Fantasy Football Crystal Ball: Matt Ryan

Rookie quarterbacks are not supposed to play well. Rookie quarterbacks are not supposed to lead their team to the playoffs. And as fantasy football owners know, rookie quarterbacks are not supposed to be relevant in fantasy football. Apparently, Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan did not get that memo. Ryan was essentially handed the job upon being drafted, but as he took over a team with only one legitimate weapon in wide receiver Roddy White, most assumed the young quarterback was a year or two away from being relevant in fantasy football. Then, he goes out and throws a 62-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins on the very first attempt of his professional career. Of course, we know now that an improved offensive line and a great free-agent addition in running back Michael Turner really helped turned the Falcons into a winner last season. Those two things also allowed Ryan to grow into the job without being overwhelmed by it at the same time. Ryan ended up having quite a successful season as he threw for 3,440 yards with 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 61.1 completion percentage.

The big question is does Ryan have staying power or was last season a fluke?