Michael Turner's Profile at Pro-Football-Reference
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- Michael Turner
- 02/26/12
- RB
- Source: theHuddle.com
Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith said at the NFL Scouting Combine Saturday, Feb. 25, that RB Michael Turner will see less carries in 2012 as the team wants to incorporate some of their other b... Expand + -
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- Michael Turner
- 02/25/12
- RB
- Source: FFToolbox.com
Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner posted a very respectable 4.5 yards per carry in 2011, almost a half yard better than his 2010 average. Eleven touchdowns and more than 1,500 yards from ... Expand + -
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- Michael Turner
- 02/25/12
- RB
- Source: FFToday.com
In hopes of limiting wear and tear on feature back Michael Turner likely will continue to play a major part in that approach, but Smith said he's reevaluating how he uses his featured back, ... Expand + -
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- Michael Turner
- 02/25/12
- RB
- Source: CBSSports.com
Falcons head coach Mike Smith told the media at the NFL Combine on Saturday that he intends to keep running back Michael Turner as his featured back in 2012, but that the time has come to start kee... Expand + -
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- Michael Turner
- 02/25/12
- RB
- Source: Rotoworld.com
Speaking at the Scouting Combine Saturday, Falcons coach Mike Smith indicated Michael Turner will be back with the team in 2012, but with a reduced role. -
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- Michael Turner
- 02/22/12
- RB
- Source: Rotoworld.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Mark Bradley expects the Falcons to keep Michael Turner for 2012. -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/21/12
- RB
- Source: theHuddle.com
Atlanta Falcons RB Michael Turner is expected to see a decrease in touches next season because the team would like to get RB Jacquizz Rodgers more touches especially with screen passes. Huddle Up:... Expand + -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/20/12
- RB
- Source: CBSSports.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Falcons might reduce the role for RB Michael Turner in 2012. Turner turns 30 years old this year. He has 1,189 carries in the past four seasons, an... Expand + -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/16/12
- RB
- Source: Rotoworld.com
New Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said he has been ordered to improve the team's screen game. -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/11/12
- RB
- Source: Rotoworld.com
Coach Mike Smith plans to "evaluate" Michael Turner's touches moving forward. -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/10/12
- RB
- Source: Rotoworld.com
Coach Mike Smith confirmed the Falcons' running game is a "big concern" entering the offseason. -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/08/12
- RB
- Source: CBSSports.com
Atlanta RB Michael Turner could not help lead his team to victory in Sunday's NFC Wild Card playoff loss at New York. The Giants got the better of the Falcons on Sunday and Atlanta couldn't muster ... Expand + -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/08/12
- RB
- Source: Rotoworld.com
Michael Turner managed 41 yards on 15 carries and a five-yard reception in the Falcons' Wild Card round loss to the Giants. -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/08/12
- RB
- Source: CBSSports.com
Falcons RB Michael Turner (groin) is active for the team's Wild Card game against the Giants. He was probable on the injury report. -
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- Michael Turner
- 01/06/12
- RB
- Source: CBSSports.com
Atlanta RB Michael Turner (groin) is listed as probable on the team's injury report for Sunday's Wild Card game at the Giants. Turner was limited in practice the past two days after missing Wednesd... Expand + -
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Michael Turner
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Turner's in-Depth Stats
Michael Turner 2010 FFA articles
Click here for "Michael Turner: 2010 Comeback player of the year!"
2009 Archive (published July, 2009)
The Beast Within
5'11" and 244 pounds of solid kill coming right up the gut. For such a big load, he is light on his feet, but you won't find him dancing around at the line of scrimmage. He is fast, too, clocking the 40-yard dash at 4.49 seconds. Don't even bother sticking your arm out; if you aren't prepared to stick him with a full load, he'll flatten you. Michael Turner shocked everyone in the league... well, everyone but Charger fans in '08:
The only part of his game that needs work is his hands. He hasn't proven himself to be a dependable pass-catcher, so his game remains somewhat one dimensional. He is an able blocker and will provide Matt Ryan with solid protection on passing downs. He was a 5th round draft pick out of Northern Illinois University and up until last season, was busy showcasing his skills backing up Ladainian Tomlinson.
In Atlanta, he was finally given the opportunity to start and was able to show the league what they had been missing for the first four years of his career. The numbers were staggering at 1,740 total yards and 17 TDs... but so were his carries (376). The Falcons had better be careful with their new workhorse or he won't last long.
2008
Michael Turner had 382 total touches, 376 of which were carries in '08. That is too much long term, and Mike Mularkey and Mike Smith both know it. It's tempting, too, because Turner actually got better with each quarter of action last season. Check this 2008 split...
Despite getting a wee bit bored with the game in the 2nd quarter, Turner got stronger as he punished and weakened defenses.
The fact remains, unless the Atlanta brass wants Michael Turner to age faster and more severely than another famous Turner (Kathleen), they'd better tone down the carries a touch.
2009 Fantasy Outlook
We don't expect that Turner will finish with the numbers he did from last season for two key reasons:
Reason #1
His touches are going to go down as Atlanta opts to utilize Ryan's arm vs. running Turner into the ground.
Reason #2
Atlanta had one of the easiest schedules against the run in 2008 having played six of the seven worst rush defenses (Detroit, Oakland, Denver, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Green Bay). They don't play any of these teams in 2009. He had 873 of his 1,699 yards and nine of his 17 TDs in those six games. This year, they exchange the overall porous defenses of the NFC North and AFC West divisions for the brutal NFC East and AFC East divisions.
Michael Turner was made to be the workhorse while they eased Matt Ryan into the NFL. The two Mikes will open the playbook in '09 and Turner's carries will sink by about 40-50. We don't see his receptions going up much either given that this is not an area he excels in, and Norwood can come in on passing downs or for misleads. The TDs could also shrink now that the "dirty birds" went out and got their stud QB a Hall of Fame TE for the red-zone. The risk of injury is too great - we are advocating that you make the "Burner" the 9th RB drafted this summer.
The Curse of 370
So one of the things that freaks us out about Turner is all those carries from last year. 370+ is unsustainable. We had someone on our staff (the Rainman) do a little research on what happens to RBs the year following a heavy workload - we went with 350+ for this one to show a rounded result, and went back 15 years. Below is the result. Only two RBs over the last 15 years were able to string together two years of top production after toting the ball 370+ times - Edge and LT. And only another couple were able to follow up 350+ carry seasons with a similar result the next year. Turner buyers... you've been warned.
Injury Alert
W/ 5 missed games in 2009, he has earned the yellow FFArmory flag for 2010. He has worked his tail off this past off-season, so this could be a bit harsh, but high ankle sprains are not easy to come back from.
