Falcons vs. Bucs: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em

The Atlanta Falcons had a forgettable start to the season, but they still have a handful of players that are relevant in the world of fantasy football. It wasn’t a great showing for quarterback Matt Ryan or wide receiver Calvin Ridley, both of whom fell short of their Week 1 projections.

With the Falcons playing a far superior opponent in Week 2, things may not get better just yet. Let’s see which players are worth starting in your fantasy lineup this week.

Start 'Em

(AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Calvin Ridley | WR

If you have Ridley on your roster, then it's likely you've taken him in the first two or three rounds. The last thing you want is a player taken this high to dwell on the bench and be a wasted pick. Nonetheless, Ridley is a shoe in to start because he's still the main focal point on the Falcons' offense. In their two matchups a season ago, Ridley was targeted a combined 26 times with 18 receptions. Despite the offense still trying to find its identity, I still find no reason to believe Ridley won't see his fair share of targets. In Week 1, the Tampa Bay defense allowed for both Amari Cooper (38.9) and CeeDee Lamb (23.4) to surpass 20 fantasy points. Arizona and Tampa Bay were the only other teams to have two receivers in the top 15 in Week 1. Week 1 Points: 10.1

Younghoe Koo | Kicker

Like Ridley, Koo will also see his fair share of opportunities. Given the starting offense has a full game under its belt, I expect a better performance in Week 2. I say this with the expectation the team will still find ways to stall their drives in the red zone. Koo converted on both of his kicks in Week 1. Week 1 Points: 6

Sit 'Em

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Kyle Pitts | TE

I hope you drafted another tight end and didn't give into the hype, because there's no way Pitts should be in your starting lineup until he can prove worthy. 71 percent of all Pitts' snaps in Week 1 came with the tight end in a passing set. Of those pass plays, Pitts saw saw seven targets, which is a 20 percent target share. Considering the rookie tight end is still splitting significant time with Hayden Hurst, neither is a must-start in Week 2. Week 1 Points: 7.1

Matt Ryan | QB

It's not so much that Ryan doesn't have the ability to be a quality starter in fantasy, it's more so that the offensive line's inability to protect him doesn't allow for plays to develop downfield. This was shown when looking at his passing chart in Week 1 as he only attempted one pass over 20 yards. A large portion of attempted passes came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Week 1 Points: 7.2

Mike Davis | HB

Mike Davis may still be the lead back, but with Cordarrelle Patterson coming away as the best offensive player in Week 1, there's no reason to believe that will change in Week 1. Just like Pitts, until Davis shows he can be the featured back, keep him on the bench for now. Week 1 Points: 10.2

Cordarrelle Patterson | HB

Patterson shouldn't necessarily be on your team to begin with since he's not an every-down back and isn't a true receiving threat. His only real potential value is on special teams. However, if you take the Falcons special teams, you take their defense as well, and you don't want that. Week 1 Points: 8.7

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