Fantasy football draft: Where to target Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley
Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley will be the man in the Atlanta passing game now that Julio Jones is gone. The Falcons traded Jones to the Tennessee Titans this offseason, opening the door for Ridley to take over as QB Matt Ryan 's No. 1 target. Below, we look at Calvin Ridley's 2021 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.
Ridley enjoyed a breakout season in 2020 and set career-highs in catches, yards, first downs and targets. Jones missed time due to injury, allowing Ridley to step up as the offense's biggest weapon.
Entering this season, the former Alabama wideout is being put among the top receivers in the NFL. The Falcons boast a pass-first offense through Ryan, although the arrival of Arthur Smith as the new head coach could lead to more rushing attempts for the team's backfield.
Calvin Ridley's ADP: 30.96
(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com)
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Ridley currently has an ADP of 30.96, which is good for fifth-best among all receivers. Only Tyreek Hill (Kansas City Chiefs), Davante Adams (Green Bay Packers), Stefon Diggs (Buffalo Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona Cardinals) are being taken earlier than Ridley. The elite company is a testament to his 2021 expectations.
Ridley has been drafted as early as fifth overall, which is a bit rich for the Falcons wideout, and as late as 56th.
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Calvin Ridley's 2020 stats
Receptions: 90
Targets: 143
Yards: 1,374
Touchdowns: 9
Where should you take Calvin Ridley in your fantasy football draft?
Ridley was solid in his first two NFL seasons, topping 800 yards and 7 touchdowns each year. However, he really broke out last season with 1,374 yards and 9 touchdowns. He tied for fifth in yards and 10th in touchdowns, making it abundantly clear he was one of the best receivers in football.
He shouldn't go any later than the fourth round of standard leagues, and potentially even earlier in PPR (point per reception) formats. He should be a high-volume receiver with Jones out of the picture and rookie TE Kyle Pitts being his biggest competition for targets.
In dynasty leagues, feel good about taking him in the third or fourth round, being just 26 years old and only now hitting his prime, he has several strong years ahead of him in Atlanta.
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