Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley will be out for Sunday's game against the New York Jets in London due to "personal reasons," the team announced on Thursday.
Ridley had missed practice on Thursday before the team announced the news later in the day.
The United Kingdom requires travelers from the United States to be fully vaccinated or, if not, visitors are subject to extra testing and quarantine requirements.
Fully vaccinated tourists just need a negative coronavirus test on the day of, or the day after they arrive in the United Kingdom in order to be in the clear.
Unvaccinated visitors must receive a pre-departure negative coronavirus test and book and pay for a day two and day eight COVID test upon arrival.
Unvaccinated people must also quarantine at the place they are staying at in Britain for 10 days.
It is currently unclear if Ridley's absence is related to the pandemic.
The Falcons had said over the summer that the team is 100% inoculated against the COVID-19 virus.
Ridley's absence should increase volume for WR/RB Cordarrelle Patterson, who has been the team's second-best receiver, according to The Action Network's fantasy football analyst Samantha Previte.
Previte said Patterson is in line to be a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside this week.
Ridley's absence also means Olamide Zaccheaus and Tajae Sharpe will get opportunities at wide receiver, but Previte said you shouldn't have any interest in starting those two unless you're in an extremely deep league — or if you want to make a DFS dart throw.
Rookie tight end Kyle Pitts — the No. 4 overall pick in the draft — will get a fantasy bump too, but Previte said you should've already been starting him against the Jets given the matchup.
Though Pitts has been disappointing so far this season, the Jets' pass defense leaves a lot to be desired. Now, especially with Ridley out, Pitts should be one of the main targets down field.
The Falcons' line against the Jets has not yet moved as a result of the news as of Thursday afternoon. Atlanta is still -3 over New York at FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM. This story will be updated should those numbers change.
