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Matt Ryan started out hot this season, before seeing a steep decline in performance a few weeks in, and has since picked back up to re-enter QB1 territory. Ryan’s decline in performance seemed to directly align with the absence of his favorite target Julio Jones. With Jones back to full health, and with Calvin Ridley potentially returning from a foot injury, is Ryan primed for a big day against the Saints? We break down the fantasy analysis below.
Fantasy Football analysis: Falcons QB Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan is averaging 19.2 fantasy points per game this season, making him the 13th ranked QB at the moment. As Ryan flirts with QB1 status, he looks ahead to a matchup with the Saints defense that has allowed the 13th fewest points to opposing fantasy QBs so far this season. There are certainly more difficult matchups out there, but this still isn’t a particularly favorable one. If Ryan has his top two targets on the field in Ridley and Jones, his upside would increase significantly. The Falcons defense has struggled all year, leaving it up to Ryan and the offense to pass often and put up lots of points to stay in games. This leaves lots of opportunity for success in any given game for Ryan and he can be inserted in lineups as a mid-tier QB1 this week.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
Start Matt Ryan as a QB1