Atlanta Falcons DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III was limited to just 19 yards in Sunday's 34-7 win over the Giants, hauling in three of the four targets he saw from rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. It wasn't a great day for fantasy for the Falcon wideouts in the young QBs first start as Atlanta leaned heavily on the rushing attack with the running backs logging 33 attempts in the contest. The sixth-year pro added one rush of his own for nine yards. Now, after a three-game stretch of heavier-than-normal involvement, McCloud III has had back-to-back duds with a total of four catches for 33 yards combined in the last two games. The 28-year-old will get a somewhat easier matchup in Week 17 versus a middle-of-the-road Washington pass defense, but hopefully managers have other options at this point.

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier logged 11 carries in Sunday's 34-7 win over the Giants as the offense leaned heavily on the run game in Michael Penix Jr.'s first start, however, the 24-year-old managed to gain just 22 scoreless yards (2.0 YPR) on those opportunities. Meanwhile, backfield mate Bijan Robinson was able to gain 94 yards on 22 attempts (4.3 YPR) and found paydirt twice. Allgeier added one catch for nine yards in the contest, but overall it was a bland performance so hopefully managers still alive in the fantasy playoffs were able to find other worthy substitutes if needed. The BYU product gets a juicy matchup versus the Commanders' rush defense that is one of the worst in the league in yielding fantasy production to running backs, but the third-year pro is likely no better than a low-end flex play in Week 17.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney was the team's leading receiver on Sunday with five receptions for 82 yards but was unable to find the end zone as Bijan Robinson punched in both of Atlanta's offensive touchdowns in the lopsided 34-7 win. Drake London also caught five passes but totaled just 59 yards on his receptions. He also left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury, although coach Raheem Morris stated after the game that London could have gone back in, however, with a comfortable lead there was no reason for him to reenter. Mooney is nearing his first 1000-yard season since 2021, and can likely still be trusted again next week with the chemistry he showed with Michael Penix Jr., but in the matchup with Washington he is probably a WR3 at best. Managers will want to monitor London's status throughout the week, and if the hamstring injury were to cause him to miss time, then Mooney could be in line for a few more targets.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. led the Falcons to victory on Sunday in a 34-7 thrashing of the New York Giants, however, it was the run game and defense that was truly responsible for the win. Penix Jr. was 18-for-27 (67%) for 202 yards, but did not throw a touchdown and he tossed one interception, while the Falcons scored two TDs via the rush and the defense had two pick-sixes. The rookie QB wasn't asked to do too much and didn't really need to; look for more of the same next week when the Falcons take on the Commanders in D.C. in a game with playoff implications for both teams. The Commanders have been solid against the pass but not so much against the run, with one of the most fantasy-friendly rush defenses in the NFL. Saquon Barkley just ran for 150 yards and two scores against them in Week 16, so look for Bijan Robinson to carry the load next Sunday, likely leaving Penix Jr. as a low-end QB2 again in Week 17.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson tallied 94 yards and two touchdowns on 22 attempts during their victory over the New York Giants. He brought in both of his targets for nine yards. Both of Robinson's scores came from within the five yard line. With the Falcons having a substantial lead throughout the afternoon, Tyler Allgeier did most of the work in the final quarter. However, Robinson continued to showcase his elite efficiency averaging a solid 4.3 yards per carry. Entering Week 16, Robinson had averaged 4.6 yards per attempt over his past three contests. The former first-round selection has now eclipsed 90+ rushing yards in each of his past four contests and has found the back of the end zone four times over this span. Fantasy managers should continue to view Robinson as an elite RB1 heading into a Week 17 tilt against the Washington Commanders who just surrendered 150 rushing yards to Saquon Barkley.