Fantasy Football: Where do Atlanta Falcons rank in Matthew Berry’s rankings?
Sep 8, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) celebrates his touchdown in the end zone with teammate wide receiver Roddy White (84) against the New Orleans Saints during the third quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Wide receivers
Julio Jones was the eighth-best receiver in fantasy last year, and he would be the star WR1 for any team. Here is where Berry ranks him among receivers.
1. Antonio Brown
2. Demaryius Thomas
3. Dez Bryant
4. Jordy Nelson
5. Odell Beckham Jr.
6. Julio Jones
7. Calvin Johnson
8. A.J. Green
When it comes to receivers, there really are so many to chose from. You can’t go wrong with any of those names, and we haven’t even mentioned the likes of Randall Cobb, Emmanuel Sanders or T.Y. Hilton yet.
Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) celebrates after making a catch against the Baltimore Ravens in the second half during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. The Ravens won 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Antonio Brown is deservedly at the top of the pile. He was the clear leader at the position last year, and will continue to thrive in the Pittsburgh offense.
Demaryius Thomas should rack up a lot of points again, too, especially with the departure of Julius Thomas. Dez Bryant is the star in Dallas, and could see more of the football sans DeMarco Murray. It might tighten the coverage on him, however.
Odell Beckham Jr. set the bar high in his rookie campaign, and it’s yet to be seen whether he can replicate his 2014 success. My bet is he will do just that.
Julio Jones is another great option for your fantasy team. He will be Matt Ryan’s No. 1 target again, and the Falcons will still pass the football a lot even with the addition of Tevin Coleman. A strong run game could actually open up more space for Jones, which is good news for fantasy owners.
34. Torrey Smith
35. DeVante Parker
36. Roddy White
37. Victor Cruz
38. Marques Colston
39. Allen Robinson
Defense and Special Teams
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. New York Giants
26. Atlanta Falcons
27. Chicago Bears
28. San Diego Chargers
Do I think the Falcons’ defense will improve in 2015? Absolutely. Would I trust them on my fantasy team? No.
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Vic Beasley should help the unit add sacks, and Dan Quinn’s scheme could give a strong core of defensive backs the opportunity to make interceptions, but there are plenty of other defenses you should consider before them.
A team in your league will go to defense too early — don’t let it be you. There are plenty of top defenses who will be available at the backend of your draft. The Seahawks are the obvious choice, but they will most likely be taken by someone too soon.
Berry has the Texans ranked No. 2. The Bills and Jets are two defenses I like, and they should be available late. Buffalo and New York have great defenses and no quarterback, which means they will tie both their games 0-0 this year, which would be… fun.
Kickers
1. Stephen Gostkowski
2. Justin Tucker
3. Adam Vinatieri
4. Steven Hauschka
5. Mason Crosby
6. Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant would be a good option at kicker. The Falcons’ offense will be rolling again, and will be in position to rack up plenty of touchdowns this year. As long as they don’t get too tempted with the two-point attempt now the PAT rules have changed, Bryant will get plenty of kicking opportunity here.
And of course, if the offense stalls in field goal range, this guy won’t miss too often.