Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones missed practice on Thursday due to an illness, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN. It's the second consecutive missed practice session for Jones, though McClure says the receiver is expected to return on Friday. Given that, it seems unlikely that he's in any danger to miss Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns.
Julio Jones misses practice again, expected to play for fantasy owners
Julio Jones missed practice on Thursday but is expected to play against the Browns on Sunday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Jones leads the Falcons with 67 receptions for 912 yards and three touchdowns. He ranks eighth in the league in receiving yardage and is Matt Ryan’s top target, with almost 400 more yards than Roddy White. The Falcons are 4-6 this season and, surprisingly, in first place in the NFC South. Atlanta has struggled everywhere aside from the passing game, where it ranks sixth in the league thanks to Jones’ efforts.
Fantasy Impact: Fantasy owners need not worry about Jones at this point. He’s missed some practice time, but he’s a veteran and doesn’t need to be there for every session. He could be a limited participant on Friday and there still shouldn’t be any cause for concern at this point. Cleveland has a decent pass defense, ranking 11th in the league, and that should be the bigger concern for fantasy owners.
