Fantasy football projections, Week 9: Falcons-Buccaneers featuring Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Mike Evans and more

The Week 9 matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers features one of the most potent offenses in the league facing off against one of the worst defenses. We’ve got the fantasy projections courtesy of numberFire.

After collecting 313 receiving yards in his previous two games, wide receiver Julio Jones was limited to just three catches for 29 yards in the Falcons’ nail-biting 33-32 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 8. Normally the fact that Jones is dealing with a bruised knee on a short week would be enough to worry fantasy owners. Week 9 is an exception to that rule. That’s because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers possess the worst pass defense in the NFL. Jones should be targeted early and often by quarterback Matt Ryan, giving fantasy owners a solid start to the week.

It’s safe to say, given that information, the quarterback is a must-start on Thursday, too. Ryan did a great job going head-to-head against the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers at the Georgia Dome. He finished the contest with 28 completions for 288 yards and three touchdown passes. Ryan has eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark on four occasions this season. A friendly matchup in Tampa Bay is likely going to push that number up to five. He and the rest of the Falcons should toast the Bucs in Week 9.

Running backs Jacquizz Rodgers, Charles Sims and Doug Martin are all expected to miss the game against Atlanta due to injury. That likely means quarterback Jameis Winston will have to rely heavily on wide receiver Mike Evans to keep the ball moving down the field. Evans caught four passes for 50 yards and was on the receiving end of a successful two-point conversion in the team’s Week 8 loss to the Oakland Raiders. He has now found the end zone for either a touchdown or conversion in all but one game this season. Through seven games, Evans is averaging just over 12 targets per contest. He may just increase that average with the Buccaneers being so thin in the backfield. In a game where Tampa Bay should be playing catch-up most of the evening, Evans should blow his Week 9 projections out of the water.

If Evans is bottled up on Thursday, tight end Cameron Brate will have to act as the team’s safety valve. Brate caught three of five passes for just 22 yards, but managed to score a touchdown in Week 8. He’s been targeted just 11 times in the last three games after being thrown to at least eight times in back-to-back contests. Brate should be able to capitalize on an increase in looks with the team’s rushers out. He has a unique opportunity to go well above his projections in Week 9.