Atlanta Falcons Depth Chart
- NFC South
- Stadium
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Head Coach
- Arthur Smith
- Offensive Coordinator
- Dave Ragone
- Defensive Coordinator
- Ryan Nielsen
- Special Teams Coach
- Marquice Williams
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
Atlanta Falcons running back and return specialist Avery Williams (knee) suffered a torn ACL in practice last week, meaning he's likely to miss the entire 2023 season. Last season, Williams rushed 22 times for 109 yards and a touchdown, adding 13 receptions for 61 yards. The 24-year-old returned 18 punts for 292 yards last season as well, posting a league-leading 16.2 yards per return. He also posted 313 yards on 16 kickoff returns. Williams wasn't on the fantasy radar to begin with, but Atlanta will be tasked with finding his replacement in the return game.
According to Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, tight end Kyle Pitts (knee) is expected to be ready for Week 1. However, Smith declined to provide further details. The 22-year-old began his career by catching 68 passes for 1,026 yards and a touchdown as a rookie. He also made the Pro Bowl. As a result, many had assumed Pitts would progress in 2022. Yet, he had only 28 receptions for 356 yards and two touchdowns before going down in Week 11 with a knee injury that resulted in surgery. That said, the 2021 first-round pick is an excellent bounce-back candidate, even more so if quarterback Desmond Ridder improves under center.
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier is not concerned about his usage following the team drafting Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick. Allgeier put together a strong rookie campaign in 2022. He rushed for 1,035 yards with three touchdowns through 16 games with Atlanta. He became the first player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season for Atlanta since 2016. Despite having Allgeier the Falcons still selected Robinson with a No. 8 pick. The highest pick for a running back since Saquon Barkley in 2018. The expectation is that Robinson is going to be an immediate impact player. They also have Cordarrelle Patterson on the roster as well. Allgeier isn't concerned about the crowded backfield and says the competition is good for them. It remains to be seen how the Falcons split up the carries between the three backs. This could be a messy situation for fantasy managers.
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (knee) and running backs Cordarrelle Patterson and Caleb Huntley (Achilles) have not been participating in organized team activities this week. Pitts and Huntley are coming off major injuries in 2022. Pitts suffered an MCL tear last year, but he's expected to be ready for training camp this summer. The 22-year-old had 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie year in 2021 before catching 28 passes for 356 yards and two touchdowns in only 10 starts in 2022 because of his knee injury. At worst, Pitts should be considered a midrange TE1 in fantasy, and he has the potential to break out in 2023 if new starting quarterback Desmond Ridder takes the next step in his second NFL season. Huntley, meanwhile, is expected to open the year on Injured Reserve.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder's accuracy was in question after Wednesday's practice at organized team activities, but as The Athletic's Josh Kendall pointed out, it's still very early in the offseason. The knock on Ridder coming out of Cincinnati was his accuracy, so it's certainly something to keep an eye on as he heads into his second NFL season. "He's still young. He's going to go through growing pains," first-year Falcons defensive end Calais Campbell said. Ridder was 26th in 2022 in completion percentage (63.5%) among QBs with 100-plus pass attempts. The 23-year-old has taken on more of a leadership role as the starting QB this offseason. Ridder has clear upside, but he should be drafted as a QB2 in fantasy.
