Falcons rookie RB Nathan Carter makes depth chart statement, shares Morice Norris injury update

Nathan Carter found himself in a spot no one would want to be in the first week of the preseason. It was his knee that had inadvertently left Lions defensive back Morice Norris Jr. on the ground with a scary injury.

The Atlanta Falcons rookie RB out of Michigan State was able to touch base with Norris on Instagram this week. Carter shared with reporters Friday night, “I’m glad that he’s alright. I’m glad the Lord answered our prayers.”

And with that sense of relief, Carter ran wild in his second preseason game.

The rookie took nine carries for a total of 63 yards and a touchdown.

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The highlight: a 43-yard burst of speed up the middle of the field for a TD.

Next Gen Stats clocked Carter reaching 20.70 miles per hour on the run.

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) August 16, 2025MORE: Rams’ Jimmy Garoppolo decision tells us everything about Matthew Stafford’s injury

Carter has worked hard to make it to this point, and now he’s competing for a roster spot. The Falcons have established RBs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, but beyond them, there’s a shot.

The muscular Carter grew up in Rochester, N.Y. and attended Bishop Kearney High School before heading to UConn to begin his college football career. He was stellar for the Huskies, enough so to earn the transfer spot in the Big Ten.

With the Spartans, Carter split the workload, so he had to make due with a smattering of opportunities.

Now, he’s trying to turn all that growth into an NFL opportunity.

The Falcons signed Carter as an undrafted player soon after April’s NFL Draft ended, showing they had genuine interest from the start. He had limited action before that first preseason game was ended early, but in his second chance, Carter seized the moment.

There’s one more preseason game to go, along with some key practices along the way, for Carter to keep showing he belongs.

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