Team news: Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons placed Caleb Huntley on injured reserve, the team announced Tuesday. It was an expected move after the running back injured an Achilles’ tendon early in Sunday’s game against the Saints.

Related players: Cordarrelle Patterson, Tyler Allgeier, Avery Williams

The team didn’t add another running back in a corresponding move, and instead will roll with Patterson, Allgeier and Williams. Allgeier is coming off a huge game where he ran 17 times for 139 yards and a score. Patterson will likely remain involved as well and finished last week with a 14-52-1 line.

Falcons’ RB Caleb Huntley suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on Sunday that is expected to require surgery.

Related Players: Tyler Allgeier, Cordarrelle Patterson

The injury happened early in the game, so we have a good idea of how the team will handle the workload without Huntley, whose usage has fallen off since his 16-carry Week 8 performance; after basically going neck-and-neck with Cordarrelle Patterson after the last month or so, Tyler Allgeier far out-touched him in Week 15, turning his 18 touches into 136 yards from scrimmage.
Allgeier has been a pleasant surprise this year and now has three different 40+ yard runs on the year, and could continue a heightened workload with Caleb Huntley being sidelined the rest of the year.

Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota has left the team. It officially doesn’t matter if he’s coming back.

Coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Wednesday that Mariota will have surgery next week on his injured knee, and that he’ll be placed on injured reserve, with Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.

Related players: Desmond Ridder

It’s unclear when the injury happened, the story said. Smith has described it as a “chronic” issue. However, Mariota has not appeared on any of the team’s injury reports, at all in 2022. We just reported the strangeness surrounding Mariota leaving the team and the birth of a child. Either way, at this point, Mariota is finished for the season and Ridder will take over for the final four games.

On Thursday, the Falcons told quarterback Marcus Mariota he’d be benched. The next day, he left the team.

On Tuesday, his partner had a baby. Which would explain his absence from the team. That same day, however, coach Arthur Smith painted a very different picture to TheAthletic.com, creating the clear impression that Mariota left for reasons unrelated to an impending visit from the stork.

Related players: Desmond Ridder

Regardless, the rookie Ridder takes over this week for the Falcons at QB, and according to the story, the Falcons aren’t quite sure whether Mariota will be back. At all. The story said the team technically can't place him on IR with an injury that doesn't appear to be legit. The story added releasing him could mean he ends up on another team, perhaps a division rival, as the Falcons are trying to make the playoffs.

Falcons said they anticipate placing QB Marcus Mariota on injured reserve, which would end his season.

Related Players: Desmond Ridder

There may have been more than meet's the eye about the team's decision to move over to Ridder during the bye week, but nonetheless, it looks like it will be the rookie's job to keep for the remainder of the season.

The Falcons are looking to the future, making a QB switch to rookie Desmond Ridder as the starter.

Related Players: Marcus Mariotta

With all due respect to veteran Marcus Mariotta, it's about time we get to see what Ridder can do before the season ends. Ridder tested off the charts at the combine, leading all quarterbacks with a 4.52 40-yard dash, 36-inch vertical, and a 10-7 broad jump. Ridder had an impressive preseason, including a 10-for-13, 143-yard performance in Week 2 and a 59-yard day on the ground in Week 1. The Falcons are unlikely to become a pass-first team this season, but Ridder could be fantasy relevant as the playoffs approach.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts is OUT FOR THE YEAR, according to Arthur Smith.

Related players: Anthony Firkser, Parker Hesse

The good news is there is no concern about Pitts' long term future. He'll be remembered for being one of the bigger fantasy busts this year at a position that remains very thin at the top of the heap. Pitts should bounce back next season but will likely lose some value for those in dynasty leagues, and he'll likely slip in ADP heading into 2023.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain on Sunday based on initial tests. He’ll have an MRI on Monday to confirm the diagnosis.

Related Players: MyCole Pruitt, Parker Heese

Let's hope for a speedy recovery for the sophomore tight end, but in fantasy terms, this may be a blessing in disguise for managers who drafted him too early this summer. All Falcons TEs can now remain safely on waiver wires, as the Atlanta passing attack remains unlikely to contribute to fantasy teams.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts left Sunday's game against the Bears with a knee injury.

Pitts led the Falcons with three catches for 43 yards as it was another day where the Falcons didn't need to throw much. Marcus Mariota went just 13/20 for 131 yards and a touchdown. The ground game and special teams won this game for the Falcons. Still, having Pitts gives Atlanta that extra dynamic so hopefully the knee injury isn't too bad. Head coach Arthur Smith didn't have an immediate update after the game. The Falcons won, 27-24, to move to 5-6 on the season.

The Falcons activated RB Cordarrelle Patterson off injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s game against the Chargers.

Patterson is back after missing the last four games. While Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley did a nice job holding down the fort, Patterson gives Atlanta a bit more explosiveness in the passing game. We’ll see how the Falcons manage all their running backs, as it may turn into a committee of sorts. But thanks to his catching ability, we currently have Patterson as RB20 this week against the Chargers.