Week 3 at Dallas
Matt Ryan completed 30-of-46 passes for 363 yards and one touchdown in the Falcons 24-20 win over the Giants in Week 2. He would have had another touchdown in the fourth quarter, but Julio Jones was ruled down at the 1-yard line following a 37-yard reception and a review of the play. Ryan will face fantasy's No. 18-ranked defense vs. quarterbacks this week in Dallas and is our QB8 for Week 3. With defenses basically unable to cover Jones through two weeks and Atlanta's pass protection holding up reasonably well, Ryan remains an elite quarterback option.
Week 2 at New York Giants
Matt Ryan finished 23-of-34 for 298 yards with two touchdowns and two costly interceptions in the Falcons 26-24 win over the Eagles in Week 1. Philadelphia linebacker Kiko Alonso made an incredible one-handed interception in the end zone for Ryan's first pick, which could have been a touchdown to Roddy White had the quarterback thrown the ball a foot higher. It was still a good night for Ryan, but he left points on the table. He has a great matchup this week against the Giants and fantasy's No. 26 pass defense, and ranks as our QB4 for Week 2. He should be in your lineup.
Week 1 vs. Philadelphia
Matt Ryan has a tasty matchup on Monday night when the Eagles bring their No. 29-ranked fantasy pass defense to Atlanta, but there are some concerns. Left tackle Jake Matthews should play, but was limited in practice this week and needed an epidural steroid injection to deal with a strained back suffered in the third preseason game. The Falcons will also start a new center in Mike Person and a new left guard in Andy Levitre, who was acquired from Tennessee just last week. None of this should force you to sit Ryan, who is our QB4 in standard leagues this week. But there are concerns Philly pass-rushers Brandon Graham and Connor Barwin might have a field day with Atlanta's offensive line. All of that being said, Ryan should be in your lineup ahead of Monday night's kickoff.
Fantasy Upside
As 4for4 Senior Editor John Paulsen wrote in June, Matt Ryan has been the most consistent fantasy football quarterback over the last two years. Over that span, Ryan has averaged 17.3 fantasy points and at his current ADP of 9.02 for 10-team leagues (7.10 for 12-team leagues), he's a value when you factor risk vs. reward. This offseason the Falcons replaced former offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter with Kyle Shanahan, who should instill life into a running game that has been dormant for years. If Devonta Freeman and rookie Tevin Coleman can excel in Shanahan's outside zone scheme, it'll help open things up for Ryan and Julio Jones in the passing game. New additions Jacob Tamme and Justin Hardy, as well as a healthy Roddy White should help ensure that Ryan remains a top-10 fantasy quarterback throughout the year.
Fantasy Downside
With his four-verticals passing attack, Koetter loved to put the ball in the air, which helped Ryan average over 4,600 yards and 28.7 touchdowns the past three seasons. With the hiring of Shanahan comes a newfound focus on the running game, which could limit Ryan's overall passing attempts (and thus, give him fewer opportunities for fantasy points). New coach Dan Quinn is also bound to fix the Falcons defense, meaning Ryan will play from behind less than he did the previous two years. Atlanta's offensive line remains a question mark as well after Ryan was bruised and battered for a second consecutive year.
Bottom Line
Despite the change in play-callers, Matt Ryan remains a top-10 fantasy quarterback thanks to legit difference-maker Jones and the additions the Falcons made this offseason. Shanahan may not have Ryan put the ball in the air as much as Koetter did, but his rushing attack should force defenses to at least consider stuffing the box. And while nobody will confuse Tamme with Tony Gonzalez, he's a savvy vet who knows how to get open, which will benefit a Falcons team that received next to nothing from Levine Toilolo and their tight end position last year. Ryan currently ranks as our No. 7 overall quarterback for 2015 and is a value at his projected ADP.
Week 17: Ryan vs. Panthers
Matt Ryan completed 30-of-40 passes for 322 yards with one touchdown and zero interceptions in the Falcons' Week 16 win over the Saints. Ryan was nearly flawless in the victory and has now thrown for over 300 yards in four straight games. He's been reliable at home this year while averaging 311.0 yards per game and posting a 15:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio inside the Georgia Dome (compared to a 13:7 ratio on the road and an average of 282.1 YPG away from Atlanta). If you're in your title game and Ryan has gotten you this far, there's no reason not to start him against Carolina on Sunday. He ranks as our No. 7 overall QB for Week 17.
Week 16: Ryan vs. Saints
Matt Ryan completed 26-of-37 passes for 310 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Falcons’ Week 15 loss to the Steelers. It was the third consecutive game that Ryan threw for over 300 yards, which is noteworthy considering he didn’t have Julio Jones in the lineup. Ryan will face a New Orleans defense that he torched for 448 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1 and ranks as our No. 5 overall QB for Week 16. He’s a safe start this week, even if Jones misses his second straight game.
Week 15: Ryan vs. Steelers
Matt Ryan completed 24-of-39 passes for 375 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in the Falcons' loss to the Packers on Monday night. Ryan, who has struggled to put up big numbers on the road this year, and Julio Jones shredded Sam Shields and the Green Bay secondary after Atlanta fell behind 31-7 at half. Ryan's lone mistake was a horrendous interception thrown to Morgan Burnett along the sideline when he was half attempting to throw the ball out of bounds. Ryan has a great matchup versus Pittsburgh on Sunday and ranks as our No. 9 QB for Week 15. His stock could take a hit if Jones (hip) misses the game but otherwise consider Ryan a low-end QB1.
Week 14: Ryan vs. Packers
Matt Ryan completed 30-of-41 passes for 361 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Falcons’ Week 13 win over the Cardinals. It was the first time since Week 5 that Ryan threw for over 300 yards and it was his second straight multi-touchdown performance. The problem for Ryan owners is that the QB has 11 touchdowns to just three interceptions inside the Georgia Dome this year and a 10:7 TD-to-INT ratio on the road (if you count Atlanta’s game in London against Detroit in Week 8). The bad news is that Ryan and the Falcons will be on the road this week as they visit the Packers on Monday night. The good news is that the Falcons should be trailing in the second half, meaning plenty of garbage time production for Ryan in the process. He’s our No. 13 overall QB for Week 14, making him a low-end QB1 in deeper formats.
Week 13: Ryan vs. Cardinals
Matt Ryan completed 27-of-43 passes for 273 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Falcons' Week 12 loss to the Browns. He also lost a fumble and could have had at least one more interception as he played poorly throughout the day. Ryan has now gone six-straight games without a 300-yard performance as Atlanta's passing game continues to lack rhythm. At No. 13 overall in our QB ratings for this week, Ryan is merely a low-end QB1 moving forward. He and the Falcons have a tough matchup on Sunday versus Arizona.
Week 12: Ryan vs. Browns
Matt Ryan was 31-of-45 for 268 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Falcons’ Week 11 win over the Panthers. It was the second straight game that Ryan didn’t have any turnovers but it was also the fifth time in his last six games that he failed to throw multiple touchdown passes. He also has gone five consecutive games without throwing for over 275 yards in a given game, as the Falcons continue to rely on the short passing attack to keep Ryan upright behind a shaky offensive line. Consider Ryan a low-end QB1 against Cleveland in Week 12.
