Julio Jones has been dealing with a hamstring injury almost all season so can fantasy owners count on the Atlanta Falcons receiver this week?
In the second week of the 2020 NFL season, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones tweaked his hamstring on what should have been the game-sealing touchdown vs. the Dallas Cowboys. He missed Week 3 vs. the Chicago Bears and had to leave the game early on Monday Night Football vs. the Green Bay Packers. Atlanta is a disastrous 4-0 and we’re not sure if Jones plays on Sunday.
The Fantasy Footballers look at Jones being listed as questionable on Friday ahead of the Falcons’ Week 5 home game vs. the division rival Carolina Panthers and believe he’s not going to play. If he does, he’s not going to be anywhere near full-strength. Jones can make plays as a possession receiver, but the deep threat he possesses may no longer be in play should he start in Week 5.
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The Atlanta coaching staff would obviously love it if the team’s best player is able to go on Sunday. They are coaching for their jobs every single week. If Atlanta gets off to an utterly atrocious 0-5 start, it’ll be next to impossible for Dan Quinn and much of his Falcons staff to get another week on the job. So yes, they’re going to want him out there to potentially delay the inevitable.
Will Julio Jones be more of a decoy even if he plays this week?
If Jones does play, don’t look for him to be the superstar WR1 he’s been on your fantasy football team for years. He may make plays, as he almost always does whenever he’s out there. However, look for his teammates such as Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage, Hayden Hurst, Todd Gurley and Matt Ryan to benefit simply by him being out there. It takes the pressure off all them to get it done.
At the start of the year, the Panthers looked especially vulnerable on defense. They lost two key players from last year’s team in linebacker Luke Kuechly to retirement and cornerback James Bradberry to him signing with the New York Giants in his free agency. However, Carolina is a 2-2 under new defensive-minded head coach Matt Rhule through the first quarter of the season.
So how should you handle Jones’ hamstring injury this week? You can start him if you want, but assume the risk in doing so. He’s never been a big touchdown receiver but will get you yards and receptions when he gets in the zone. Ridley and Gage might be better plays than him this week. However, Atlanta needs to win this game before people start getting fired in Flowery Branch.