As dynasty fantasy football managers look toward the upcoming NFL season, BYU RB Tyler Allgeier established himself as a name to remember for 2022. Following a successful collegiate career, what are Allgeier’s strengths, are there any concerns, and how does his landing spot with the Atlanta Falcons impact his dynasty value in 2022 and beyond?
Tyler Allgeier’s dynasty fantasy profile
When you watch game film, there are some guys who you look at and go, “I would not want to be that defender.” That’s the best way to describe BYU’s Allgeier in a nutshell. Listed at 5’11” and 220 pounds, Allgeier plays a physical brand of football. When you see his background, it’s easy to see why.
Similar to Baylor’s Abram Smith, Allgeier is a converted linebacker. Coaches will love their versatility, and both are virtual stone-cold locks to make 53-man rosters due to their added value on special teams. However, we don’t get fantasy production from special teams. It’s what Allgeier can do with the ball in his hands that should excite you.
After a 1,300-total-yard season in 2020 (11 games), Allgeier put up silly numbers in 2021. He rushed 276 times for 1,606 yards (No. 3 in the nation) with an NCAA-best 23 touchdowns. He even hauled in nearly 200 yards as a receiver and had the fourth-most receptions on the team (28). Those who would stay up to watch #Pac12AfterDark got to see this first hand.
Accounting for 2.09 YPTP (yards per team play), Allgeier was one of the most efficient backs in the nation despite the majority of his work coming between the tackles and into the muck. It’s why he also racked up the yards after contact. Of his total yards, 1,143 came after contact (4.16 ypa). That’s Allgeier’s game.
Case for top-five rookie RB?
While the NFL moves towards more dynamic rushers, there is undoubtedly a place for Allgeier. He brings enough receiving ability so an offense won’t just pluck him off the field on passing downs. Still, that won’t be where he makes his fantasy value.
Beyond the top three running backs in Isaiah Spiller, Breece Hall, and Kenneth Walker III, the rest of the order is up for grabs and will vary from draft to draft. Allgeier has his name in the mix with Jerome Ford, James Cook, Rachaad White, Dameon Pierce, Zamir White, Ty Chandler, and Pierre Strong Jr. If you’re in a 2022 dynasty rookie draft, Allgeier is likely a mid-second-round pick in 1QB leagues who could become the hammer in a two-back committee.
Strengths
Allgeier is at his best as a one-cut back who possesses solid vision. His eyes are quick to pick up the leverage, and thanks to his surprisingly quick feet, he’s able to make adjustments behind the LOS. With that said, he’s not someone who jump cuts to work down the line. His most productive plays come when attacking the line.
When he attacks the line, that’s when his bully-ball style of football comes out. Allgeier’s thick frame helps cushion his body, and being aggressive at the point of contact lets him dictate the hit, not the other way around. This shows up in his contact balance, as Allgeier seemingly never goes backward.
There was talk of Allgeier running in the 4.4-4.5 range at the Combine, making his 4.64 40-yard dash a bit disappointing. Yet as I say all the time, there is a difference between in-game speed and what a dude does in his underwear on a chilly night in Indy. Of his runs in the last two seasons, 73 went for 10+ yards, with 41 going for 15 or more. Last season alone, Allgeier had four games of 190+ yards.
Weaknesses
Passing volume is a concern. While Allgeier did help his stock some in 2021, receptions will never be an integral part of his repertoire.
For fantasy, especially PPR formats, that drops his value and weekly ceiling. Don’t ever expect to see Allgeier in the slot.
Allgeier also isn’t the type to make defenders miss with agility. There are not many lateral moves in his arsenal, so he will rely on his physicality to do the job. This is a much harder thing to do in the NFL, where linebackers are bigger, faster, and stronger.
Ball security is also worth noting, as Allgeier put the ball on the ground 6 times in his career, 4 of which came in 2021. Part of that was Allgeier fighting for extra yards and defenders punching it out. Guys like Darius Leonard have perfected this technique. We need to see Allgeier protect the ball better between the tackles.
Allgeier’s injury history
Durability is not a concern for those interested in Allgeier for fantasy in 2022. As a two-year starter at RB, Allgeier missed only one game in 2020. In 2021, he played in all of BYU’s 13 games while handling nearly 300 touches.
Now, his brand of football does invite contact. In turn, Allgeier also carries additional risk regarding his longevity in the NFL, as those hits stack up over a 17-game regular season. At times, it’s not wrong to make a business decision and get out of bounds or down to avoid the extra hit. While I doubt we ever see Allgeier close to 300 touches in a season again, it’s worth remembering for down the road, although I never try to predict injuries.
Tyler Allgeier selected by the Atlanta Falcons
Arthur Smith wants to run a power offense. That means he needs a powerful running back. Obviously, Allgeier isn’t Derrick Henry or even AJ Dillon, but he fits the mold of what Smith wants to do. Selected with the No. 151 pick of the NFL Draft, Smith could be a fantastic value for the Falcons.
The Falcons were a team that struggled to establish the run last season. That was partly due to inefficiency and falling behind in games, which forced them to be more pass-heavy than they possibly anticipated. The added touches appeared to wear down Cordarrelle Patterson, pushing the roster’s depth to its limits.
In the season’s final month, Patterson saw just 37 touches and averaged fewer than 30 rushing yards per game. Given that he saw nearly as many touches (208) as his previous four seasons combined (215), it’s understandable if Atlanta felt the need to back off a touch.
What the Falcons need is more depth. They added a playmaking receiver in Drake London to pair with Kyle Pitts. But to ensure balance, the rushing game needed to be addressed.
While I don’t foresee Allgeier as a three-down back, he could slot in perfectly as a part of a committee, primarily as the thumper. Given Patterson’s and even Mike Davis’ receiving skills, there would be a role for all three backs to succeed. Allgeier works early downs, Davis rotates in and out, and Patterson can be maneuvered around the formation.
Based on the landing spots we’ve seen so far, Allgeier might have the best shot to be relevant in 2022 once outside the top-two backs (Walker and Hall).