Cordarrelle Patterson News

Patterson took a back seat to Tyler Allgeier during the Falcons' season finale, but the veteran salvaged his Week 18 production by recording Atlanta's lone rushing touchdown during the win. After totaling 122 rushing attempts for 619 yards and six touchdowns over his first 10 appearances, Patterson saw just 22 rushes for 77 yards over the final three games of the season, though he did record two touchdowns during that stretch. He ultimately finished with career highs in rushing yards (695) and rushing touchdowns (eight), but he saw a significant regression in his passing-game production, as he caught just 21 passes for 122 yards after registering 52 receptions and 548 yards a year ago. Overall Patterson's season wasn't disappointing, but there were certainly signs that his prolific 2021 campaign was an outlier compared to his normal production. His cap hit for 2023 is $5.5 million, which is a sizable contract and suggests he'll have a solid role next year, but after Allgeier's impressive rookie campaign, Patterson may be relegated to backup duties moving forward.

Patterson was more than doubled in rushing attempts by Tyler Allgeier, but he punched in a touchdown late in the second quarter from five yards away. After being surprisingly unused as a receiver for most of the season, Patterson got involved as a pass catcher and managed a season high in targets, receptions and receiving yards. Overall, Patterson has managed more than 50 rushing yards in five of his last six games while scoring two touchdowns in that span.

The veteran took a back seat to Tyler Allgeier in the Atlanta backfield, seeing nine touches to the rookie's 22, and it's possible the Falcons will continue to feature the younger back in their final two games now that they've been eliminated from the playoffs. Patterson will head into a Week 17 clash with the Cardinals having compiled 714 scrimmage yards and six rushing TDs over 11 games in 2022.

Patterson saw 17 total touches to Tyler Allgeier's 18, but the rookie significantly outproduced the veteran. Patterson's struggles may open up more playing time for Allgeier moving forward, especially with Atlanta quickly falling out of the playoff picture. However, the Falcons continue to rely heavily on the run game, so Patterson will garner fantasy intrigue as long as he's available, though both running back's overall potential has been limited all season due to the timeshare.

Patterson saw one more rushing attempt and produced eight more yards than Tyler Allgeier, as the two running backs continue to split the majority of the backfield work. The veteran running back was held in check in the first half, rushing three times for zero yards, but he got back on track in the third quarter. His final tally would've looked a lot better if his seven-yard touchdown run in the second half wasn't called back due to a Parker Hesse hold. Patterson also wasn't targeted in the passing game for the first time since Week 4, which could be a concerning development. Regardless, Patterson's consistent usage likely lands him as a viable flex option when the Falcons return to action following their Week 14 bye.

Patterson continued to see his workload monitored carefully, as he's now seen between 10 and 13 carries in three of his four games since returning from a knee injury. He also manage gains of 21, 15 and 13 yards to top 50 rushing yards for the second consecutive game. Patterson's involvement as a pass catcher was also encouraging, as his five targets matched his highest mark of the season.