Which Atlanta Falcons Will Provide Fantasy Value in 2020?

It may not feel like it — it’s late August and fans have yet to see a football game since February — but the NFL season is just around the corner. Fantasy owners who haven’t begun constructing their draft boards will have to begin soon.

Fortunately fans in Georgia may be able to comfortably draft a few hometown Atlanta Falcons. Here are three Falcons players who should provide fantasy football value in 2020:

Matt Ryan, Quarterback

A new fantasy era has been ushered in at quarterback over the last couple years. Owners who can’t land Patrick Mahomes will next target running quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, and Dak Prescott. Kyler Murray is expected to join that group this fall, and while he shouldn’t be defined as a “running signal caller,” Russell Wilson is in this top tier as well.

Those aren’t the six best quarterbacks in the league, but their dual-threat ability give them a fantasy advantage over the aging Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. However, if owners target a quarterback from "the old guard," it might as well be Matt Ryan.

Ryan has been the model of consistency. He’s thrown for 4,000 yards each of the last nine seasons and has posted at least 35 touchdowns during two of the past four years. Ryan has also missed just one game over the last decade.

At 35 years old, he’s no spring chicken, but there’s nothing to suggest Ryan isn’t still in his prime, and he’ll again have a plethora of weapons surrounding him despite the departure of Austin Hooper and Devonta Freeman. The Falcons offensive line remains a question mark, but Ryan’s health history is still an advantage over any running quarterback who could suffer a serious injury on any scramble.

Owners who miss out on the new wave of running NFL quarterbacks could do far worse than drafting Ryan in the middle rounds.

Russell Gage, Wide Receiver

While Ryan will provide some value for fantasy owners, Gage could become a major steal. Based on the consensus expert rankings at Fantasy Pros, Gage is the 253rd-best overall player and the No. 84 wide receiver heading into the regular season, yet his average ADP in standard leagues is 309.0.

Gage could go largely undrafted in 12-team or smaller formats, but he deserves at least a spot on the bench. In PPR leagues and three-wide receiver starter formats, Gage could be very helpful during bye weeks.

After the Falcons traded Mohamed Sanu last season, Gage posted 45 catches, 402 receiving yards and a touchdown in nine games. He figures to again be the team’s No. 3 receiver and a good insurance policy for Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, both of whom dealt with injuries a year ago.

Hayden Hurst, Tight End

Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper became a cap casualty for the Falcons this past offseason, but the hope is Hurst will fill the void. The former Ravens third-year tight end couldn’t carve out a role in Baltimore because of the team’s loaded death chart at his position, but he is in line to start for the Falcons.

Last season, Falcons tight ends combined for seven touchdowns, and it likely would have been more if Hooper didn’t miss three games.

Consider Hurst a low-end TE1 in 12-team leagues. Fantasy Pros considers him a Top 100 player overall in standard formats, but he has an ADP of 120.0.

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