Week 16 at Carolina
Julio Jones missed his second straight game due to a toe injury, as the Falcons crushed the 49ers 42-13 in Week 15. After practicing on Thursday, however, coach Dan Quinn said Jones will return in Week 16 when the Falcons visit the Panthers on Saturday. The Falcons won both games without Jones in the lineup, but he still leads the league with 1,253 receiving yards. He also posted a franchise-record 300-yard receiving day in a 48-33 win over the Panthers in Week 4. Jones might not be 100-percent but if he's playing, he needs to be in your lineup. He ranks as our WR4 for Week 16 and is a must-start in all fantasy formats.
Week 15 vs. San Francisco
Julio Jones was held out of the Falcons' Week 14 win over the Rams due to a toe injury and didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. Jones' situation is worth monitoring, but there's a good chance he'll once again be held out on Sunday. The Falcons didn't need him to play last Sunday against the Rams and will face another inferior opponent on Sunday when they host the 49ers. For now, Jones ranks as our WR44, but even if he plays, he will be a major risk for owners who are competing in their fantasy playoffs. Taylor Gabriel is an option for owners needing to fill their FLEX spot.
Week 14 at Los Angeles
Julio Jones caught seven-of-nine targets for 113 yards in the Falcons' Week 13 loss to the Chiefs. With Atlanta operating out of the no-huddle, Jones caught four passes for 52 yards in the Falcons' opening drive. The 100-yard effort was his seventh of the season, but he was limited on the team's final possession due to a turf toe injury. He said he was "okay" following the game and did do some side work at practice on Thursday, but Jones will be questionable for the Falcons' game against the Rams on Sunday. Atlanta is reportedly optimistic that he'll play but turf toe injuries can be tricky and there's always the possibility that he suits up and is used mostly as a decoy. For now, Jones ranks as our WR4 for Week 14 and if he's active, he's a legitimate WR1. The Rams and Falcons don't play until late on Sunday. If he's inactive, Taylor Gabriel could be a decent waiver wire pickup with Mohamed Sanu expected to miss the game due to a groin injury.
Week 13 vs. Kansas City
Julio Jones caught four-of-seven targets for 35 yards in the Falcons' Week 12 win over the Cardinals. Patrick Peterson shadowed Jones for most of the game and even when Peterson was dealing with an injury in the second half, Jones and Matt Ryan never connected on a big play. Surprisingly, the Falcons are now 4-0 this season when Jones has 35 yards receiving or less, which destroys the narrative that Ryan is a product of his No. 1 receiver. With Ryan continuing to get the ball into various playmakers' hands and not forcing the ball to his top wideout, Jones may have another quiet day or two before the season ends. That said, he remains a legitimate WR1 and a must-start every week for his potential to bust out. Jones is our WR2 for Week 13 when the Falcons host a Chiefs team that ranks 28th against fantasy receivers this season. Make sure Jones is in your lineup.
Week 12 vs. Arizona
Julio Jones caught 10-of-16 targets for 135 yards in the Falcons' Week 10 loss to the Eagles. He had an uncharacteristic drop late in the fourth quarter when the Falcons were attempting to mount a game-winning drive, but otherwise Jones was his normal self. Atlanta listed Jones with a shoulder injury this week but there's little doubt he'll play on Sunday when the Falcons host the Cardinals. Patrick Peterson is expected to shadow Jones but fear not, the last time Arizona used Peterson in one-on-one coverage versus Jones, the receiver caught 10-of-12 targets for 189 yards and a touchdown. Ranked as our WR2 for Week 12, Jones is a must-start in all fantasy formats.
Week 10 at Philadelphia
Julio Jones caught eight-of-11 targets for 111 yards and one touchdown in the Falcons’ Week 9 win over the Buccaneers. His touchdown came on a fade route in the second half where he high-pointed Matt Ryan’s pass and kept both toes in while falling to the sideline. He didn’t catch a pass until the second quarter but once the Bucs decided to single cover him in the second half, he and Ryan made Tampa Bay pay for the mistake. Jones ranks as our WR4 for Week 10 and remains a must start in all fantasy formats.
Week 9 at Tampa Bay
Julio Jones has been feast or famine at times in 2016, and unfortunately for owners, he was famine in Week 8. He caught three-of-five targets for 29 yards while fighting through a knee injury. With Jones drawing consistent double-teams, Matt Ryan looked Mohamed Sanu and Austin Hooper's way throughout the game. The Falcons have proven that they're not solely reliant on Jones, which is a good thing for them, but it can hurt fantasy owners who thrived on Ryan forcing the ball to his No. 1 target in years past.
Despite the down week, Jones is a must-start in all formats on Thursday night when the Falcons visit the Bucs. Tampa Bay ranks as the No. 22 defense against fantasy receivers this season, and Jones should torch the Bucs' leaky secondary if he's not limited. Jones is usually dealing with some sort of ailment, but he's not in danger of missing Thursday night's game.
Week 8 vs. Green Bay
Julio Jones caught 9-of-15 targets for 174 yards in the Falcons Week 7 loss to the Chargers. Matt Ryan missed Jones on a couple of deep throws (so the receiver could have had an even bigger game), but fantasy owners won’t complain. With a big game on Sunday at home versus the Packers, Jones could reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the season. He currently has 830 on the year.
Speaking of which, Jones ranks as our WR2 for the Falcons Week 8 matchup with the Packers. He should torch a Green Bay secondary that will be without Sam Shields (concussion) and Damarious Randall (groin), and could be without Quinten Rollins (groin) as well. Get him in your lineup.
Week 7 vs. San Diego
Julio Jones caught seven-of-nine targets for 139 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons Week 6 loss to the Seahawks. His touchdown came on a 36-yard score when Richard Sherman jumped the tight end in front of him and Jones got behind the defense for an easy score. Unfortunately for the Falcons, Jones had a rough close to the game when he had a pass go off his hands and into the waiting arms of Seattle safety Earl Thomas for a back-breaking interception, and then didn't draw a flag on a clear pass interference penalty on Sherman that essentially ended the game.
Jones remains an elite fantasy receiver and has a great matchup on Sunday when the Falcons host the Chargers. San Diego has the ninth ranked fantasy defense versus wide receivers but they're also surrendering over 25 points per game so Jones and Co. should score early and often. Julio is our WR2 for Week 7 and is a must-start in all formats.
Week 6 at Seattle
Julio Jones caught just two of six targets for 29 yards in the Falcons upset win over the Broncos in Week 5. It was a disappointing day for Jones owners, especially after he posted a 12-300-1 line a week ago versus the Panthers. The Falcons exploited the matchup between Tevin Coleman on Denver’s linebackers in the slot and Jones wound up becoming an afterthought in the offense. That said, had Matt Ryan been more accurate on a couple of deep throws, Jones’ final line would have been more tolerable.
Jones is still dealing with a knee injury, but was able to practice on a limited basis on Thursday. He’s not in danger of missing the game, but he draws a difficult matchup versus Seattle and Richard Sherman, who is expected to shadow Jones throughout the game. Ranked as our WR15 for Week 6, view Jones as a WR2 against the fourth-ranked fantasy defense versus wide receivers.
