Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Falcons HC Arthur Smith said this week that TE Kyle Pitts is still working back to full health from the PCL injury that ended his 2022 season. "There are no perfect timetables," he told reporters. "But there are certain things ... he's doing really well right now. And there are certain things that he can't. It's been a journey back. He's going to get there." As for when Pitts might get back to full health, Smith could only say that he's "getting close." He did add that Pitts "looked as fast as he did as a rookie" on "some things outside." Does all of this mean that Pitts is approaching a big rebound? Not necessarily. But it's likely playing at least a part in why Pitts' playing time is down a bit vs. last year; and why Jonnu Smith has seen just one fewer target and caught four more passes through four games. Pitts remains stashable in most fantasy formats, though he's also not a must-hold if you need that roster spot for something more helpful. We'll keep watching for signals of some rebound for the not-yet-23-year-old.

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for just 139 yards on 12-of-19 passing in Sunday's win at Carolina. Cousins boosted his fantasy line with a pair of TDs to WR Justin Jefferson, but he also tossed 2 INTs. Minnesota got dominated in time of possession, spending just 21:31 on offense. Cousins gets potential shootout conditions back home against the Chiefs next week and then a high-upside matchup with the Bears. So you can probably brush this one off and keep using Cousins.

Falcons WR Drake London found the end zone in London vs. the Jaguars. Of course, his 3 catches on 7 targets for 28 receiving yards isn’t ideal, but the amusing nature of the TD and the fact that it helps fantasy managers counts all the same. In the most frustrating turn of events possible, TE Jonnu Smith led the team in receiving with 95 yards on all 6 of his targets. Fellow TE Kyle Pitts (2 catches, 41 yards) disappeared again in Week 4. It’s getting tough to hold out hope for him at this point. It’ll be tough to trust any of these pass-catchers, though a Week 5 matchup vs. the Texans makes their collective appeal a little nicer.

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson racked up 137 total yards in Sunday’s loss vs. the Jaguars. The rookie showcased his skill set in London with an impressive one-handed snag in the contest while also serving as the lone functional piece of the Atlanta offense. Tyler Allgeier took a back seat in Week 4, only tallying 7 carries for 16 yards and one catch that netted negative yardage. Managers who drafted Bijan should be thrilled to start him again next week vs. the Texans.

Falcons LB Troy Andersen tore a pectoral muscle in Sunday's loss to the Lions. He'll require surgery that will need four to six months of recovery time, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Nate Landman is expected to start in Andersen's place. It's an upside spot for tackles, but Landman doesn't bring anywhere near Andersen's speed or athleticism.

Falcons LB Troy Andersen injured his right shoulder in Sunday's loss to the Lions, and the team fears he could miss the rest of the season. That's what HC Arthur Smith indicated to reporters Monday. We'll watch for confirmation. Nate Landman is expected to take over Andersen's spot but doesn't bring nearly as much athleticism. We'll see whether Landman is in for full playing time.

Falcons LB Troy Andersen left late in Sunday's loss to the Lions after hurting his right arm or shoulder. Andersen rode the cart to the locker room and had his arm in a sling afterward. We'll watch for a specific diagnosis early in the week.

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for 367 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT in Sunday's loss to the Chargers. He has exceeded 340 yards in each of the team's first three games. Expect to find Cousins inside QB1 territory in our rankings the next three weeks -- vs. the Panthers, Chiefs and Bears -- but a Week 7 date with the 49ers might knock him down.

Falcons WR Drake London mustered just two catches for 31 yards in Sunday's loss to the Lions. It was a dud from the entire offense, which posted just six points and 183 total net yards. That, of course, is the downside with London. He's now sandwiched a nice Week 2 with a couple of turds. London will continue to be an inconsistent fantasy option who figures to produce better when Atlanta plays from behind (although that wasn't the case today). Week 4 brings a game in Jacksonville that could find the Falcons playing catch-up.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts led the team in Week 3 with nine targets -- the second most of his career. He caught five of them but totaled just 41 yards. QB Desmond Ridder looked Pitts' way downfield a few times, but the duo was unable to connect. Another frustrating outing for the talented TE. Pitts has at least seen 14 targets over the last two weeks, which is enough to support him as a low-end TE1. But he needs to get better QB play -- and better play calling -- if he's going to come close to reaching his fantasy ceiling.

Falcons RBs Bijan Robinson (10-33-0) and Tyler Allgeier (7-12-0) combined for just 55 yards on 17 carries in Sunday's loss to the Lions. Robinson's 11-yarder was the team's longest run of the game. The rookie at least salvaged his fantasy day with four catches on six targets for 27 yards. But it was a surprisingly ineffective day for one of the league's best running games. It's worth noting that Detroit entered Week 3 ranked 13th in run defense DVOA, so perhaps the Lions aren't a matchup to necessarily attack going forward. We're not overly concerned about the Falcons RBs, though. Robinson remains an every-week RB1, while Allgeier is a RB3 or flex that will produce better numbers when Atlanta plays with the lead.

Bears WR Darnell Mooney (knee) got in a full practice on Friday and isn’t listed on the final injury report. He should be ready for his usual role vs. the Chiefs this weekend. Chicago’s passing volume figures to be elevated in that one, but Mooney remains a desperation fantasy play.

Bears WR Darnell Mooney (knee) got in a limited practice on Wednesday. Mooney said earlier this week that he expects to play vs. the Chiefs on Sunday, but we'll track his status over the next few days.

Bears WR Darnell Mooney told reporters on Monday that he exited the Week 2 loss with a knee bruise. The injury originally occurred in Week 1 and was aggravated in Tampa Bay when he twice banged knees with Bucs DBs. “I’ll be good," Mooney added. It sounds like he has a chance to be ready for this weekend's game vs. the Chiefs, but Mooney is a shaky fantasy bet in a struggling Bears offense.

Falcons WR Drake London led the team in receiving in Week 2, tallying 6 catches on 7 targets for 67 yards and a TD vs. the Packers. Fantasy managers who stuck with the second-year wideout in lineups were rewarded handsomely. But those who started TE Kyle Pitts? Well, they’re not so happy. Pitts only hauled in 2 of his 5 targets for 15 receiving yards in the victory. Fellow TE Jonnu Smith saw 6 targets and turned his opportunities into 4 catches for 47 yards. It’s starting to feel like both London and Pitts being viable fantasy assets in the same week might be a pipedream. Fortunately, we’re only a pair of games into the 2023 season, but early results aren’t encouraging. Pitts will have a chance to get right in Week 3 vs. the Lions.

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson recorded 19 attempts for 124 rushing yards in Week 2’s win vs. the Packers. The rookie also added 4 catches on 5 targets for 48 yards as a receiver. Teammate RB Tyler Allgeier also had plenty of involvement, logging 16 carries for 48 rushing yards, but failed to see any involvement in the passing game. Similarly to Week 1, 49.1% of the Falcons’ total yards funneled through their RBs despite QB Desmond Ridder nearly doubling his pass attempts. It’s reasonable to expect Atlanta to continue their ground-and-pound approach again next week vs. the Lions. Both Robinson and Allgeier remain viable fantasy options as long as HC Arthur Smith keeps focuses this offense through the backfield at such a high rate.

Bears WR Darnell Mooney suffered a knee injury in the second half of Sunday's game vs. the Bucs and is questionable to return. We'll pass along an update when we get one.

The Falcons are expected to split carries between RBs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier again vs. the Packers today, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "While Bijan Robinson may get the start, he is not going to be a bell cow," Rapoport adds. "This will be evenly divided." That's what we saw in Week 1, with Allgeier actually out-carrying Robinson 15 to 10. The rookie did see six targets, though, finishing with 83 total yards and a score. Robinson's efficiency and passing-game usage keep him in RB1 territory. Allgeier is a RB3 or flex option.

The Falcons have ruled LB Troy Andersen out for Sunday's game against the Packers. That's no surprise, given Andersen entered the concussion protocol Tuesday. We'll see about his status for Week 3. Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports that Nate Landman is expected to start in Andersen's place. There's upside to the role, but Landman is also a second-year, undrafted free agent who has played just 23 total snaps in the NFL. It's tough to know what we can expect from him Sunday.

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins chucked for 364 yards and four TDs in Thursday night’s loss to the Eagles. He did it despite consistent pressure from the Eagles pass rush — and Minnesota only running 55 offensive plays. Cousins was efficient, completing 70.5% of his passes at 8.3 yards per clip. And the Vikings went extremely pass-heavy. Cousins threw 44 times vs. just nine total runs. That’s become a regular occurrence for Minnesota under HC Kevin O’Connell — and has made Cousins a steady fantasy producer. Expect to find him inside the top-12 QBs in our rankings the next four weeks vs. the Chargers, Panthers, Chiefs, and Bears. Week 7 brings a tough matchup against San Francisco.