The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 9 Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints Sunday afternoon game.
| Atlanta | Rank | @ | New Orleans | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Spread | -6 | ||
| 18 | Implied Total | 24 | ||
| 21.1 | 21 | Points/Gm | 25.1 | 13 |
| 27.9 | 26 | Points All./Gm | 18.3 | 4 |
| 64.4 | 13 | Plays/Gm | 60.7 | 27 |
| 63.9 | 18 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 63.4 | 17 |
| 5.2 | 24 | Off. Yards/Play | 5 | 26 |
| 5.6 | 18 | Def. Yards/Play | 5.4 | 10 |
| 36.59% | 24 | Rush% | 51.53% | 1 |
| 63.41% | 9 | Pass% | 48.47% | 32 |
| 44.97% | 26 | Opp. Rush % | 36.04% | 7 |
| 55.03% | 7 | Opp. Pass % | 63.96% | 26 |
- Opposing offenses have converted 43.8% (7-of-16) of their red zone possessions against New Orleans, the lowest rate in the league.
- The Saints are producing a gain of 20 or more yards once every 28.3 offensive plays, the lowest rate in the league. League average is one every 17.0 plays.
- Cordarrelle Patterson has accounted for 43.8% of the Atlanta offensive touchdowns, the highest rate for any player in the league.
- Patterson has been targeted on 31.4% of his routes, the highest rate among all running backs. That is right below Cooper Kupp (31.5%) and tied with Davante Adams (31.4%) at wide receiver.
- Just 15.9% of the fantasy points allowed by the Saints so far this season have come via rushing, second in the league behind Tampa Bay (13.9%).
Quarterback
Matt Ryan: After a string of strong fantasy starts against the Football Team (QB3), Jets (QB11), and Dolphins (QB15), Ryan ran back into a roadblock last week against the Panthers as the QB31 (6.1 points).
Those previous three teams all rank in the bottom six in the league in expected points added via their pass defense. In his other four games, Ryan has been the QB21 or lower in weekly scoring.
The Saints are fourth in EPA against the pass and fourth in passing points allowed per attempt (0.36). Ryan is averaging 9.8 yards per completion, 32nd in the league, ahead of only Davis Mills (9.7 yards), Jared Goff (9.7), Jacoby Brissett (8.5), and Andy Dalton (7.3). Without Calvin Ridley and against a formidable pass defense, Ryan is a back-end QB2 option.
