Atlanta Falcons DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is coming off his best fantasy output of the season with four catches on five targets for 91 yards and two touchdowns, and in Week 9 he'll get a Cowboys defense that just allowed the 49ers' George Kittle to post a 6-128-1 line in Week 8. Since logging a zero-catch performance in Week 4, the 24-year-old has had no less than five targets in the last four games, averaging around 79 yards receiving per game over that time. It feels like he's secured a solid role in this offense now, although, with a 15.95% target share, he's a distant third in the pecking order behind Drake London (26.72%) and Darnell Mooney (22.84%). Dallas has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to TEs, and while Pitts hasn't yet shed the potential for bust weeks, the former first-round draft pick still ranks as a TE1 in this matchup.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London is coming off his quietest outing (4-34-0) since Week 1 despite Kirk Cousins throwing for 276 yards and four touchdowns, but has a good shot to get back on track in Week 9. The 23-year-old has had at least six targets in seven consecutive games (26.72% target share), has the second-most red zone targets (12), and his 48 receptions (five TDs) are tied for fourth in the NFL. With the Falcons throwing nearly 57% of the time, all of this provides London with a solid floor along with a high ceiling. Dallas has failed to stop opponents from scoring the last two weeks and with a fairly high expected total in this game (48.5), there should be a couple of opportunities to score. The downside is that Cousins has looked fairly pedestrian so far when he isn't playing Tampa Bay, and the Cowboys allow the most rush YPG in the NFL, so that could favor the running backs a little more. Even so, the 6-foot-4 wideout profiles as a WR1 in this matchup.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 276 yards and four touchdowns last week against the Buccaneers and draws another favorable matchup in Week 9 versus the Cowboys who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to the QB position. Atlanta typically leans pass-heavy, throwing almost 57% of the time, and with the Falcons as three-point home favorites with a relatively high expected total in this contest (48.5), it sets up for a good day for the 36-year-old signal-caller. Keep in mind, however, that outside of the two games against Tampa Bay, the veteran QB has posted only modest production in the six other contests, averaging 220 yards passing with a 6:6 TD:INT. Nevertheless, with 2x All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons still out and Dallas likely missing a couple of other key defensive pieces, Cousins projects as a low-end QB1 for Week 9.

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier recorded double-digit carries for the second time in three weeks in Sunday's 31-26 win over the Buccaneers, but was able to gain just 33 yards on his 12 totes. His 2.8 yards per carry was a far cry from the 5.7 YPC he averaged heading into the game and it was the first time since Week 3 that he failed to attract even a single target in the passing game. Bijan Robinson was the preferred option there, hauling in all six of his targets for 37 yards while gaining 63 yards on the ground on 13 attempts (4.8 YPC), just one more carry than Allgeier. The involvement in the rushing game is promising, but unless he finds the end zone, the 24-year-old back is nothing more than a low-end Flex option and handcuff for Robinson managers.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts continued his stretch of productivity in Sunday's 31-26 win over the Buccaneers, hauling in four of five targets for 91 yards and two scores. The yardage total was a season-high and it was the first time in his four-year career that the 24-year-old recorded multiple touchdown catches in a game. After failing to catch a pass in Week 4, Pitts has averaged five catches for 79 yards in the four weeks since. In Week 9, the Falcons will take on the Cowboys who had been solid defending TEs prior to Sunday when they allowed George Kittle to log a 6-128-1 line. Regardless, Pitts is still likely a TE1 for fantasy, and he has hopefully put some of the volatility behind him.