The Falcons surrendered 172 rushing yards in Week 1 and will face the Eagles on Sunday.

Analysis: Atlanta ended up allowing only 269 total yards as the Vikings began bleeding the clock early after building a 21-0 lead heading into halftime. The Falcons managed zero takeaways and only one sack as Minnesota had only 10 pass attempts, as three giveaways from the offense led to a pair of short-field TD drives. The Eagles struggled during the first half of the season opener but came alive for 25 second-half points, and their diverse offense make the Falcons a middling fantasy option in Week 2.

LB Deion Jones (foot) did not play in the preseason but could be ready for Sunday's season opener against the Vikings.

Analysis: Jones and safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen played a combined 10 games last season, dooming the defensive campaign from the start. They'll start the season against a Vikings team that features quality weapons on the outside in WRs Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, as well as in the backfield with RB Dalvin Cook. The question mark is QB Kirk Cousins, as his first year in Minnesota resulted in an offense ranked in the bottom half of the league in scoring and yardage. The Falcons should certainly…read more

Deion Jones (foot) began training camp as a limited participant and may not be available for Thursday's preseason opener against the Broncos.

Analysis: The Falcons had numerous injuries help derail their defensive campaign in 2018, with Jones' 10-game absence playing a sizable role. Atlanta finished 2018 ranked 28th in total defense (384.5 YPG) and 25th in scoring defense (26.4 PPG), leading head coach Dan Quinn to take over the reins as the defensive coordinator. While QB Joe Flacco won't be making his Broncos debut, the Falcons will be taking on an offense that ranked 19th overall (350.1 YPG) and 24th in scoring (20.6 PPG) last season.

The Falcons have forced seven turnovers over the last two games. They play the Buccaneers in Week 17.

Analysis: No team turns the ball over more than the Bucs, who have coughed it up 34 times (25 interceptions, nine fumbles). However, they've shaped up lately with just five in the last five weeks, and they put up 29 points on the Falcons in Week 6. The Bucs will have QB Jameis Winston under center, and he's looked formidable lately, completing 60.3 percent of his passes and averaging 238.1 yards per game in that five-game span while occasionally racking up yards with his legs. The recent success of the…read more

The Falcons have held five straight opponents under 200 passing yards. They play the Panthers in Week 16.

Analysis: The Falcons' success against the pass has come against capable teams, but Panthers QB Cam Newton racked up 335 passing yards and another 42 on the ground in their Week 3 meeting. Newton will be shuttered for the final two weeks with a shoulder injury, opening the door for backup Taylor Heinicke to run the offense in Week 16. With an unproven option under center, expect the Panthers to lean heavily on RB Christian McCaffrey, who has eclipsed 100 scrimmage yards in seven straight outings. The…read more

The Falcons rank 29th in the league with 11 turnovers. They play the Cardinals in Week 15.

Analysis: The Cardinals offense has been lethargic with rookie Josh Rosen under center, ranking last in the league with 13.7 points per game and turning the ball over 23 times in 13 games. Their offensive power hasn't turned up lately, but they have a better grasp on the ball with just two turnovers in the last three contests. The Falcons struggle to take the ball away, so they may not have an easy time reversing the trend. Nevertheless, the floor is solid as they'll likely be able to hold the Cardinals…read more

The Falcons have held their last three opponents below 200 passing yards. They play the Packers in Week 14.

Analysis: The Packers are playing with house money at this point with slim playoff chances and an interim head coach. They haven't performed when it matters, but the Falcons are in line to be the first-ever target of Aaron Rodgers without Mike McCarthy. It's impossible to tell what's in store, but the playbook should be aggressive at home. That's not to mention RB Aaron Jones, who is having a breakout campaign and will feast on the Falcons 27th-ranked run defense. The Falcons have little upside with just…read more

The Falcons have allowed over 130 rushing yards in each of the last three games. They play the Ravens in Week 13.

Analysis: The Ravens have a new toy in RB Gus Edwards, who appeared out of nowhere and surpassed 115 rushing yards in each of the last two games. The Falcons don't look well-equipped to handle him and add run-happy QB Lamar Jackson to the mix and it's a troubling combination. Jackson has been able to do damage in the air against soft secondaries the last two weeks, and the Falcons' injured bunch will be vulnerable to the same collapse. The rookie signal caller has thrown three picks in the last two…read more

The Falcons rank 29th in the league with 284.1 passing yards allowed per game. They play the Saints in Week 12.

Analysis: Some may have been willing to give the Atlanta defense a spin after it held the Redskins to just 14 points three weeks ago, but there's no sensible way this unit is viable in fantasy versus the Saints, who torched them for 43 points in Week 3. That only proved to be a sign of what was to come, as Saints have scored 45 or more points in each of their last three outings. They shown no mercy, either, going for it on fourth down and throwing deep in Week 11 despite a comfortable 30-point lead…read more

The Falcons defense has produced one turnover per game this year. They play the Cowboys in Week 11.

Analysis: The Dallas offense has been unpredictable on a week-to-week basis, as they got shut down by the Titans earlier this month but racked up 27 points to beat the Eagles in Week 10. They've been smart with the ball, averaging just 1.1 turnovers per contest, but QB Dak Prescott has been dropped a whopping 32 times. Atlanta's pass rush isn't one to fear -- 17 sacks in nine games -- and they've shown an inability to get off the field with opponents converting on 51.9 percent of third downs. The Falcons…read more