2013 atlanta falcons Fantasy Preview
The Falcons were chock full of prominent fantasy football players last season. Matt Ryan (7th - 304.56 points) had a breakout campaign and is now a surefire starter in most fantasy leagues. Julio Jones (9th - 182.80) and Roddy White (10th - 177.10 points) both ranked among the 10 best wide receivers based on points, while Tony Gonzalez (3rd - 141.00 points) continued to produce at a high level even at the age of 36. Michael Turner (17th - 157.10 points) saw a decline in production compared to previous seasons, but he still finished as a viable No. 2 fantasy back. If we also include Matt Bryant (3rd - 151.00 points), the Falcons had at least one player finish in the top 10 in fantasy points at four different positions. That shows just how potent this offensive attack has become under the guidance of coordinator Dirk Koetter - and it's immense impact on fantasy football leagues.
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The Falcons released three big-name players in the offseason, including Turner, DE John Abraham and CB Dunta Robinson, and made two major additions in veterans Steven Jackson and DE Osi Umenyiora. Jackson, who had rushed for 1,000-plus yards in each of his last eight seasons while in St. Louis, sees a nice bump in value with his new team. In fact, he should now be seen as a high-end No. 2 fantasy running back if only for his expected increase in touchdown opportunities. Since 2009, Jackson averaged fewer than five rushing touchdowns. Turner rushed for at least 10 scores in each of his five seasons in Atlanta. On defense, Umenyiora will be asked to fill the pass-rushing void that Abraham left behind. Rookie CBs Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford will be asked to come in and make an immediate impact.
It's hard to find a traditional sleeper on a Falcons team that's full of prominent fantasy starters across the board. The level of depth at the quarterback position is likely to make Ryan a nice value in fantasy land. He's definitely a quarterback to target if you prefer to go after running backs and wide receivers in the first several rounds. Jackson could turn into a nice bargain if he somehow falls into the third or fourth round of fantasy drafts, but he's been getting quite a lot of hype - and for good reason.
| POS | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD | OTHER |
| QB | Matt Ryan | Dominique Davis | Sean Renfree | Seth Doege |
| RB | Steven Jackson | Jacquizz Rodgers | Jason Snelling | Antone Smith |
| WR | Julio Jones | Roddy White | Harry Douglas | Drew Davis |
| TE | Tony Gonzalez | Chase Coffman | Levine Toilolo | Tommy Gallarda |
| K | Matt Bryant | Jeremy Shelley | - | - |
( ) Projected Round
| # | Name | Pos. Rank |
| 1 | Julio Jones | 5 |
| 2 | Steven Jackson | 15 |
| 3 | Roddy White | 12 |
| 4 | Matt Ryan | 9 |
| 5 | Tony Gonzalez | 3 |
Photo Gallery
Top 30 Fantasy PlayersRoddy White is just one of three Falcons on our list of the top 30 fantasy players for 2013. See who else made the cut. View
