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One of the most exciting and fantasy relevant teams in all of football is, without a doubt, the Atlanta Falcons. Led by one of the best young arms in the game, accompanied by two stellar wideouts, as well as the greatest tight end to ever step foot on a field, the Falcons are always an intriguing fantasy team, which is one of the main reasons why I saved them towards the end. Let’s recap the fantasy goodness in Atlanta, shall we?
Quarterback
Easily one of my favorite quarterbacks in the game, Matt Ryan took the statistical step forward last season that many of us were waiting for last season. In 2012, Ryan set a career high in touchdowns (32), passing yards (4,719) and passer rating (99.1). The combination of these numbers led Ryan to a stellar fantasy campaign, finishing as a top-10 fantasy signal caller. While many don’t believe that his ceiling is much higher (if at all) as an elite fantasy signal caller, I beg to differ. Ryan continues to grow as a quarterback, and in 2012, really emerged into one of the elite guys. His 68.6 completion percentage was the best in football, but it also very quietly ranked 13th all-time among quarterbacks with 300 attempts in a single season. Each year since he has entered the league, Ryan has progressed, so why can’t he do the same in 2013? He still has arguably the most high-powered offense in the league at his arsenal, and offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter’s short-passing scheme (as well as vertical passing attack) has done wonders for Ryan’s game. This passing attack is one of the deadliest in the league, and with 28-year old Ryan under center, fantasy owners should target this guy as a top-five option. Last season, I was all on the Ryan bandwagon, drafting him over Tom Brady of all people. It’s safe to say that I’ll be doing that again this year.
Running Back
The move to Atlanta will resurrect Steven Jackson‘s fantasy value. It’s a perfect fit for a guy like Jackson, who was often hindered by an awful Rams offensive line, as well as offense in general. Over the past three seasons, Jackson only saw 43 carries inside an opponent’s 10-yard line. Meanwhile, during that same span, god awful Michael Turner saw 102 carries in that situation. Turner, though atrocious to watch at times, was very fantasy relevant because of the situation. The Falcons offense got him into the red zone, and when they get in there, they love to run the ball. Turner has scored double-digit touchdowns in every single season with Atlanta, while Jackson hasn’t accomplished that feat since way back in 2006. However, barring an injury, I can personally guarantee that trend comes to a halt. In 2012, the Falcons passing game got them in the red zone very often, and when they got there, they pounded the rock. In fact, over the last three years, only two teams have called more rushing plays inside an opponent’s 10-yard line than the Falcons. And now, with weapons all over the field, opposing defenses can’t simply dial in on Jackson any longer, giving him opportunity for better fantasy potential per touch. Also, don’t sleep on Jackson as a receiver. The 30-year old still has plenty of left in the tank, and has proven to be a capable receiving threat out of the backfield. Remember, he did have a 90-catch season in 2006, but has consistently been a 35-45 catch guy throughout his career. Again, Koetter is an offensive coordinator who likes to implement quick screens and short passes. I currently have Jackson at number 11 among running backs, but wouldn’t be surprised if he finished 2013 inside the top-10.
Wide Receiver
The Falcons have two elite wide receivers for Ryan to throw to, both of which are inside my top-10 this season. To many, the more intriguing option is the younger, more athletic Julio Jones. It’s definitely fair, as Jones has been a dominant force right out of the gate. His second year was stellar, catching 79 balls for 1,198 yards and 10 scores. He did it all for the Falcons. Serving as a deep threat, a major contributor in the screen game (7th among WR in receptions caught behind line of scrimmage), Jones would often give fantasy owners big weeks. However, he also had his fair share of disappointing weeks. A big part of this was the odd home/road splits between he and teammate Roddy White. Jones produced better on the road, while White was the better receiver at home. Take a look:
Home
| Player | Catches | Yards | TDs |
| Julio Jones | 31 | 447 | 2 |
| Roddy White | 45 | 662 | 4 |
Away
| Player | Catches | Yards | TDs |
| Julio Jones | 48 | 751 | 8 |
| Roddy White | 47 | 689 | 3 |
Clearly, White was the safer wideout among the two. Even though he wasn’t as productive on the road as Jones was, he was still much more consistent than him, which brings week-to-week safety to fantasy owners. This brings up the topic of something I wrote about not too long ago. While Jones may be the more appealing pick, I think White is being undervalued, while Jones is overvalued. According toe Fantasy Calculator, Julio is coming off the board at 2.08, while White is being drafted at 3.09. In my opinion, fantasy owners would be better off waiting a round for White, who is a better option in PPR formats, and is still highly regarded by Matt Ryan. Still, both are studs, and Jones clearly has the higher upside. Enjoy watching this tandem continue to dominate.
Tight End
Many thought the 2012 season would be the last of Tony Gonzalez. Having said that, he went out with a bang, catching 93 balls for 930 yards and eight scores, finishing as the number two fantasy tight end. Of course, that wasn’t enough for Gonzalez, as he came back for perhaps one final season with the Falcons. I wouldn’t expect him to grab 93 balls again this year, but last season, when the Falcons were in close, you could almost guarantee that it would be either Gonzalez or Turner finding paydirt. Gonzo tied for second in red zone targets (17) and red zone catches (12) among tight ends. At age 36, Gonzalez still has the size and athleticism to go up and make any play in the back of the end zone, and considering the fact that fantasy tight ends are dropping like flies, the future Hall of Fame tight end is a safe bet to finish as a top-five fantasy option.
Adam Pfeifer is a featured fantasy sports columnist for Rant Sports.
You can follow him on Twitter @aPfeiferRS.
