The Facts: Freeman had a pep in his step from the moment he arrived as a fourth-round draft pick out of Florida State last season. Yet Freeman's intensity appears to have elevated to another level as he prepares for the 2015 campaign. You can feel it in his tone. The passion in his voice is infectious. "I've got high expectations of myself," Freeman said. "I want to be the man. I want to be the guy. I want to make my own name with the Atlanta Falcons. I want to go really, really far. I want to set the bar high."
Diehards Line:
As ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure suggests, the transformation might have something to do with the confidence expressed in him this offseason. New HC Dan Quinn, GM Thomas Dimitroff and OC Kyle Shanahan all took to the podium and proclaimed how Freeman has all the ability to thrive in his second season. "It means a lot coming from the general manager, the head coach and the offensive coordinator because, of course, that means everything," Freeman said. "If you're getting it from those guys, those guys are the big, top dogs. That just motivates me." The release of Steven Jackson may have further fueled his fire. Freeman had a modest showing playing behind Jackson in what was at one point a four-back rotation, but he showed flashes of his great potential as both a runner and pass-catcher. He finished with 248 rushing yards, 225 receiving yards and two touchdowns. And now, running in Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme, he'll be flying much higher on the radars of fantasy owners this summer, especially if the Falcons don't add a running back in free agency. Justin Forsett has been mentioned as one possibility. The team is also looking to re-sign Antone Smith, who had five touchdowns on just 36 touches last season before breaking his leg.