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Falcons rising?

New talent, easy schedule has Atlanta looking like a rising team

Post draft, we can start identifying some of the teams and offenses that we feel will outperform expectations. The Falcons, I think, look like one of them. They’ve been loading up on talent, and they’re in the right division in the right conference.

I’m not sure if I buy into the “positionless football” hype. While Kyle Pitts is a tight end who can play like a wide receiver and both Bijan Robinson and Cordarrelle Patterson can play at both running back and wide receiver, I don’t know that positional flexibility is a big deal. It may be the updated version of “basketball on grass” catchphrase that was getting tossed around a few years ago.

But the Falcons have assembled some talent, using top-10 picks on skill-position weapons three years in a row (Pitts, Robinson and Drake London). And they did some cool things with their running game last year; only two teams ran for more yards.

They’ve placed a big bet on Desmond Ridder (pictured). He needs to come through. But I think he’ll at least be better than Marcus Mariota.

And the Falcons could be helped by scheduling. They’re in the lesser conference, and they’re in a division where every team last year finished with a losing record.

If we assume teams haven’t radically changed (which won’t happen, but hear me out), Atlanta should play one of the easiest schedules. Their 17 games are against opponents that went a combined 121-165-3 last year.

Atlanta’s offense averaged an even 2 TDs per week last year – 34 touchdowns in 17 games. I could see them moving up to close to average this season.

I’m not opposed to picking a few Falcons this year (kicker Younghoe Koo in particular).

DIFFICULTY OF SCHEDULE, 2023
TeamWLTPct
Atlanta1211653.424
New Orleans1221643.427
Houston1241622.434
Indianapolis1251612.438
Tennessee1281564.451
Cleveland1311542.460
Carolina1321552.460
Pittsburgh1341512.470
Green Bay1381501.479
Jacksonville1361474.481
Baltimore1381472.484
Tampa Bay1401462.490
Detroit1441450.498
Chicago1441441.500
Minnesota1441440.500
Cincinnati1461402.510
Kansas City1471400.512
San Francisco1471392.514
Denver1481382.517
LA Chargers1491390.517
Seattle1481382.517
Arizona1481373.519
Las Vegas1501362.524
Washington1531332.535
LA Rams1531323.536
Buffalo1551312.542
NY Jets1551293.545
Dallas1561284.549
NY Giants1581282.552
New England1571273.552
Miami1581272.554
Philadelphia1611234.566

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index