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Most of the attention in the Sunday Night Football game surrounds Michael Vick’s return to Atlanta. Obviously that is a big story and I understand the significance.
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Any remaining attention is focused on how Matt Ryan will handle Vick’s return and whether or not he can recover from his rough start.
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A player being overlooked is Michael Turner.
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Many experts predicted a serious decline from the Burner this year, and despite the pounding administered by the Bears in Week 1, Turner got his. He ran for 100 yards on ten carries and added 40 yards on three catches.Turner had a career high of 85 receiving yards last year and the 40 in the season opener is 14.7 percent of his career total.
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At least in the early going the reports of his demise are greatly exaggerated.
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Now he takes on the Eagles. Of all the changes they made in the offseason, they have question marks as to whether or not they can stop the run.
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Sure, they defeated the Falcons handily 31-13, but they didn’t walk away with lingering questions.
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The Rams piled on 154 yards at a 5.9 yards per carry clip. Take away Sam Bradford’s 15-yard loss and you’re looking at 169 yards at 6.8 ypc. It wasn’t just Steven Jackson’s 47-yard run because without that their running backs averaged 5.1 ypc.
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Cadillac Williams rumbled for 91 yards on 19 carries (4.8 ypc). Turner was considered on the decline, but Cadillac was considered just about done.
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The Falcons aren’t simply going to try and get in a track meet with the Eagles. Not considering the weapon they have in Turner and the weakness the Eagles have in run defense.
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If you were struggling to decide whether or not to use Turner this week, keep these numbers in mind.
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Also check out:

• Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Advice
• Week 2 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• Week 2 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• Week 2 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• Week 2 Fantasy Football TE Rankings
• Week 2 Fantasy Football K Rankings
• Week 2 Fantasy Football DEF Rankings
• Week 2 Fantasy Football Sit/Start Advice
• Week 2 Fantasy Football Sleepers

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The NFC South is pretty loaded in the running back department.
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Atlanta’s Michael Turner leads the way. He ran for 1371 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. He gets a downgrade in PPR leagues as he only caught 12 passes for 85 yards last year, but he’s a solid RB1. Turner has averaged 91.7 rushing yards and 0.91 rushing touchdowns per game over the past three years. Jason Snelling is one of the game’s best handcuffs because the Falcons hardly missed a beat when he filled in for Turner in the past. If he is a restricted free agent, he could be back with the club. If he is unrestricted it could be hard for them to bring him back. The Falcons drafted Jacquizz Rodgers, but he’ll strictly be the third down back.
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Tampa Bay got a pleasant surprise from LeGarrette Blount, who ran for 1007 yards with six touchdowns. He did his damage in just 201 carries (5.0 ypc).  Cadillac Williams is a free agent, but has expressed his desire to return to the Bucs. Blount is expected to get the bulk of the carries while Cadillac would play in passing situations. Rookie Allen Bradford isn’t expected to steal too many carries.
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Jonathan Stewart (and his keeper league owners) are perhaps second only to DeAngelo Williams and his agent in interest in where D-Will lands next year. If J-Stew has the backfield to himself, he could easily produce top five numbers, though Cam Newton could steal some of his touchdown runs. If Williams returns, Stewart can still be a viable fantasy option. They can definitely coexist for the Panthers and fantasy owners alike. D-Will could also be an elite fantasy option this year if he lands in the right place. If he signs with the Broncos, he could replace Knowshon Moreno as the team’s lead back. D-Will is an important piece in determining next year’s fantasy running back landscape.
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Pierre Thomas looked to be in a great spot when the Saints signed him to a four-year extension. Then they went and drafted Mark Ingram. That move likely sealed the fate of Reggie Bush, who will be sent packing if he doesn’t take a large pay cut. Thomas will likely move to change of pace and third-down duty while Ingram would carry the bulk of the snaps. This is a messy situation that will cause fantasy owners some heartache. Ingram should be a solid RB2 while PT23 should be a solid RB3.
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Also check out:

• AFC East Running Back Situations
• AFC North Running Back Situations
• AFC South Running Back Situations
• AFC West Running Back Situations
• NFC East Running Back Situations
• NFC North Running Back Situations

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The NFC South features three of the top quarterbacks in the league and a rookie that wants to become an icon.
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Drew Brees sets the bar for the NFC South, and you need a ladder to reach it. Brees topped 4000 yards for the fifth straight year, 4620 to be exact. His 33 touchdown passes marked his third straight year with at least 33. Brees is remarkably accurate, productive, and consistent. He’s a bona fide star and top tier QB1. It doesn’t seem to matter who is catching the ball for him.
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Matt Ryan made a nice jump into borderline QB1 territory last year. He threw for 3705  yards and 28 touchdowns. Roddy White is one of the most explosive receivers in the league. The Falcons traded the moon for rookie WR Julio Jones to compliment Roddy. I’m not sure Ryan can be much more productive than last year, given their commitment to Michael Turner and the running game, but he should be as good or slightly better. Ryan is a low-end QB1, high-end QB2.
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Josh Freeman quietly turned in a solid season, throwing for 3451 yards and 25 touchdowns. Perhaps as impressive was his INT total (6). He added another 364 yards on the ground. Given his size, I expect Freeman to record his first rushing touchdown next year. His numbers are a little bloated thanks to a five touchdown performance against a dismal Seahawks pass defense in Week 16, but he remains a terrific QB2. Freeman really developed a nice rapport with Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn is ahead of schedule on his ACL recovery and should be more effective in 2011.
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Then you have Cam Newton. He is an amazing athlete, capable of being very productive with his arm and his feet. The lockout could prevent Newton from becoming comfortable with the offense, but he will still have the instincts to make plays with his feet. He’s worth a look late in the draft as a QB2, but he could run hot and cold in 2011, especially if Steve Smith gets his wish and is dealt to a contender.
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Also check out:

• AFC East Quarterback Situations
• AFC North Quarterback Situations
• AFC South Quarterback Situations
• AFC West Quarterback Situations
• NFC East Quarterback Situations
• NFC North Quarterback Situations

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Did you miss the playoffs or get eliminated? That doesn’t mean the winning has to stop. SMW Clothing is giving you a shot at redemption. All you have to do is guess the combined passing yards for Drew Brees and Matt Ryan on Monday Night Football. Whoever comes the closest without going over takes home the prize.
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Drew Brees is averaging 294.4 yards per game with a high of 382 and a low of 221. Matt Ryan is averaging 237.2 yards per game with a high of 316 and a low of 174.
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Oh, and if you are still in the hunt in your fantasy league, no worries. You’ll look great in this shirt as you brag about your fantasy football championship. .
As always, be original. If somebody guessed a total you want, you’ll have to come up with another one. Just leave a comment with your best guess and be sure to check out SMW Clothing.
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Also check out:

• Week 16 Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 16 Fantasy QB Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy RB Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy WR Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy TE Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy K Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• Week 16 Fantasy IDP Rankings
• Week 16 Start/Sit Advice

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

Most QBs struggle as a rookie and come back better the following year. When you add a future Hall of Fame tight end, the likelihood should be even greater. Unfortunately Atlanta QB Matt Ryan took a step back in virtually every offensive category.

For starters, he missed two games after playing in all 16 as a rookie. They came in weeks 13 & 14, which could have left a lot of fantasy players in a bind during a crucial part of the season. Injuries are part of the game, and Ryan is not at the point where he’s an injury risk.

Games played wasn’t the only area he slipped though. His completion percentage dropped from 61.1 percent to 58.3. His yardage went from 3440 to 2916. His TD production increased from 16 to 22, but his INTs increased from 11 to 14. Finally, his passer rating decreased from 87.7 to 80.9. His rushing numbers took a hit as well going from 104 yards to 49.

Though he may not have lived up to everybody’s expectations, his per game averages were about the same as he did last year. When you consider that Ryan and RB Michael Turner dealt with injuries last year, it’s not all that surprising that he didn’t have the year we were expecting of him.

The Falcons didn’t make any noise by adding another playmaker on offense, but a healthy Michael Turner should be enough to keep defenses honest. He has formed a great rapport with Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez remains one of the best tight ends in the game. Michael Jenkins is an decent #2 WR and Ryan has the ability to make things work.

Atlanta has a pretty nice schedule, figuring they will be in two shootouts with the Saints (Week 3 & 16), as well as the Cardinals (2), Eagles (6), and Packers (12). They also have favorable match-ups against the Browns (5), Bucs (9), Rams (11), and Seahawks (15).

The best part is Ryan is a QB that you can wait on a bit as you fill your skill positions. By the time you add him as a QB, you should have 2-3 RBs, 2-3 WRs, and possibly a TE. You may want to consider adding a high end QB2 so you can basically alternate between QBs depending on the match-ups.

Prediction:  3600 yards, 24 TDs, 12 INTs

What do you expect from Matt Ryan?

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