When the Atlanta Falcons signed running back Michael Turner as a free agent following the 2007 season, there was no guarantee that he would thrive as the feature back. After all, his entire NFL career had been spent backing up future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. Sure, he had displayed flashes of brilliance in a limited role, but no one knew for sure how he would respond when asked to shoulder the load.
But the Falcons' gamble paid off in a big way as Turner hit the ground running (literally) from the get-go, posting 220 yards in his first contest as a Falcon. On the season he posted 1,699 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, both good for second in the league. He also took a lot of pressure off rookie quarterback Matt Ryan.