Devonta Freeman
The start to Freeman’s career was unremarkable. The 2014 fourth-round pick from Florida State ran the ball 65 times for 248 yards and a touchdown. He also had 30 catches for 225 yards and a touchdown in the air. Then Kyle Shanahan arrived as the offensive coordinator. For two seasons Freeman was one of the NFL’s most prolific backs and earned two trips to the Pro Bowl. In his first year under Shanahan, Freeman racked up 1,056 rushing yards and a league-high 11 rushing touchdowns. He also had 73 receptions with 578 receiving yards and three scores. Freeman posted similar numbers in 2016 for the league’s highest-scoring offense. Shanahan left in 2017, and while Freeman has been okay when healthy, he’s not been the same dominant force he was in Shanahan’s scheme.
Numbers with Shanahan: 31 games, 492 carries, 2,135 rushing yards, 22 rushing touchdowns, 127 receptions, 1,040 receiving yards, 5 receiving touchdowns.
Numbers without Shanahan: 46 games, 459 carries, 1,837 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 130 receptions, 975 receiving yards, 6 receiving touchdowns.