This article is part of our Team Previews series.
Atlanta Falcons 
The Falcons haven't made the playoffs since 2017, and they traded Matt Ryan this offseason, so it appears the team is heading toward a rebuild. However, the front office replenished the skill positions with young, talented players, which may make Atlanta an interesting team to follow in 2022.
2022 Offseason Moves – Atlanta Falcons
Key Acquisitions
- Marcus Mariota – QB (from Raiders)
He's the de facto starting quarterback in the absence of Matt Ryan.
- Drake London – WR (Rd. 1, No. 8 – USC)
The big-bodied wideout has a chance to be a WR1.
- Desmond Ridder – QB (Rd. 3, No. 74 – Cincinnati)
Dynamic backup who could get on the field at some point as a rookie.
- Damien Williams – RB (from Bears)
Has averaged 4.6 YPC over his last three active seasons.
- Bryan Edwards – WR (from Raiders)
The change of scenery may bode well for the 2020 third-round pick.
Key Departures
- Matt Ryan – QB (to Colts)
Atlanta shipped him to Indy after inquiring about Deshaun Watson.
- Russell Gage – WR (to Buccaneers)
Signed a three-year, $30 million deal to play with Tom Brady.
- Foye Oluokun – LB (to Jaguars)
Earned a big pay raise following a breakout campaign in 2021.
Atlanta Falcons 2022 Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Arthur Smith (Year 2)
Offensive Coordinator: Dave Ragone (Year 2) – West Coast / zone run
Defensive Coordinator: Dean Pees (Year 2) – 3-4 scheme
Stats To Know for the Atlanta Falcons
2022 Vegas Projected Wins: 4.5 (T-31st)
2021 Record: 7-10
2021 Points Scored: 313 (26th)
2021 Points Allowed: 459 (T-29th)
2021 Point Differential: -146 (28th)
2021 Run-Play Rate: 39.1 percent (25th)
2021 Offensive Snaps: 1,006 (31st)
2021 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 27
2022 Atlanta Falcons Depth Chart
QB: Marcus Mariota / Desmond Ridder / Feleipe Franks
RB: Cordarrelle Patterson / Damien Williams / Tyler Allgeier / Qadree Ollison
FB: Keith Smith
WR1: Drake London / Auden Tate
WR2: Bryan Edwards / KhaDarel Hodge
WR3: Olamide Zaccheaus / Damiere Byrd
TE: Kyle Pitts / Anthony Firkser / Parker Hesse
O-Line: LT Jake Matthews / LG Jalen Mayfield / C Matt Hennessy / RG Chris Lindstrom / RT Kaleb McGary (RotoWire Rank: No. 28)
Kicker: Younghoe Koo
2022 Atlanta Falcons Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff (ET) |
| 1 | Sep 11 | New Orleans Saints | 1:00 PM |
| 2 | Sep 18 | @ Los Angeles Rams | 4:05 PM |
| 3 | Sep 25 | @ Seattle Seahawks | 4:25 PM |
| 4 | Oct 2 | Cleveland Browns | 1:00 PM |
| 5 | Oct 9 | @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 PM |
| 6 | Oct 16 | San Francisco 49ers | 1:00 PM |
| 7 | Oct 23 | @ Cincinnati Bengals | 1:00 PM |
| 8 | Oct 30 | Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM |
| 9 | Nov 6 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1:00 PM |
| 10 | Nov 10 | @ Carolina Panthers | 8:15 PM |
| 11 | Nov 20 | Chicago Bears | 1:00 PM |
| 12 | Nov 27 | @ Washington Commanders | 1:00 PM |
| 13 | Dec 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1:00 PM |
| 14 | Bye | ||
| 15 | TBD | @ New Orleans Saints | TBD |
| 16 | Dec 24 | @ Baltimore Ravens | 1:00 PM |
| 17 | Jan 1 | Arizona Cardinals | 1:00 PM |
| 18 | TBD | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | TBD |
Atlanta Falcons Storylines for 2022
Life in Atlanta after Matt Ryan
The Falcons drafted Matt Ryan with the No. 3 overall pick in 2008, and he guided them to six playoff appearances, including a run to the Super Bowl in February 2017, during his 14 years with the organization. However, after the team dabbled in the Deshaun Watson talks this offseason, Ryan made a formal trade request.
Atlanta's pursuit of Watson fell short, so their contingency plan was to add Marcus Mariota after dealing Ryan to the Colts and then pluck a free-falling Desmond Ridder in the the third round of this year's draft. There have been rumors that the rookie has a shot at the starting job, but all signs point to Mariota operating as the signal-caller Week 1.
Offenses led by Mariota have a tendency to be ground-based, but make no mistake, the Oregon product still is an efficient passer, carrying a career 62.8 completion percentage and an 89.5 quarterback rating. While he last started for the Titans in Week 6 of the 2019 campaign, his 11 appearances over the past two years with the Raiders yielded modest results (7.7 yards per pass attempt, 8.0 yards per carry, three total touchdowns).
Paired with two recent top-10 selections in tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London, Mariota at least will get a chance to make it work before coach Arthur Smith potentially hands the offense to Ridder.
The Dynamic Duo and Who Else?
Calvin Ridley's prolonged absence and the addition of Kyle Pitts caused Matt Ryan to rely heavily on his running backs and tight ends in the passing game during the 2021 season, leaving Russell Gage (66-770-4 line on 94 targets) and Olamide Zaccheaus (31-406-3 on 53 targets) as Atlanta's leading wide receivers.
As for Pitts, he finished his rookie year with team highs in catches (68), targets (110) and receiving yards (1,026) while adding one touchdown. The phenom is poised for another high-volume campaign, but his lack of scores is concerning given his standing as a projected top five fantasy tight end.
With Gage off to Tampa Bay and Ridley suspended for this season, Zaccheaus was the top returning wideout before Atlanta spent the eighth overall pick in the 2022 Draft on Drake London, traded for third-year pro Bryan Edwards and inked Auden Tate, Damiere Byrd and KhaDarel Hodge in free agency this offseason. London is expected to operate as a true No. 1 WR to start the year, while Zaccheaus, Edwards and Tate likely compete for the next few spots on the depth chart.
Versatile threat Cordarrelle Patterson also is slated to be a factor in the aerial attack, but it remains to be seen how many mouths an offense directed by Marcus Mariota can feed, especially when Pitts and London are being peppered with passes.
Sizing Up a Crowded Backfield
After pacing Atlanta's backfield with 153 carries for 618 yards and six touchdowns in 2021, Cordarrelle Patterson signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract in March to return as the team's top running back. However, the do-it-all weapon is far from a three-down option, registering double-digit rushes only six times and never seeing more than 16 attempts in a single game. With Marcus Mariota at the helm, the Falcons could feature a more run-heavy offense, so the RBs not named Patterson are worth knowing.
Mike Davis was the main alternative to Patterson last season and finished with 138 runs for 503 yards and three scores, but he was released this offseason after the team added Damien Williams via free agency and used a third-round pick to select Tyler Allgeier. Williams is a proven veteran from his stays in Miami, Kansas City and Chicago across seven campaigns, while Allgeier is a bruising back from BYU that fits well in coach Arthur Smith's scheme.
Williams and Allgeier are expected to compete for the top reserve spot behind Patterson, with Jeremy McNichols, Qadree Ollison and Caleb Huntley serving as depth pieces. As a unit, the Falcons ran the ball poorly last year, finishing 31st in rushing yards, but the hope is that an overall improved offense will change things for the ground game in 2022.
Fantasy Football Stock Watch
⬆️ Rising: QB Marcus Mariota
Mariota has a chance to be a full-time starter for the first time since 2018. The dynamic QB was respectable in spot action with Las Vegas the last two seasons and will have a trio of top skill players to work with in Atlanta.
⬇️ Falling: WR Olamide Zaccheaus
With Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage out of town, Zaccheaus was poised for an elevated role this year. However, offseason moves and the investment made in Drake London have Zaccheaus on the outside looking in.
😴 Sleeper: RB Tyler Allgeier
The release of Mike Davis and the fact that starting running back Cordarrelle Patterson isn't a true workhorse creates an opportunity for Allgeier in this offense, but he'll have to fend off Damien Williams.
🌟 Pivotal Player: Kyle Pitts
Pitts notched three 100-yard games and emerged with a Falcons rookie record in receiving yards last season, but he only scored one touchdown. The 21-year-old tight end was one of the lone bright spots in a sporadic offense, but he'll need to improve as a red-zone threat in Year 2 if he's going to become a bonafide star.
Atlanta Falcons Injury Report
Patterson signed an extension with the Falcons this offseason but was held out of OTAs and minicamp while "working on a vet offseason program," per head coach Arthur Smith. The converted kick returner broke out in his first season with the team, registering 1,166 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns while emerging as the team's No. 1 running back. However, he struggled down the stretch, with just 100 total yards and one score over his last four games. While the 31-year-old has been held out this offseason, there doesn't appear to be any concern, and the hope is that a better-conditioned Patterson can be more effective in Year 2 as the top option out of Atlanta's backfield.
WR Auden Tate
Tate ended the 2021 campaign on injured reserve due to a calf injury, marking the third time in four years in Cincinnati that he played fewer than 10 games in a season, but he seems to be healthy after earning a one-year deal with Atlanta this offseason. He was among the numerous additions the Falcons made to bolster their wideout corps this offseason, but it remains to be seen how roles will be divided heading into the regular season. As of now, Tate projects to compete with Olamide Zaccheaus for the No. 3 WR spot behind Drake London and Bryan Edwards.
Harris missed the final four games of last season due to a torn pectoral he suffered in December and was limited throughout offseason workouts while rehabbing from surgery. Despite the lack of work, the defensive back re-signed with the Falcons on a one-year deal after posting 64 tackles, eight pass deflections and half a sack across 12 appearances during his first season in Atlanta. If healthy Week 1, Harris figures to be a key piece of the team's secondary and should replicate his production from 2021.
Training Camp Battle 2022 – Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons' cautious offseason approach with Cordarrelle Patterson, who led the team in rushing in 2021, suggests that backfield duties again may be handled by a committee this season. While he still is expected to be the main man, he isn't a workhorse, averaging 9.6 carries per game in 16 appearances last year.
Among the options behind Patterson, rookie fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier capped his college career with 2,731 yards (6.4 YPC) and 36 touchdowns on the ground in his final two campaigns at BYU, Damien Williams saw only 56 touches in 12 outings for the Bears last season, and holdover Qadree Ollison totaled 21 rushes across his final seven games of 2021.
Williams' experience could give him the upper hand among that trio for reps behind Patterson, but Allgeier's production is difficult to look past.
