The start of the 2021 NFL regular season is still a few weeks away, but fantasy football players across the country are in the final hours of draft preparation. For fans of the Atlanta Falcons, there’s no shortage of fantasy options, including wide receiver Calvin Ridley, quarterback Matt Ryan and kicker Younghoe Koo. However, very few know what to make of the Falcons’ running game.
In 2020, Todd Gurley rushed for an underwhelming 678 yards on 195 attempts (3.5 yards per carry) but did have nine touchdowns. Atlanta chose not to bring Gurley back, instead signing free agent Mike Davis to be the team’s starter in 2021.
While filling in for injured Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey last year in Carolina, Davis racked up over 1,000 all-purpose yards. The 28-year-old could potentially top those numbers playing in Arthur Smith’s system this season. Plus, Davis’ lack of a true backup makes his situation even more intriguing in the minds of fantasy experts.
“Who is the backup running back in Atlanta?” ESPN’s Field Yates rhetorically asked his co-host, Matthew Berry, on the set of Fantasy Focus Football. “Not too many people would know the answer to that because they are very, very thin behind Mike Davis.”
Mike Davis is a talented runner, great receiver and has a clear path to a heavy workload in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/EuGcUc33zB
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 20, 2021
One thing ESPN may be overlooking is the presence of Cordarrelle Patterson. Atlanta signed the All-Pro return man during the offseason, but the team is listing him as the No. 2 running back on the depth chart.
