Will the Falcons backfield be fantasy football poison in 2015?

I try to limit the number of fantasy football posts around these parts, even though many (most?) of us play it. It's better to appreciate your favorite football team through a non-fantasy lens, I've found.

That said, it's a long offseason, and the Falcons' backfield is shaping up to be one of the most interesting battles on the roster. If Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman end up splitting the workload anywhere near 50/50, those hoping to draft one of the talented young backs may want to think twice.

That's largely because the two appear neck-and-neck for the starting gig early, and the Falcons may choose to platoon them to maximize their effectiveness. Neither back appears fated for 20 carries per game in the first place, giving the Falcons plenty of reason to split carries. Unless an injury strikes or one of them truly runs away with the job, chances are you're going to be looking at a split.

From a non-fantasy perspective, there's a lot to like about a backfield featuring the versatile Freeman handling third down work and picking up some carries on early downs, and there's a lot to like about Coleman using his blazing speed to cause problems on early downs. Throw the threat of Antone Smith in there and you've got a corps of backs with real promise, especially in a zone blocking scheme that favors one-cut backs.

For fantasy football purposes, though, you'll want to watch this one closely. If you can't get both backs, you may want to avoid them.