Getty Gallery: 3/6
Start: QB Blake Bortles, Jaguars. Sit: QB Matt Ryan, Falcons
If you are one of the fantasy owners that have Matt Ryan as the only quarterback on your roster, I am not telling you to drop him. It is to say that you should not expect a big Week 1 performance from the Falcons quarterback for a few different reasons. This off-season, the Eagles added to an already loaded defensive line with the signings of Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata.
The last time these two teams met, the Eagles knocked the Falcons out of the playoffs as Atlanta only managed to score 10 points. Ryan threw for 210 yards and a touchdown, not numbers that is going to help you win your fantasy week.
Questions continue to surround the Falcons offense under offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. The last time Ryan scored 20 or more fantasy points was back in Week 11 of 2017.
Atlanta made red zone work the offensive priority during training camp, but there has been no evidence in the preseason that things are improving. If you have another quarterback on your roster, this is the week to start them.
One name to think about is Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles. He finished last season with 22 or more fantasy points in five of his last six games.
Jacksonville also has a group of talented young receivers who are flying under the radar along with new edition Donte Moncrief. This marks Bortles first off-season with the same offensive coordinator, meaning 2018 is the first time he has played in the same offense for two full consecutive seasons. Leonard Fournette came into camp slimmed down after a strong rookie season. The Jaguars also signed Bortles to a contract extension, showing their confidence in the quarterback. Bortles spoke about his grasp of the offense over the off-season.
“When we started last year, it was kind of an elementary level, in terms of ‘I’m hearing the play, I’m thinking about the footwork I have to take, the identification, trying to remember what routes guys are running and all that,'" Bortles explained to Fansided. "Now, I think I’m kind of owning the offense and having a better understanding of it. Obviously, it is a continuous study and a continuous grind to continue to master it and stay on top of it, but I definitely feel more comfortable with it.”
Bortles gets a nice matchup against the Giants to start the season. New York gave up the fifth most points to opposing teams last season.
Only the Buccaneers gave up more passing yards than the Giants last season. In addition to Bortles, here are a few more quarterbacks who were drafted in Ryan's range that I like better than the Falcons quarterback this week: Tyrod Taylor, Marcus Mariota and Andy Dalton.