Matt Ryan was the well-deserved MVP in 2016, winning fantasy leagues across the country while leading the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl. However, 2017 has been a much rockier road for Ryan as the Falcons’ offense struggles to adjust without Kyle Shanahan.
Fantasy football Week 9 start/sit: What to do with Matt Ryan
Last year’s MVP has crashed back to Earth. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Through seven games this year, Ryan has just nine touchdown passes to six interceptions with three lost fumbles. That ratio is eerily similar to his poor 2015 campaign when he had 21 touchdowns to 21 turnovers. Ryan stabilized a bit last week, throwing for two touchdowns and 254 yards against the New York Jets as the Falcons snapped their three-game losing streak, but he also lost two fumbles in the pouring rain.
Fantasy impact: The Falcons’ offensive struggles have been well-documented this year, but there’s simply too much talent to expect them to slump for much longer. Ryan obviously peaked last season, but he’s still a capable starter in fantasy leagues with QB1 upside most weeks.
That said, Ryan will get another rough matchup this week with the Carolina Panthers, whose defense is giving up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. Ryan is on the streaming radar with six teams on bye, but owners should downgrade his ceiling a bit.
Recommendation: Start
