Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 19th at 4:05 PM ET
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Betting Odds: SF -9, 46 total via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Matt Ryan (Sit)
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has been in quite a slump recently, just one game with 200+ passing yards in his last fives and only two touchdowns during that span. While he has managed mid-QB2 scoring these past few weeks he also has two outings of less than 4 fantasy points. In a critical fantasy week for most managers, trusting Matt Ryan to pull out a victory could backfire. It is best that you leave him on your bench and look at other options.
Running Backs
Cordarrelle Patterson (Start, RB2), Mike Davis (Sit)
Cordarrelle Patterson has been quiet these last two weeks but still, he has finished as an RB2, and he has maintained his heavy usage. With 18 and 21 opportunities, it is clear that Patterson remains the focal point of this offense. Patterson should be in all lineups during the fantasy playoffs, as he looks to add to his 10 touchdowns on the season.
Mike Davis has two straight top-24 fantasy weeks, his first since Week 2. David remains a big part of the passing game, running routes on 53% of the dropbacks on the season but he also has not rushed for more than 50 yards since Week 5. Perhaps Davis has another solid outing and returns enough fantasy production to warrant a start but the uncertainty is difficult to trust during playoff time. If you must, Davis can be started as a flex in a pinch but as long as Patterson is healthy, David’s rushing upside is limited.
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Russell Gage (Start, Flex), Olamide Zaccheaus (Sit), Tajae Sharpe (Sit), Kyle Pitts (Start, TE1)
Russell Gage is earning targets in the offense, nearly a 25% rate these past three weeks. It has led to some spike weeks but also games like last week where he scored 10 points and finished as a WR3. Gage is a decent if not solid flex play this week. Both OlamideZaccheaus and Tajae Sharpe are third or fourth options in the offense and should not be in fantasy lineups.
While the off-season narrative on Kyle Pitts will likely be a disappointment, how can you really be disappointed in 54 catches for 770 yards in just 12 games? Yes, he has only scored once but he is on pace for more than one thousand yards and 75 catches. Pitts is an every-week TE1 based on expected volume alone.
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo (Start, 2QB leagues)
Quietly, Jimmy Garoppolo has turned in a solid season for managers playing in 2Qb leagues. Jimmy G has scored 17 points or more in a nice of 12 starts, including three spike weeks where he finished as a QB1. Two of his three bad outings were the game he left due to injury and the game he returned. With such a solid floor, fantasy managers that are starting two quarterbacks should have him in your lineup. Otherwise, remember he does have a consistent but low expected output, so those managers in traditional leagues should have a better option.
Running Backs
Elijah Mitchell (Start, Flex if healthy), Jeff Wilson Jr. (Sit)
Last week, with Elijah Mitchell, out of the lineup, Jeff Wilson Jr. led the 49ers in carries but ceded passing game and two-minute work to JaMycal Hasty. Early practice reports are that Mitchell still is not practicing (concussion, knee) and he looks to be a dreaded game-time decision. If Mitchell plays, then managers should feel confident that he will be productive, he has been for the better part of the season, and more often than not, when a player is cleared due to injury he comes back in his full-time role. Mitchell would be a solid flex-start, with upside and in some cases, managers can slot him in as an RB2.
However, should Mitchell be held out, Wilson still belongs on your bench. While he does have the potential for a big game, he has yet to score more than 6.5 points in any single game this season. The 9ers are asking other players to share the load in the backfield and don’t fully trust Wilson.
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Deebo Samuel (Start, WR2), Brandon Aiyuk (Start, WR2), George Kittle (Start, TE1)
Deebo Samuel’s descent back to earth can be directly correlated to Mitchell’s injury. In order to maintain rushing production, the team used Samuel as a primary ball-carrier for a few games and now they are using him almost entirely at the line of scrimmage in pass routes. With injuries throughout the lineup, look for the 49ers to get Samuel going in this game in a variety of ways and this could be a big bounce-back week for the star receiver.
Last week Brandon Aiyuk saw a team and personal season-high 11 targets. The team is targeting Aiyuk at a high rate and he is becoming a favored target in the end-zone. We are listing him as a WR2 play but really he is more boom/bust than we realize. In the last six weeks, Aiyuk has had three WR1 weekly finishes and three WR3 outings. Still, he is back in the team’s good graces and is a nice speculative play for managers in need of a third wideout.
George Kittle has been a fantasy monster for the better part of six weeks, just one stinker and five TE1 weeks. Kittle has 22 receptions, 332 yards, and three scores these past two weeks. However, Kittle is battling knee soreness and is being held out of practice so far this week. The description sounds like the typical grind players face late in the season, and Kittle should be a full go. If he is he should be started in every lineup.
-Marc Salazar (@oldsnake77)