Fantasy Football Player Notes

Ridley finished as the No. 4 wide receiver with Julio Jones on the team, and that was while missing one full game. Just how much better can he be with Jones out of town? Some may worry about Ridley becoming "the guy" in the offense and seeing all the top cornerbacks, but we've already witnessed that in the games Jones missed. In the eight games Ridley has played without Jones, he's averaged 11.1 targets, 7.3 receptions, 107.0 yards, and 0.4 touchdowns, adding up to 20.1 PPR points per game. He should be a lock for 140-plus targets in 2021, making him a safe WR1.

In case you may have missed it, Dirk Koetter is no longer calling plays for the Falcons. The Falcons ran 3WR sets 61 percent of the time last year, which allowed Gage to get on the field more often. Arthur Smith's offense in Tennessee last year ran 3WR sets just 38 percent of the time, the second-lowest mark in football. That obviously presents a problem for Gage, as does the arrival of Kyle Pitts, who'll be utilized as a receiver at times. Some may wonder if the loss of Julio Jones opens things up for him. Yes, it will likely net him more targets, but targets on the perimeter haven't been the same for Gage, as he works best from the slot. The Falcons could very well start Tajae Sharpe over him in 2WR sets.