Falcons @ Broncos
Final Score: Broncos 38 – Falcons 6
Writer: Brett Ford (@FadeThatMan on Twitter)
It was a wild one in the Mile High City on Sunday afternoon. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix cemented himself into the middle of the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation while the Atlanta Falcons took a second-straight loss and will be asking a lot of questions of themselves after getting blown out on the road. Let’s dig in.
Three Up
- Bo Nix – Nix looked like a young Drew Brees as he dismantled the Falcons’ defense, and Sean Payton allowed him to throw the ball all over the yard.
- Javonte Williams – Williams was back to being the most-utilized running back in the Denver backfield, making it more of a committee/hot-hand situation.
- DeVaughn Vele – He did not find the end zone, but he looked like a major cog in the offense as a big-slot receiver.
Two Down
- Atlanta Falcons – Literally the entire team. No touchdowns. Only 226 total yards. A nightmare from a fantasy perspective and in real life.
- Tyler Allgeier – Special mention to Allgeier because he was “active” but got just three snaps and one opportunity.
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins: 18/27, 173 Yards, INT, Fumble (LOST)
Kirk Cousins was largely ineffective against one of the better defensive units in the NFL. The Broncos front seven generated six QB hits and four sacks, forcing a pair of Cousins turnovers as the Falcons offense floundered. The interception that Cousins threw was a miserably bad ball directed for London that a linebacker easily read and undercut for the pick. Over the past two games, Cousins has thrown two picks without a touchdown and completed just over 60% of his passes. Hopefully, this isn’t the beginning of the end for Cousins, but the Swag Surfin’ quarterback will have a chance to turn it around after their BYE in Week 13 against the Chargers.
Michael Penix Jr.: 2/4, 24 Yards
Penix got a handful of reps against a solid NFL defense. This is probably nothing, but it could be something with Cousins now posting two consecutive duds.
Running Back
Bijan Robinson: 12 Carries, 35 Yards | 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 28 Yards
It was a tough week for the entire Falcons offense, stud running back notwithstanding. Robinson got a bunch of touches but still managed to gain just 63 yards from scrimmage and could not find the end zone. It’s just Robinson’s second game of the season with less than 3.0 yards per carry, but it’s not going to be enough for fantasy managers who have invested a first-round pick in the franchise running back.
Tyler Allgeier: 1 Target, 1 Reception, -1 Yards
After spending the entire week on the injury report, Tyler Allgeier was cleared to play on Sunday but got just one opportunity on three snaps. I thought this kind of Arthur Smith behavior was behind us!
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Drake London: 7 Targets, 3 Receptions, 61 Yards
Targeted the most of any Atlanta pass-catcher, London was able to pull in just three of the passes in his direction. When an offense has a day as poor as Atlanta did on Sunday, even their stars are dragged down. Hopefully, London can bounce back next week against the Chargers.
Darnell Mooney: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 27 Yards
Mooney had his sleepiest stat line since Week 1, and it didn’t help that he left early with a hamstring injury.
Kyle Pitts: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
Another disappearing act from one of the biggest ghosts in fantasy.
Ray-Ray McCloud: 6 Targets, 6 Receptions, 46 Yards
If there was a bright spot in the Falcons offense on Sunday, McCloud was likely it. He caught all his targets, and most of them came near the line of scrimmage, where he could make a play in space after the catch. There wasn’t much else to celebrate for Atlanta.
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Bo Nix: 28/33, 307 Yards, 4 TDs | 2 Carries, 5 Yards
Fantasy pundits around the industry will be gushing about Nix’s performance on Sunday as he dismantled the Falcons’ secondary and took command of this Broncos offense. The incisive passing performance marks his second-straight impressive day under center, as he looked darn good against the Chiefs last week as well. Nix slung the ball around the yard for a career-high 307 yards, four touchdowns, and a near-perfect passer rating. It’s becoming clear that Payton has turned over the keys to the rookie, as Nix – despite leading by multiple possessions for nearly the entire game – threw 33 times while the Broncos ran the ball just 26 times. Don’t be surprised if, by Monday morning, Nix is the betting favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Running Back
Audric Estime: 6 Carries, 16 Yards | 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 9 Yards
Sean Payton promised us that after a solid week against Kansas City, Estime would continue to get more reps. LIAR – at least for this week.
Javonte Williams: 9 Carries, 59 Yards, TD | 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 28 Yards
After being nearly shut out with just one touch a week ago, Williams responded with a strong performance out of the backfield, including a touchdown run. Williams was literally carried into the end zone by his teammates as the Broncos took advantage of the Falcons’ Swiss-cheesy defense. Moving forward, fantasy managers should likely look at this as a committee backfield, as Sean Payton will likely take a hot-hand approach, with Williams as the lead dog.
Jaleel McLaughlin: 4 Carries, 19 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Courtland Sutton: 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 78 Yards
Sutton was the most frequently targeted pass catcher on the Broncos side but didn’t find the end zone. Sutton’s best grab of the game was a 23-yard grab where he went up and “Mossed” the defender on a ball that Nix underthrew to his right. It was a huge grab that set up a touchdown later in the drive. Sutton continues to be the alpha of this offense, though in a Sean Payton scheme, touchdowns continue to be extremely inconsistent.
Devaughn Vele: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 66 Yards
Vele looked like one of the most important pass-catchers on the field, helping the Broncos move the ball down the field on routes out of the slot. The big-bodied receiver working out of the slot reminds me a lot of Jauan Jennings in San Francisco, presenting a mismatch for most safeties and nickel backs covering him.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 52 Yards, TD
Humphrey continues to be a reliable piece of the offense when he’s out there, pulling in all four of his targets, including a touchdown grab. His touchdown came on a nice route where he found the soft spot in the zone and pulled in the ball in stride, reaching the end zone untouched.
Adam Trautman: 1 Target
Nate Adkins: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 12 Yards, TD
Marvin Mims Jr.: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 49 Yards, TD | 3 Carries, 4 Yards
Mims has served Payton’s gadget role this season and has been able to capitalize on making plays in space. On Sunday, Mims took a wide screen and followed his blocks to the end zone for a 13-yard score. He’s an exciting piece of an offense that is leaning more and more toward the pass.
Troy Franklin: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 15 Yards, TD
Franklin connected with his former Oregon Duck teammate on a near-identical screen to the one that Mims scored on. Franklin’s speed and playmaking ability have suffered from his lack of crisp route-running so far this season, but if he continues to get the ball in space with blockers out in front, he could make some noise down the stretch.