The Falcons have one of the NFL’s best passing offenses this season, even if it has amounted to just two wins in nine games.
This week, the team is down two starters, with both tight end Austin Hooper and running back Devonta Freeman out for the foreseeable future. It will be on Brian Hill and Luke Stocker to step up in their place.
Let’s examine Atlanta’s Week 11 fantasy football projections, focusing on ESPN’s standard league scoring system.
QB: Matt Ryan
ESPN Projection: 18.5 points — 2 TDs, 1 INT, 300 yards (10 rushing)
Season Total: 155.8 points — 18 TDs, 9 INTs, 2,428 yards (77 rushing)
Week 11 Analysis: The Panthers defense is actually pretty stout against the pass this season, ranking 12th in passing yards allowed per game. Ryan is pretty much guaranteed to put up numbers, though, even if the game is a blowout. He’s capable of making up for it in garbage time if Atlanta’s offense gets out to a slow start again. Expect the usual from Ryan, despite the team’s success or failure on Sunday.
RB: Brian Hill
ESPN Projection: 12.7 points — 77 yards (19 rec. yards), 2 catches
Season Stats: 27.5 points – 125 yards (24 rec. yards), 2 TDs (1 rec. TD),
Week 11 Analysis: Carolina’s defense is above average, but they are vulnerable to the run up the middle, especially with DT Kawann Short out. This isn’t the Falcons’ usual game-plan, but if Hill gets going early, he could have a potential breakout performance with so little depth behind him at RB on Sunday. Ito Smith is out for the year and Devonta Freeman is out for at least a week.
WR: Julio Jones
ESPN Projection: 17.8 points — 6 catches for 87 yards
Season Stats: 156.2 points — 53 catches, 791 yards, 4 TDs
Week 11 Analysis: Despite a talented Carolina secondary, when all you have is Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, you’re not going to suddenly become the Dallas Cowboys. I’m betting Jones will get his usual 6-9 catches for around a hundred yards Sunday, with possible score or two since Austin Hooper is out.
WR: Calvin Ridley
ESPN Projection: 12.7 points — 5 catches 56 yards
Season Total: 111 points — 36 catches, 471 yards 4 TDs,
Week 11 Analysis: Ridley hasn’t become the dominant secondary option this season for the Falcons the way many fantasy owners had hoped — mostly due to Austin Hooper’s emergence as one of the NFL’s best tight ends. With Hooper out and Mohamed Sanu in New England, Ridley has a chance to prove he can carry the load opposite Julio Jones.
TE: Luke Stocker
ESPN Projection: 5.3 yards — 2 catches, 20 yards
Season Total: 9.4 points — 6 catches, 34 yards
Week 11 Analysis: Stocker is the most experienced of the remaining tight ends on the team, but his upside isn’t even close to Austin Hooper’s. Jaeden Graham is also a potential threat to steal this receiving role from Stocker. However, with neither tight end having a great track record, I expect Stocker to get around 5-6 targets as the default No. 1 TE option. What he does with them is anyone’s guess.
Kicker: Younghoe Koo
ESPN Projection: 7 points — 1/2 field goals, 2/2 extra points
Season Total: 15 points — 4/4 field goals, 2/2 extra points
Week 11 Analysis: Koo was perfect in his debut, winning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. But the pressure will be on the inexperienced 25-year-old to keep it up, especially while wearing Michael Vick’s former No. 7 jersey.
