The good: The Atlanta Falcons trotted off the field ahead 21-0 Sunday. The bad: That was at halftime, and the Falcons never scored again. They allowed 22 unanswered points to the Detroit Lions, losing 22-21 in the NFL's second London game of the season.
Matt Ryan bounces back, Steven Jackson scores as Falcons lose in Week 8
Atlanta jumped out to a big lead Sunday, but gave the game away in the second half. We break down the fantasy implications.
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The Falcons had little trouble in the first half Sunday, but everything changed in the second. Still, the team had a chance to win, still ahead with 1:38 left and the Lions on their own 7-yard line. The team went down the field, though, eventually winning on a 48-yard field goal with no time left in the game.
In a disappointing fifth-straight loss for the Falcons, let’s look at the fantasy performances:
Matt Ryan: The quarterback was plummeting down the fantasy radar, with barely 13 fantasy points a game the last three weeks behind a struggling offensive line. He bounced back a little Sunday, with 15 fantasy points, but most of that production came in the first half, and he was held very quiet in the second. Ryan now has a Week 9 bye before back-to-back road games. He's a mid-range QB2.
Steven Jackson: The Falcons' running back had his third double-digit fantasy day of the season Sunday, rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. No one else had more than three carries in the game, and the team's other three running backs combined for seven carries, so Jackson is still the clear top guy in the Atlanta backfield. Despite his occasional production, though, Jackson is barely on the starting radar. He hasn't rushed for more than 60 yards in a game all season and only has three touchdowns.
Julio Jones: That's now three straight disappointing games by Jones' standards. He hasn't had more than 68 yards in a game since Week 5, though he also hasn't dropped below 56. Jones saw a season-low in targets Sunday with six, catching four for 58 yards. He's still a must-start in all leagues, but if things don't start changing on the field, that could change off it.
Roddy White: A week after a 15-target, 16-fantasy-point game, White skipped back Sunday, with only six targets. He caught five of them for 66 yards. White has had more than his share of bad fantasy games this season, but his upside keeps him on the starting radar.
