Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, October 24th, at 1:00 PM EST
Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Betting Odds: ATL +3, 48 total via Oddsshark
Network: FOX
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Matt Ryan (Start, QB2)
Fresh off a BYE week after a win in London against the Jets, Matt Ryan is set to face a lowly 1-5 Dolphins team that just gave the Jaguars their first win of the season in London as well. Ryan has looked better in recent weeks, and hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 2, posting a 8:0 touchdown to int. ratio in that span. Miami just allowed Trevor Lawrence to throw for 319 yards and a touchdown, and I’d call for Ryan to have a solid QB2 finish in a week where there are six teams on their BYE.
Running Backs
Mike Davis (Sit), Cordarrelle Patterson (Start, RB2)
Mike Davis has not been the running back the Falcons hoped for when they inked him to a two-year deal in the offseason. He has one score on the ground this year, and it came in Week 5 against the Jets. What’s even worse is he’s yet to rush for over 55 yards in any game. I personally would hold him, as he’s a healthy RB through seven weeks on the year, and has double-digit returns in full-PPR leagues every game this year. However, he’s a sit for me this week, especially as he continues to lose touches to Cordarrelle Patterson, who is the clear-cut playmaker out of the backfield for Atlanta. A waiver darling since Week 2, Patterson is a locked-in RB2 for his vast skillset that has finally emerged after the last few years of inconsistency.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Calvin Ridley (Start, WR2), Russell Gage (Sit), Kyle Pitts (Start, TE1), Hayden Hurst (Sit)
After a few weeks of attending to personal matters, Calvin Ridley has returned to the team on Monday. With two weeks rest to his name, Ridley will immediately enter the WR2 space, as he’s dominated the target share all season; double-digits in every game except Week 1, and even in the opener, he had eight. It’s good to see him return, and that this absence was not injury-related. Russell Gage is back at practice as well after an ankle injury sidelined him since Week 3. However, he’s not a start for me, as the next man up alongside Ridley is no-doubt tight end Kyle Pitts. While it did take a Ridley absence to breakout, Pitts hauled in nine of 10 targets for 119 yards and a score against New York. His target share should surely increase, making him a TE1 going forward. His counterpart Hayden Hurst also had a touchdown against the Jets, but has not been a factor by any means this season, and can be left on the wire.
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa (Start/viable streamer, QB2)
Tua Tagovailoa returned to action against the Jaguars after being out from a rib injury suffered in Week 2. There was no easing him back in either, as he completed 33 of 47 passes for 329 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The Jaguars secondary was a nice welcome-back spot, and the Falcons will be another. If you are in a QB bind due to BYE week, you could do worse than Tua.
Running Backs
Myles Gaskin (Sit), Malcolm Brown (Sit), Salvon Ahmed (Sit)
Just when you thought you could hitch a ride on the Myles Gaskin wagon last week, your plans were derailed. After a 31.90 point performance in full-PPR leagues against Tampa Bay, Gaskin posted just 3.40 against the Jaguars; five measly carries for nine total yards. The kicker here was that he wasn’t involved in the passing game at all, unlike his Week 5 blowup. The matchup may be there this week against Atlanta, but no way can you trust Gaskins, Malcolm Brown, and Salvon Ahmed.
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Jaylen Waddle (Start, WR3), DeVante Parker (Start if you must, FLEX), Preston Williams (Sit), Mike Gesicki (Start, low-end TE1)
Jaylen Waddle gained back his former college QB, and has his best day as a pro against the Jaguars. He tied his career-high in targets with 13, catching 10 of those for 70 yards and two touchdowns. It was a big day for Waddle, albeit both DeVante Parker (shoulder, hamstring) and Preston Williams (hamstring) were not active. As of writing, Williams has a better chance to suit up this week quicker than Parker, but no matter who returns, Waddle has earned the right to be a viable starting option; especially with Tua back under center. I would sit Williams this week, and if Parker suits up, he’s a desperation FLEX at best.
Tight end Mike Gesicki caught eight of nine targets for 115 yards against Jacksonville, and will look to continue to be a top option for Tagovailoa. Fantasy owners would like him to find the end zone though, as he hasn’t since Week 4.
-Matthew Cava (@cavaM_ Twitter & Reddit)