The fantasy football playoffs are in full swing, and many fantasy managers were vying to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl this weekend. Some succeeded and others didn't, but the Atlanta Falcons' defense sought to create as much chaos on the fantasy football front as humanly possible on Sunday.
In the Falcons' 26-19 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Bijan Robinson delivered as usual, but the Cardinals' own fantasy football hero didn't. Trey McBride has been consistently great all season long, yet was held to just four catches for 27 yards, eliminating many from championship contention.
Given McBride was fresh off of his best game of the year last week and caught at least five passes in every game this season entering Week 16, that's a major accomplishment. And Raheem Morris was quick to admit after the game that keeping McBride in check was their cardinal defensive priority.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on limiting Cardinals tight end Trey McBride: "We definitely had a focus."
— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) December 22, 2025
Falcons' containment of Trey McBride spoiled many fantasy football playoff matchups
The Pro Bowl tight end went for 134 yards and two scores in Houston last week, but was unable to recapture that same success against the Dirty Birds. It proved exactly why the Falcons signed Divine Deablo, as his athleticism was the catalyst in keeping McBride in check and deciding the outcome.
The Colorado State product has been Jacoby Brissett's favorite target since he replaced Kyler Murray, and it's been evident. Since he took over as the starter, McBride is averaging nearly 12 targets per game, yet was only able to haul in half of his eight targets against the Falcons on Sunday.
The 26-year-old is arguably the best tight end in football, so his absence was noticeable. The Cardinals' only touchdown came on a miraculous reception from Michael Wilson, while Marvin Harrison Jr. was incredibly quiet in his return the lineup with just one catch on three targets.
Brissett and the Arizona offense was consistently being held to field goals by the Atlanta defense, in large part because their main safety valve was blanketed. McBride is Arizona's main chain-mover on offense, so his rough afternoon was felt given the Cardinals recorded just 16 first downs in Week 16.
With Deablo keeping the former Mackey Award winner in check, the Cardinals had to turn to their backup tight end to shoulder the load. Elijah Higgins caught seven passes for a career-high 91 yards on the game, which was more in line with the stat line fantasy managers expected from McBride.
McBride entered the week sitting at sixth in the NFL in receiving and has been the highest-scoring fantasy football tight end in 2025, so his rough outing against Jeff Ulbrich and the Falcons' defense certainly left a bad taste in the mouths of the owners who failed to advance to the next round.