Falcons Fantasy Forecast: Week 12
A detailed look at how the Atlanta Falcons look in Fantasy Football heading into their Week 12 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFL Week 12 sees the Falcons come home after a great win in Seattle over the Seahawks. Their next opponent will be a disappointing Tampa Bay Buccaneers team (though they have won their last two games).
Quarterback:
Matt Ryan has been playing his best football since the bye week (a 10-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 68.1 completion percentage), and is now going up against a Buccaneer defense that ranks 31st against the pass in terms of yards allowed per game. Tampa will also be without defensive end Robert Ayers and cornerback Vernon Hargreaves Sunday. If you’ve got Ryan, start him.
Running Back:
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Devonta Freeman will be out for another game this week, so once against the bulk of the carries will go to Tevin Coleman. Coleman didn’t look nearly as good against Seattle as he did against Dallas, but he’s still the feature back and he has scored a touchdown in consecutive weeks. The Buccaneers rank 13th against the run in terms of yards allowed per game, so if you’ve got better match ups to work with, I’d either sit Coleman or at best flex him.
Wide Receiver:
In addition to the Bucs struggles against the pass as discussed in the quarterback section, Julio Jones and Mohammed Sanu have a distinct size advantage in this game. Tampa corners Brent Grimes and Robert McClain list at 5-10 and 5-9, respectively. Granted, Grimes is known for his impressive leaping ability, but Jones measures 6-3 and Sanu 6-2. Look for Ryan to target both of these guys for jump balls, especially on fade routes in the end zone. If you’ve got either one, start ’em.
Tight End:
Austin Hooper has been inconsistent at best this year, and Tampa Bay has been one of the toughest teams against TEs. Hooper has a ton of potential, but this week? Sit him.
Kicker:
Matt Bryant has apparently shaken any injury bug that may have been nagging him, and he’ll be kicking at home in a climate-controlled environment. The scoring opportunities should be plentiful, so Bryant should be in your lineup.
Related Story: Scouting the Falcons opponent in Week 12
Defense / Special Teams:
Andre Roberts has been disappointing so far this year, so don’t expect a kickoff or punt returned for a touchdown. However, Tampa will be starting Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback, and he’s been know to be streaky. If the Falcons can catch him on a bad day, the turnovers could be there. As improved as Atlanta’s “D” has been, this year, though, I’d look for other options for your fantasy team here.