If you took their 30-0 loss to the Panthers away, the Falcons would appear have the makings of a dark horse contender. Atlanta is 3-2 following a 10-point win over the Buffalo Bills. Featuring one of the best defenses in the league, they could still win the NFC South. Bijan Robinson and Drake London have been incredible for fantasy managers this season. On the other side, the host 49ers have been injured but still produce great fantasy results. Who can help your team in this Sunday Night Football showdown?
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Atlanta Falcons (+1.5) at San Francisco 49ers O/U: 47
Clear Starts: Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Drake London
Fantasy Football Players to Watch
George Kittle – TE, San Francisco 49ers
When healthy, George Kittle is a clear start. Coming off of consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons, he is still one of the league’s best. Despite only playing 27% of offensive snaps in Week 1, Kittle caught all 4 of his targets for 25 yards and a TD. After logging limited practices through Thursday, it was announced that Kittle would be ready to play on Sunday Night Football without a pitch count.
Players and coaches have made comments in the past that have not come true, but the team has been cautious with Kittle’s return despite mounting injuries. Fantasy managers should be ready for the worst, but it is hard to justify benching Kittle based on speculation.
This is a difficult matchup, as the Falcons allow the fewest fantasy points to opposing TEs this season. However, Kittle is still a part of the position’s elite tier. He can overcome any matchup and should be a start.
Kendrick Bourne – WR, San Francisco 49ers
As the 49ers continue to deal with injuries everywhere, it was only natural that someone would emerge. Kendrick Bourne has gained exactly 142 receiving yards in back-to-back games this year and ranks 2nd on the team in receiving yards. Kittle’s return may muddy the waters, but Ricky Pearsall is out, and Jauan Jennings has been a non-factor.
Atlanta’s defense is one of the best, ranking 1st in DVOA and 5th in EPA/play. They’re also the 6th toughest fantasy matchup for WRs. Bourne will mainly face off against CBs A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes. Hughes has been beatable, allowing 3 TDs and a passer rating of 112.9. Terrell has been tougher, allowing a passer rating of 61.6 per Pro Football Reference.
While the matchup may be hard, Bourne has a target share of 22.73% over the past 2 weeks. The 49ers will likely need to throw a lot again, and Bourne projects to be the team’s WR1 or WR2. The ceiling may be limited, but Bourne has the volume for FLEX appeal in Week 7.
Check out all of our Week 7 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings
Kyle Pitts – TE, Atlanta Falcons
Last week, I warned you about Kyle Pitts’ ceiling against a tough Bills defense, and he had his worst outing of the season. This week, he has a much more beatable matchup against the 49ers.
Pitts is averaging a career-high 4.6 receptions per game this year. The 49ers allow the 13th fewest fantasy points per game and will be favored at home this week. While the Falcons boast a strong defense, that is encouraging for a pass-friendly game script.
The tight end position is deeper than expected this year, so you may have a better option this week. However, Pitts has produced good fantasy results this season. With a great floor outside of last week’s brutal matchup, he’s unlikely to sink your week.
Tyler Allgeier – RB, Atlanta Falcons
Allgeier is one of the best handcuffs in fantasy football, but his standalone value is clearly limited. He is never going to surpass Bijan Robinson, but he can offer mild FLEX value. Allgeier gets a fair amount of carries in neutral and positive game scripts, and especially if the Falcons are up big. In a blowout, like the 30-0 loss to Carolina, he can be a massive bust.
If you took away that game, Allgeier would be averaging 13 carries per game. Most of his value comes from TDs, though. Allgeier leads the Falcons in red zone rush attempts with 12 and has scored 3 TDs in 5 games.
Think of him as the poor man’s version of David Montgomery, but on a worse offense and better defense. He’s not a TD-or-bust option, but he thrives in more neutral games. This week may not be the best opportunity, but the Falcons’ elite defense puts him in a good position each week. He’s almost never going to be a recommended start, but if you have to bank on a TD and a few yards from anyone, it’s him.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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