Team Profile
Atlanta Falcons
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15.2% 7thOff DVOA
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33.3% 6thPassing DVOA
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9.7% 4thRushing DVOA
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4.9% 21stDef DVOA
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12.3% 20thDef Passing DVOA
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-4.7% 20thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For23.8 13th
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Points Against23.6 20th
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Yards Per Game375.0 5th
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Yards Allowed Per Game353.0 24th
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London has struggled to produce reliable results over the last few games. Over the last three games, London has nine receptions for 119 yards and has been held without a touchdown in that span. In fact, London hasn't found the end zone in 11 straight games. To be fair, it's not all his fault as the Falcons continue to have trouble finding a viable option at quarterback. Given the Falcons problems, it's tough to trust that London is going to produce on a weekly basis. He'll be a risky choice for DFS contests because the Falcons will likely use a run-heavy approach in Week 18.
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier has taken a backseat in this offense during the second half of this season. Over the last five games, Allgeier has seen nine or less carries in four of those five contests. Rookie back Bijan Robinson has taken over as the workhorse back, which leaves Allgeier with a minimal role. That being said, it's tough to imagine Allgeier having a ton of success against the New Orleans Saints this weekend. He rushed for 64 yards on 10 carries during their last meeting. Fantasy managers can hope for similar results, but he probably won't be worth the risk.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has looked good on the ground over the last two weeks. In fact, Robinson has rushed for over 70 yards in each of his last two games. The rookie back has also hauled in 10 receptions during that span. It appears the Falcons are finally committed to keeping Robinson involved in the offensive gameplan. That trend should continue versus the New Orleans Saints in Week 18. Robinson rushed for 91 yards and scored a touchdown during their last meeting. Given the Falcons quarterback troubles, DFS players should feel safe taking Robinson in what should be a run-heavy gameplan.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (concussion) missed a second straight day of practice on Thursday as he remains in the league's concussion protocols. Mooney suffered his concussion in the Week 16 win over the Arizona Cardinals and didn't play in last week's win over the Atlanta Falcons. With the Bears season already over, it's likely that Mooney will be held out of the Week 18 regular season finale at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. The 26-year-old hasn't scored a touchdown since the season opener and has had another disappointing year, catching only 50.8 percent of his 61 targets (31 catches) for 414 yards and the lone score in 15 games. If Mooney isn't on the field this weekend, it will mean more playing time for rookie Tyler Scott, Equanimeous St. Brown and Velus Jones Jr.
The San Francisco 49ers opened the 21-day practice window for wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ribs) to return from Injured Reserve on Wednesday and he was a full participant in practice. McCloud initially landed on Injured Reserve on Dec. 9. The 49ers now have 21 days to decide whether to officially activate the 27-year-old pass-catcher from IR. They won't be in any rush, as they'll have a first-round bye in the wild-card round of the playoffs next week before returning to action in the Divisional Round. San Fran also plays the Los Angeles Rams in a meaningless Week 18 game this Sunday, so it's possible McCloud could return for that. Even if he plays this weekend, McCloud won't be an option in fantasy lineups, as he's caught only nine passes for 113 yards and no touchdowns in 11 games this year.