Dear Commanders Defense,

After that pathetic effort against the Chicago Bears, I need you to start playing like I know you can. There’s too many first round draft picks on this team to not be more competitive. Coach Ron Rivera put up “do your job” signs please soak that in and follow that motto this week against the Atlanta Falcons. I think you will after that embarrassing game vs Chicago. Giving up 30 pts a game is not acceptable for NFL football and I know you can do better. In addition, I need you to get some takeaways this week and give the offense a short field. Going against a mobile quarterback and Desmond Ridder, please stay disciplined and be on the look out when he takes off. If your able to stop Bijan Robinson and Ridder’s legs, you should win this game. Please redeem yourself this week and all will be better in DC.

Sincerely,

Pro Football Mania

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The Good

To be successful in the modern NFL you need good to great quarterback play and the ability to get after the opposing teams quarterback. The Falcons have the second ingredient covered as they have recently beefed up their defensive line. Grady Jarrett, who was named one of the biggest draft steals in the last 10 years, is the clear leader on this stout D-line. At age 30, Jarrett is showing no signs of slowing down. He finished last season with 6 sacks and 17 quarterback hits. The Falcons brought in Calais Campbell this offseason to team with Jarrett. Campbell is coming off an impressive year where he had 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. These two defensive stalwarts will be a tough duo to stop.

In today’s NFL, it’s never a good idea to draft a running back in the top 10 unless that running back is Bijan Robinson. Robinson has all the tools to make him an elite NFL weapon. He will instantly upgrade the Falcons offense and his versatility will allow him to be on the field in any situation. You can expect Robinson to be heavily utilized for a team that is shaky at the quarterback position. Robinson is my early favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

The Bad

As we’ve mentioned before the Falcons quarterback situation is shaky at best. Desmond Ridder will most likely be the week 1 starter but how long will he last? Ridder was dead last in our NFL quarterback tiers for 2023 and will need to show he can be more than a game manager. The Falcons brought in career backup Taylor Heinicke as a security blanket in case Ridder falters. Heinicke has shown he can be more than serviceable if called upon. My hunch is that we will be seeing Heinicke at some point this season.

The Falcons have two excellent young receiving threats in Drake London and Kyle Pitts. They have shown they can be a problem for opposing defenses. With that said the Falcons probably have one of the weakest wide receiver groups in the NFL. Outside of London they are all unproven or have failed at previous stops (see JJ Arcega-Whiteside). The combo of an unproven quarterback and lack of talent at the receiver position doesn’t bode well for the Falcons offense. I would’ve liked to see the Falcons address this position more in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Prediction

Ultimately, the Falcons defense is good enough to keep them in most games but the offense will struggle this season. Outside of the weak NFC South, it’s hard to see many wins on their schedule. This will be another year where Atlanta misses the playoffs however the future is bright. I expect the Falcons to address the quarterback position next offseason while they keep building around their young core.

2023 Record: 6-11

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Drake London had all the hype coming out of USC. He was drafted 8th overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 NFL Draft and was the first wide receiver selected. Even though the Falcons already had Kyle Pitts they were lacking a true star receiver. They pounced on London hoping he would be the answer. In terms of fantasy, his pre-draft ranking was #27 WR according to FantasyPros ECR. London ended up with 142.6 FP (Half PPR) and played in all 17 games. Let’s take a more in-depth look at how to handle Drake London dynasty shares going forward.

2022

London had a strong debut game against the New Orleans Saints. He tallied 74 yards on 5 receptions. He also had 7 targets which shows the Falcons were game-planning to get him the ball. Although he didn’t score in his debut, London showed the NFL game was not too big for him. Next up the Falcons went on the road against Los Angeles Rams. London had another strong outing and this time hit paydirt for the first receiving touchdown of his career. He finished the game with 20.6 FP which was his highest output all season.

Drake London scored once again the following week against the Seattle Seahawks although he only had 3 receptions on the day. After the Seahawks game, London’s production plummeted. He went six games without a touchdown and this caused many fantasy owners to lose faith in him. Fortunately, London picked up momentum toward the end of the season. In his final game, he had 120 yards receiving which was the highest of the year.

2023

First off there are two things I love about Drake London going into next year. One is his durability as he played in all 17 games for the Falcons. The other is his target share. He was third in total targets (117) only behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. The problem is consistency at the quarterback position. Is Desmond Ridder the guy? Or could Taylor Heinicke take over the reins? Either way, the Falcons QB position has me worried about London going forward.

Drake London’s Dynasty Value

Where do I rank Drake London’s dynasty value for next season? I have him in the Hold category for now. There is a lot to like about his usage in the Falcons offense. Having said that, he only had 4 touchdowns on the year despite not missing any games. Let’s wait and see how the quarterback position shakes out this summer before we make any moves on London.

Want more dynasty football coverage? Check out our other dynasty outlook articles and more in our dynasty fantasy football section.

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Quarterbacks

Desmond Ridder – QB Altanta Falcons

Last week news broke that the Atlanta Falcons named Ridder the starter going forward. Many including myself liked Ridder coming out of the Draft and you could see his upside during the pre-season. Ridder has an accurate arm and is not afraid to scramble when needed.

Anthony Brown – QB Baltimore Ravens

Yet another QB injury for the Ravens forced Brown into action Sunday. Tyler Huntley went down with a concussion and it looks like Brown will be filling in vs the Browns on Sunday. He has the ability to escape pressure and get into the endzone just don’t expect many big plays in the passing game.

Running Backs

Jerick McKinnon – RB Kansas City Chiefs

McKinnon turned in one of the top Fantasy performances on Sunday benefiting from more Patrick Mahomes magic. Isiah Pacheco has been getting all the love and rightfully so but McKinnon showed he can be a dangerous weapon for teams looking for another RB.

Wide Receivers

DJ Chark – WR Detroit Lions

The Lions are hot and their offense can’t be stopped at the moment. Chark piled up 94 yards on Sunday along with a touchdown. Jared Goff continues to spread the ball around to his wide receivers with ease and Chark was the beneficiary on Sunday. It’s also worth checking in on Jameson Williams as the rookie hauled in his first NFL touchdown on a long bomb from Goff.

Tight Ends

Chigoziem Okonkwo – TE Tennessee Titans

There is a good chance Okonkwo is not available in your league as he has been given the volume the past couple of weeks. The rookie out of Maryland is showing that patience pays off as he hauled in a touchdown on six targets in the loss versus the Jaguars. It’s slim pickins at the TE position but if Okonkwo is available in your league it’s time to snatch him up.

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