owners with Turner lost some close games because their No.1 running back couldn’t give respectable production.
After the first six game let down, Turner would go on to score ten touchdowns in his next seven games while going over the 100 yard rushing mark in five times. Part of the reason for Turner’s struggles had to do with the presence of Jason Snelling taking away key touches in the offense. This off-season Snelling is likely to move on for more money and a bigger role on the field.
Thus far, the Falcons have countered by drafting Oregon State standout Jacquizz Rodgers in the middle rounds to be a third down option, to replace Jerious Norwood, who is also heading for free agency. If the Falcons fail to bring in a power back that can threaten Turner for time, the veterans’ fantasy value should be a little stronger than he’s getting credit for, in current mock drafts.
Heading into the summer Turners ADP value on Mock Draft Central stands as the 8th overall (8.35 average selection) running back in standard redraft leagues and 13th best (18.17 average selection) runner in PPR leagues. While Turner may never be the top end stud he was back in 2008, he’s still worthy of being a No.1 running back in ten team leagues.
News Alert - The Falcons are likely to lose a couple key offensive linemen including mauler Tyson Clabo. Will update as we move through free agency.
2010 Preview
Michael Turner was on his way to another solid fantasy season until he suffered a high ankle sprain against the Panthers. Unfortunately, Turner was never able to fully recover and he hurt fantasy owners’ chances for a championship. Expect Turner to bounce back and post a solid season in 2010.
2010 Fantasy Football Outlook
2009 Fantasy Year In Review: Michael Turner is probably the best pure touchdown maker in all of fantasy football and a skill was important early in the season. In Turner’s first six games, he only totaled one game over a hundred yards, but he did score seven touchdowns.
After that Turner was back to his old trick as he had huge games against the Saints and Redskins before he suffered a high ankle sprain against the Panthers. Even in that game Turner racked up 111 yards rushing in the first quarter as he look primed for a huge second half of the season.
Unfortunately, the Falcons’ coaching staff was too eager to get Turner back on the field (twice) and let him play before the ankle was truly ready. Because of this Turner easily reinjured his ankle both times he tried to make a comeback. This hurt many fantasy owners as they didn’t have their stud player, and it was even worse if they rushed him into lineups on the games he tried to come back.
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2010 NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings: In OTA’s Turner came out publicly and admitted that he was out of shape last offseason and that was why he looked slow early on. At this time, Turner’s ankle is fully healed, and he’s reported to be in tip top shape as we head into the summer.
While the team will try to keep him under 300 carries this season, I believe he will go over that mark as the team makes a playoff push through the final months of the season. Matt Ryan is ready to take on more of the offensive load but Turner is still a beast when healthy.
As long as Turner is on the field for most of the season, he should carry help carry fantasy owners into the playoffs and give them good production in the final weeks.
Assets
- Touchdown Maker
- Power / Speed
- Workhorse
- Good Offense
Liabilities
- Doesn’t Catch The Football
- Needs To Stay Healthy
