Atlanta Falcons Depth Chart
- NFC South
- Stadium
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Head Coach
- Arthur Smith
- Offensive Coordinator
- Dave Ragone
- Defensive Coordinator
- Dean Pees
- Special Teams Coach
- Marquice Williams
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
Atlanta Falcons veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota was the clear No. 1 QB during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp, and he'll have that spot when training camp opens in late July, but rookie third-rounder Desmond Ridder is expected to make a competition of it. It won't be surprising if Ridder takes Mariota's job at some point in 2022. "Behind the scenes, the things that he has done that have really impressed me are from the neck up. You're betting on the physical things that you have seen at times to catch up, but he's light years ahead of most young quarterbacks I have been with from the neck up. I will give him that compliment publicly," head coach Arthur Smith said. Ridder's stock in keeper/dynasty drafts is rising.
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is reportedly feeling physically faster this offseason. Also, Pitts hopes to improve pre-snap heading into his sophomore campaign. That would certainly be a strong step forward for the young tight end. The hope is that the absence of Matt Ryan won't hurt Pitts' fantasy value. On paper, Pitts is a top-three fantasy tight end with the capability of being the best in the league. He'll certainly get plenty of attention on offense, so the targets are going to be there. The fact Pitts wants to keep improving is a great sign for fantasy managers.
The Atlanta Falcons are holding running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson out of the team's mandatory minicamp this week, according to head coach Arthur Smith. "He's working on a vet offseason program to build him up," Smith said. "He's here. He wanted to work. Myself and our performance staff, we have a different plan for Cordarrelle. I'm not going to crank him up for two days. We need him ready to go on July 26." Patterson was easily the team's best offensive weapon in 2021, rushing for 618 yards and six touchdowns on 153 carries while catching 52 of 69 targets for 548 more yards and five TDs. It'll be tough to replicate those numbers this year, especially with Marcus Mariota now under center for Atlanta. Don't overspend for Patterson. He's best utilized as a low-end RB3/flex option in PPR setups.
It seems like a matter of when, not if, Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder gets to start in his first NFL season, in the opinion of SI.com's Daniel Flick. Veteran Marcus Mariota will almost certainly begin the season as the starter, and the Falcons coaching staff won't just play Ridder to play him, so he'll have to be deserving of the opportunity to start. Mariota, a former second overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner, struggled under head coach Arthur Smith in their time with the Titans, and he never played a full season due to injuries in Tennessee. Ridder, taken in the third round of the draft, isn't a natural passer, but he has plenty of leadership qualities and can also make noise on the ground like Mariota. The 22-year-old won't be in play in single-year fantasy formats, but he's a solid developmental pick in dynasty/keeper drafts.
Atlanta Falcons running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson decided to skip the team's voluntary organized team activities this offseason after re-signing on a two-year deal. Patterson had a career year in 2021 with Atlanta, rushing for 618 yards and also tacking on 548 receiving yards. "This is voluntary," head coach Arthur Smith said. "We respect that." Mike Davis is gone in the Falcons backfield, but they've added Damien Williams to help spell Patterson, who should once again be the team's primary backfield weapon in 2022. Patterson will be the best fantasy option in Atlanta yet again on offense, but don't expect a repeat of his career season after the Falcons downgraded at QB to Marcus Mariota.
