Should you start Falcons wide receiver Russell Gage with Calvin Ridley set to miss Week 9? Our fantasy football expert warns against starting Gage (or any other Falcons receiver) this Sunday with Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Pitts soaking up most of the targets in this offense.
Start Falcons WR Russell Gage In Fantasy?
by Sean Koerner
You can't trust any Falcons wide receiver this week — they don't have a single one ranked inside my top 60.
Don't be tempted to start even Russell Gage, as tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Cordarrelle Patterson are essentially the "receivers" in this offense's scheme and thus dominate the target share.
Verdict: Bench Russell Gage and all Falcons WRs
Falcons Recent Fantasy Production
Gage had a golden opportunity to pad his stats without Ridley in the fold last week, to no avail.
The Falcons' fourth-round pick from 2018 earned a season-low 36 snaps versus the Panthers, recording a goose egg in the target column. His 67 yards against the Dolphins in Week 7 marked a personal best in 2021, though Miami ranks 26th in Football Outsiders' DVOA pass defense entering Sunday; New Orleans, meanwhile, is third.
After Pitts was stymied for just 13 yards on two catches against Carolina, he should get back on track, especially with the Falcons getting six points on the spread. The rookie tight end is first at his position in air yards share, second in general air yards and third in yards per reception.
Patterson, meanwhile, has been targeted at least five times in each of the last six, after getting just two looks in the opener.
Need More Start vs. Sit Advice?
Consult our expert's real-time fantasy football rankings for standard, PPR and half-PPR scoring here.
