Brian Hill, Kenjon Barner Fantasy Outlook After Devonta Freeman's Injury

The injury bug has bitten Devonta Freeman for the second straight season, with Brian Hill and Kenjon Barner moving up the depth chart at running back for the Atlanta Falcons. 

Freeman exited Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints with a foot injury, per Kelsey Conway of the team's official site.

When Freeman was out for all but four games in 2018, the Falcons turned to Tevin Coleman to be their primary ball-carrier. Now, Coleman is a member of the San Francisco 49ers, and their regular backup, Ito Smith, is on injured reserve with a neck injury.

Hill has made a strong impression so far in Smith's absence, running for 52 yards on 14 carries with 9:44 left in the fourth quarter. He has also caught one pass for 10 yards and a touchdown on two targets.

With Smith's status in doubt, Hill was a trendy name heading into Sunday's slate of games. Now, he's likely to be one of the most added running backs when the waiver wire opens.

Even though the full extent of Freeman's injury is unclear, putting in a claim on Hill would be sensible. Finding a running back who can help your squad isn't easy at this point of the season.

The same can't be said for Kenjon Barner, whose window to become a significant fantasy threat has closed. You might have been able to buy Barner as a sleeper a few years ago, but he has done little in the NFL. Fantasy owners have little reason to think things will be different for him in Atlanta.