2015 Review
The Falcons saw a slight improvement in Dan Quinn's first season as the team's head coach, finishing with an 8-8 record after posting six wins the prior season. Though, Matt Ryan didn't necessarily provide much upside from a fantasy aspect. He finished as the 19th-best fantasy quarterback, throwing the least amount of touchdowns (21) since his rookie campaign.
It was, however, Devonta Freeman that everyone was talking about. He finished as the top fantasy running back in half-point PPR leagues, besting Adrian Peterson by over 34 points. Meanwhile, the always dynamic Julio Jones put up the second-best fantasy season among receivers. Here's a look at what to expect for the Falcons from a fantasy standpoint heading into the 2016 season.
Quarterback: Matt Ryan
It's not looking good here. Ryan's current ADP has him as the 20th quarterback off the board, going in the middle of the 13th round. This means that he's solely being relied on as a bottom-rung QB2 in 12-team leagues, if that. The only reason to roster someone of Ryan's ilk would be to sit him on the bench behind an elite-level QB1 option should said player go down with injury. If that doesn't happen, you'd then have a capable stopgap for the one-week bye.
Not only did Ryan struggle from an overall fantasy aspect last season, he ranked 27th in fantasy consistency (15-plus) points. That's just terrible. And no matter the upgrades Atlanta might have found here, that's not going to cut it. Period.
Running Back: Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman
Let's get one thing out of the way here quickly. Freeman's performance was a mirage last season. His current ADP early in the second round is also a joke. Freeman might have finished as the top fantasy running back, but the totality of his performance left a whole heck of a lot to be desired.
A total of 49 percent of his fantasy points game during a four-game stretch early in the year. In fact, Freeman averaged just 12.5 fantasy points in his final six outings. That came at a time when most were relying on him late in the fantasy season or during the playoffs. You simply can't have that happen with a top-end second-round pick. With Tevin Coleman looking to take touches from Freeman, we'd stay away from the latter as anything more than a mid-tier RB2 option.
Speaking of Coleman, he's definitely someone to keep an eye on when it comes to the waiver wire. The second-year running back averaged 4.5 yards per attempt as a rookie and is going to take on a larger role this season. In fact, there's no reason to believe he wouldn't be worth a late-round pick in 12-team leagues. That's how high we are on him. Sell Freeman early, buy Coleman late.
Wide Receiver: Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Justin Hardy
Only one real option here, and he might very well be the best fantasy receiver heading into the 2016 season. Jones recorded a ridiculous 203 targets (No. 1 in the NFL), coming up with a 67 percent catch rate and 1,871 receiving yards. These are mind-blowing numbers right here. They also suggest that Jones should be one of the first receivers picked in any draft prior to the season. His ADP currently has him as the third receiver off the board behind Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. Can you say value?
Tight End: Jacob Tamme
There could definitely be some value to picking Tamme up late in 12-team drafts. He recorded 59 receptions for 657 yards in his first season with the Falcons last season. Considering Ryan loves to utilize his tight ends, there's a nice little ceiling here for the veteran tight end. Though, he's probably nothing more than a waiver wire add, especially if you go one tight end.